KEY TAKEAWAYS: Six French U15 teams will compete in a Saints-backed flag football tournament Sept. 19 in Paris. The winning team will travel to New Orleans in December for a sports and cultural experience. The Saints have worked for three years to expand flag football and American football in France. The initiative comes ahead of France’s first NFL game in October.   The New Orleans Saints are expanding their efforts to grow flag football in France with a national youth tournament that will send the winning team to New Orleans for a sports and cultural experience later this year. The Saints and the French Federation of American Football will host the Saints French U15 Flag Football Tournament on Sept. 19 at Stade Émile Anthoine in Paris. Six mixed U15 teams from across France qualified for the tournament following regional competitions and a national event in Saint-Denis in June. The tournament champion will travel to New Orleans in December for a multiday program supported by the Saints and Strauss Family Office. During the trip, the French athletes are expected to interact with local flag football teams, participate in activities surrounding a Saints game and experience Louisiana culture. The group will also attend a Saints game at the Caesars Superdome. The tournament builds on a three-year effort by the Saints to develop flag football and American football in France in partnership with the French federation. The NFL franchise has supported French teams participating in international NFL tournaments, held a clinic for more than 150 young players in Villepinte and worked with the NFL to introduce the sport in French schools. Saints owner Gayle Benson and players Tyler Shough and Taliese Fuaga also visited a school flag football training session in Villebon-sur-Yvette in March. “As the first NFL team to lead the expansion of flag football in France, the New Orleans Saints are proud to support this growing movement with the FFFA and the Strauss Family Office,” Benson said. “The passion and dedication of these young athletes reflect the bright future of our sport, and this tournament strengthens the connection between our communities. We look forward to welcoming the champions to New Orleans and celebrating the continued rise of flag football in France.” The initiative comes as France prepares to host its first NFL game in October, providing another opportunity for the league and its teams to expand their presence in the country. Frédéric Paquet, president of the French American Football Federation, said the Saints partnership will give young athletes exposure to another sporting culture while helping the organization expand flag football in France. “This major partnership for our federation opens a window onto another sporting culture, fosters exchange between our two countries, and offers our young members an exceptional human adventure,” Paquet said. “It also marks a new step in our ambition to sustainably grow flag football in France, and we are delighted to have the support of the Saints.” Strauss Family Office is supporting the collaboration as part of its work on French-U.S. sports, cultural and educational initiatives. Its projects include the Remembrance Bowl, a flag football game played in Normandy by active-duty military personnel to commemorate D-Day. Michelle Strauss, CEO of Strauss Family Office, said flag football provides another way to strengthen ties between young people in France and the United States. “Flag football gives us a living bridge where young French and American athletes can compete against, learn from, and ultimately call friends,” Strauss said. ...read more read less