The New York Jets and Palace for Life, the official charity of Crystal Palace Football Club, have partnered to host the Championship Day of the 2026 Jets NFL Girls Flag league in London.

Held at the Crystal Palace FC Academy in South London, the all-day event followed 10 weeks of league fixtures and brought the initiative's fourth year to a close. Kingston Academy emerged victorious, claiming the title with an 20-18 victory over Grey Court School in the final.

Individual accolades were also awarded to recognise outstanding performances, with Ella Fallahi Alvani from Kingston Academy awarded Offensive MVP and Olivia Green from Grey Court School awarded Defensive MVP.

New York Jets Chairman and Partner and Director of Crystal Palace Football Club, Woody Johnson, said:"Congratulations to Kingston Academy on winning the Jets UK Girls' Flag League Championship.

"Hosting the championship tournament at Crystal Palace FC Academy was a big deal, and a proud extension of what we have built with our US girls' flag program. To see it take root and flourish in the UK has been remarkable. We're committed to making sure it keeps growing."

As part of the new partnership with Palace for Life, the Jets will expand the league in South London in 2027. Palace for Life will identify schools with which they have current relationships to join the league.

The New York Jets and Palace for Life, the official charity of Crystal Palace Football Club, have partnered to host the Championship Day of the 2026 Jets NFL Girls Flag league in London (Image supplied)

Each will receive Jets NFL Girls Flag league uniforms, practice jerseys and flag equipment, in addition to travel stipends for games. The Jets also hope to bring kick-off and championships to the Crystal Palace FC Academy moving forward.

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Championship Day also saw the official unveiling of the first-ever roster for the Jets Flag Elite London, a new all-girls Flag football travel team which will feature top players from the London league.

Led by Jay Taylor of the Fruit Bats flag football team, and launched during the league's kick-off in March, it will provide elite-level skill development and an exciting new pathway for girls participating in flag football across London.

"The Jets NFL Girls Flag League in London is creating real opportunity for young women to play flag football in London," said Jesse Linder, Vice President, Community Relations for the New York Jets.

She continued: "Through our new partnership with Palace for Life, we're excited to expand the program in South London and continue growing the pathway from school participation to elite competition with Jets Flag Elite London."

Palace for Life's CEO Mike Summers added: "At Palace for Life, we use the power of sport to transform the lives of young people across South London.

"We're proud to partner with the New York Jets to bring flag football to Crystal Palace, creating new opportunities for girls from our partner schools to access and enjoy sport in a fun, inclusive and competitive environment."

The Jets NFL Girls Flag league in London has seen a continuous year-on-year growth, with over 300 girls (aged 12-15) from 32 secondary schools taking part in 2026.

The initiative is of huge importance to the Jets, with the organisation's collective investment in Girls Flag football activities in London and Dublin now surpassing $1 million.

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The initiative aims to increase girls' access to and participation in sports across London through NFL Flag. With a fun, exciting, and accessible format, it helps participants build lifelong psychological skills in strategy, communication, and resilience as they work together to plan and execute winning plays.

Flag football is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, with over 20 million players across 100 countries, where women and girls are driving the fastest growth.

The sport will officially be included in the LA 2028 Olympic Games programme, led by the efforts of the International Federation of American Football and supported by the NFL.

BAFA (British American Football Association) is looking forward to working with the NFL to grow Flag Football in the U.K.

U.K. fans can stay updated on the latest news about the New York Jets and hear about their upcoming activities by visiting its website here.