The NFL will expand its international search for talent by opening an academy in rugby-mad Australia to develop promising teenagers in the Asia-Pacific region into college and pro prospects.
The NFL Academy will open in September for student-athletes aged 12 to 18, following recruitment camps taking place this summer in Australia and New Zealand, the league announced on Thursday.
Ahead of the NFL Draft, live on Sky Sports, the announcement says the region is full of talent such as Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Jordan Mailata, a six-foot-eight Australian who was deemed too big for rugby league.
“Football has changed my life, and opening an NFL Academy in Australia will no doubt help many more young people change theirs,” Mailata said in the league announcement.
The academy will be housed at A.B. Paterson College on the Gold Coast and the plans include construction of a high-performance facility on the college grounds – to be completed in 2026 – also available for community use.
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Mailata, who came through the league’s International Player Pathway program, will be on the Gold Coast to announce the Eagles’ first-round draft pick.
“The Asia-Pacific region is rich in sporting talent, and I look forward to seeing the next generation of football players out there craft their own pathway to playing in the NFL in the years to come,” he said.
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The move is another step in the league’s global expansion, with NFL owners voting in December to authorise the league to hold eight games internationally each season.
The Green Bay Packers will play the Eagles when the NFL holds its first regular-season game in Brazil in September. The NFL will also have three games in London in 2024, along with one in Germany, while Spain is set to host their first game in 2025 at Real Madrid’s newly renovated Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
Rugby and Australian Rules are potentially good sources of talent like Welsh rugby union star Louis Rees-Zammit, who signed with the Kansas City Chiefs ahead of the new season.
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For the new academy, the first recruitment camp is scheduled on June 29 at A.B. Paterson College on the Gold Coast. A second is July 6 in Sydney followed by an August 24 camp in Auckland, New Zealand.
“The NFL Academy program is a significant league initiative that is driving football development efforts globally, and successfully changing the lives of young people around the world,” said Brett Gosper, head of Europe and Asia-Pacific with the NFL.
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“We look forward to bringing the program to the Gold Coast, Australia, and continuing to build authentic player pathways for international talent, giving more young people from across the Asia-Pacific region the opportunity to play the game in the years ahead.”
Watch all three days of the 2024 NFL Draft from April 25-27 live on Sky Sports Action, beginning with round one from 1am in the early hours of Friday morning.