Showtime Flag Football League has officially unveiled its 2026/27 Season XV calendar, confirming an expansive seven-month schedule that will further strengthen its position as Africa’s pioneering professional flag football competition.
The league announced that Season XV will run from 20 September 2026 to 2 May 2027, featuring 18 regular-season game weeks, three 5v5 Coed Cup tournaments, postseason playoffs, an awards night and the championship-deciding Showtime Bowl XV.
The calendar marks another significant milestone for the Lagos-based league as it continues its mission to professionalise flag football across the continent while building one of Africa’s most structured sporting competitions.
Season opens on September 20
The new campaign will begin on 20 September 2026 with Regular Season Game Week 1.
Game Week 2 follows on 27 September, while Game Week 3 is scheduled for 4 October, kicking off an 18-week race that will stretch across two calendar years.
The regular season will pause for a Christmas break from 20 December 2026 to 16 January 2027, before resuming with Game Week 11 on 17 January.
The final regular-season fixtures will conclude on 21 March 2027, determining playoff qualification and postseason seedings.
Coed Cup returns with three tournaments
Alongside the league championship, Showtime will once again stage its increasingly popular 5v5 Coed Cup competition.
The Swiss-stage tournaments are scheduled for:
11 October 2026
8 November 2026
6 December 2026
The competition will then progress into its knockout rounds, with the Top 8 taking place on 31 January 2027, followed by the semi-finals on 28 February.
The Coed Cup Final is set for 25 April 2027, just one week before the league championship game.
Playoffs and awards night
Another major date on the calendar is 24 March 2027, when Showtime will hold its Wildcard and Playoffs Bracket Draw, giving teams and supporters a clear picture of the road to the championship.
Three days later, on 27 March, the league will host its Regular Season Awards Night, recognising outstanding players, coaches and teams for their performances during the campaign.
The postseason will unfold as follows:
Stage Date
Wildcard Week 4 April 2027
Playoffs Round 1 11 April 2027
Playoffs Round 2 18 April 2027
Coed Cup Final 25 April 2027
Showtime Bowl XV 2 May 2027
The season will culminate with Showtime Bowl XV on 2 May 2027, where the league’s newest champion will be crowned.
Transfer windows confirmed
Showtime also announced two transfer windows for Season XV.
The first transfer window closes on 26 September 2026, shortly after the opening weekend of the season.
A second registration period will open on 30 November 2026 and close on 16 January 2027, allowing clubs to strengthen their squads before the second half of the campaign.
Building the future of African flag football
The announcement reflects Showtime’s continued investment in developing flag football as a professional sport in Africa.
The league has already established the continent’s first professional flag football stadium, Showtime Arena in Lagos, while introducing structured competition, dedicated fan experiences and year-round player development initiatives.
Season XV is expected to build on that foundation by providing athletes with consistent competitive opportunities across more than seven months of action.
The timing is particularly significant as flag football prepares for its historic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, increasing global interest in the sport and creating new opportunities for African talent to emerge on the international stage.
New digital platform for fans
In addition to the season calendar, Showtime announced plans to launch a new official website, which will serve as a digital hub for fixtures, team profiles, player statistics, results and league news.
The platform is expected to enhance fan engagement while making the competition more accessible to supporters across Nigeria and beyond.
With the calendar now confirmed, clubs can begin preparations for another highly competitive campaign.
From the opening whistle on 20 September 2026 to the championship showdown on 2 May 2027, Season XV promises to be another defining chapter in Showtime’s vision of building the future of professional flag football in Africa.
AbdulBasit Saba is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
