PHOENIX (AZFamily) — The Arizona Cardinals launched a youth flag football league in Canada, with games starting Thursday.
The Junior Cardinals Flag Football League, powered by Raw Sports, marks the first time an NFL team has directly invested in a Canadian youth flag football league.
About 700 players will compete in the inaugural season across six age divisions: 6U, 8U, 10U, 12U, 14U and 16U.
Each player will receive a uniform kit that includes a jersey and flags from the Cardinals, as well as shorts from Avnet, a global electronics distributor.
“We are proud to support the Arizona Cardinals in bringing the Junior Cardinals Flag Football League to Canada, a powerful initiative that helps develop future leaders by fostering teamwork, inclusivity and confidence, values that are core to who we are at Avnet,” said Dayna Badhorn, president of Avnet Americas.
Players and families will also have opportunities to engage with Cardinals legends, cheerleaders and Big Red at events throughout the season.
Cardinals’ ties to Canada
The Cardinals added Canada as a new international market in 2025 and have hosted events in the Calgary area.
In March, over 525 youth athletes attended the inaugural Cardinals flag football camp. Cardinals cheerleaders invited local Calgary cheer teams to take part in a special performance during the camp.
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