Fanatics Flag Football Classic: 5 Things to Know as Tom Brady Returns to Football

LAS VEGAS — The GOAT is back.

FOX Sports NFL lead analyst Tom Brady announced that he will return to the field in 2026. However, it won't be in the NFL. 

In a partnership with Fanatics, FOX Sports and OBB Media, Brady plans to play in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic, which is a brand-new global flag football event. The Fanatics Football Classic will take place at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia as part of the Riyadh Season on Saturday, March 21, 2026. 

Here are five things you need to know about the Fanatics Flag Football Classic and Brady's involvement in it. 

The Fanatics Flag Football Classic is a round-robin tournament featuring three teams of current and legendary professional football players and world-class athletes, including Brady, who makes his first official return to the field since his retirement in 2023.

The event will feature three teams of eight players facing off in a round-robin tournament, with the top two teams advancing to the championship.

Saquon Barkley, CeeDee Lamb, Christian McCaffrey, Sauce Gardner, Myles Garrett, Brock Bowers, Maxx Crosby, Tyreek Hill and Odell Beckham Jr. are among the players who are confirmed to be participating in the event. NFL on FOX analyst Rob Gronkowski will also make his return to football at the event. 

"I played against a lot of the guys that are playing, and obviously have a tremendous amount of respect for them," Brady said of the players joining him for the event. "It was really cool, the reception that they had. Talking to different owners, obviously wanted to call them and say, ‘Hey, I want to ask so and so to play.’

"It's just a great opportunity for those players to go over and see another part of the world and play the game that they love."

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