San Francisco 49ers Expand Flag Football Program into Mexico City
The San Francisco 49ers announced on Oct. 29, 2026, that they are expanding 49ers Flag Mexico presented by Banorte into Mexico City, integrating flag football into the physical education curriculum at schools across the city. The expansion, developed in partnership with the 49ers Foundation and NFL Mexico, follows earlier launches this year in Los Cabos and Monterrey. The Mexico City celebration event took place Oct. 28, 2026, at Escuela Primaria Benito Juárez for teachers and students from 49 local schools.
49ers Flag Mexico is a school-based initiative designed to expand free access to flag football for youth across the country and to make the sport available regardless of background, gender or financial situation. Sofy Navarro, director of program impact and strategy for the 49ers Foundation, said the move into Mexico City will make flag football free and accessible to thousands of students who might not otherwise have the opportunity. The program now reaches nearly 100 schools across Mexico as a result of the latest expansion. The 49ers said Banorte is the presenting sponsor of the program.
The Oct. 28 event at Escuela Primaria Benito Juárez included an educational coaching clinic led by Coach Kelly (Arely Monserrat Pérez García), head of program education for 49ers Flag Mexico, who instructed 70 PE teachers on how to teach the basics of flag football. About 100 students participated in 49ers EDU lessons that covered science, technology, engineering, art and math before the day concluded with a flag football skills and drills clinic run by the newly trained PE teachers. 49ers alumnus Alfredo Gutiérrez was on-site to help coach teachers and students during the celebration.
The 49ers Foundation described the Mexico City expansion as a continuation of the club’s community and youth-development efforts, emphasizing coaching education and classroom-linked programming. By embedding flag football into PE classes, the organization aims to institutionalize regular access to the sport and related educational content. The partnership with NFL Mexico supports scaling the curriculum and teacher training across the program’s service areas.
NFL Sports Blog Take
The expansion of 49ers Flag Mexico into Mexico City marks a move toward a sustainable, school-based model rather than occasional clinics. With nearly 100 schools now involved and formal PE integration, the program can provide repeated exposure to the sport and related lessons. The emphasis on coach training and 49ers EDU lessons links athletic development with classroom learning and may strengthen long-term participation in the sport. The presence of 49ers alumnus Alfredo Gutiérrez on-site underscored the program’s connection to the team and its alumni network.