DUBAI: The San Francisco 49ers launched on Monday their NextGen Flag Football program to introduce the game into school curricula in the UAE.

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The US team are collaborating with GEMS Education, the largest network of schools in the country, serving 125,000 students. The program was rolled out to select GEMS schools earlier this year, with plans for more to join in January 2026.

The program will equip participating schools with gear, curriculum resources, and coaching support, to help teachers integrate flag football into their physical education lessons, the team stated in a press release.

The team added: “At the end of each season, the program will culminate in a flag football tournament, bringing together participating schools to compete and demonstrate the skills developed in their classes.”