British American Football receives landmark £500,000 in funding from UK Sport

| American Football | 12/17/2024

The British American Football Association (BAFA) has announced that it has been awarded £500,000 ($634,000) in funding from UK Sport.

The funding will specifically support the development of the elite Great Britain Flag Football Olympic program over the next three and a half years – in the run up to the Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games in 2028.

Never before has UK Sport funded British American Football and the announcement heralds a pivotal moment for the development of the game in the UK.

BAFA CEO Chad Ehlertsen:

“We are delighted and deeply grateful that UK Sport – UK’s high-performance sports agency – recognises the potential of British American Football as an elite sport and is committed to funding us.”

“This investment is a game-changer for our Olympic Flag Football programs, enabling us to build a high performing program for our athletes, coaches, and support staff.

“While the funding is specifically allocated to our Olympic ambitions, we remain dedicated to fostering growth at all levels and across all forms of the sport.

“This investment not only fuels our journey to Los Angeles but also inspires the next generation of players to take up the sport and build its future in the UK.”

BAFA Chair Nichole McCulloch:

“An immense amount of planning went into the preparation of this funding application – and I wish to thank Chad and his senior leadership team for their diligence and commitment in ensuring a successful outcome.

“For British American Football, 2024 has been a seminal year in how we, as a National Governing Body, are regarded within the echelons of British Sport.

“The financial support from UK Sport follows similar endorsement from Sport England this summer and further demonstrates our emergence as strong, dynamic and agile National Governing Body.”

Dr Kate Baker, Director of Performance and People, UK Sport:

 “Following the spectacular performances of Team GB and ParalympicsGB in Paris this summer, it’s so important for us to be able to keep the momentum going as we head into the LA cycle. This is our greatest investment to date, with more sports set to embark on an Olympic and Paralympic campaign with us than ever before.

“I’m excited to work with the new sports receiving investment from us for the first time (Flag Football, Lacrosse, Para Climbing and Squash), as well as Baseball/Softball who received National Squads funding in the Paris cycle, and warmly welcome them to our Olympic and Paralympic community.

“With every Games cycle comes new sports and athletes with new stories to tell and inspiration to share. With our investment supporting more breadth than ever before, as well as the entertainment, drama and spectacle we’ll no doubt experience from a Games taking place in LA, I can’t wait to see what our athletes can achieve in four years’ time.”