Abu Dhabi To Host First-ever NFL Event With Bitcoin Rewards For Players

The much-anticipated event will be held in Abu Dhabi on December 10, coinciding with the region’s first Bitcoin MENA Conference in the UAE capital.

The NFL event has received widespread attention globally for its unique approach to player rewards.

NFL’s Abu Dhabi edition will feature some of the biggest names in American football, with eleven-year NFL veteran and Super Bowl Champion Russell Okung leading the charge.

Okung, besides being a prominent advocate for athletes’ financial sovereignty, is the first professional athlete to receive his salary in cryptocurrency.

The star-studded lineup will also include over 22 football legends such as Antonio Brown, Le’Veon Bell, Johnson Bademosi, Jurrell Casey, and Jared Evans.

Celebrated players such as Dez Bryant, Dontrelle Inman, Mohammad Sanu, Randell Johnson, Michael Thomas, Craig Robertson, and Wesley Woodyard also figure in the league roster.

“Blending sports, technology, and finance, the event will mark a cultural milestone for the nation [UAE] and wider GCC region,” organisers of the conference said.

“The flag football match at our Bitcoin event is no accident – it embodies the collaboration and resilience of the Bitcoin community,” said George Mekhail, BTC Inc.

“Russell Okung’s push to empower athletes with Bitcoin is a forward-thinking vision that moves us more into mainstream consciousness.

“We’re proud to host this mission at the Bitcoin Conference, bringing purpose and excitement to our attendees,” he said.

With flag football recently becoming the official game of the NFL Pro Bowl and confirmed as part of the 2028 Summer Olympics, the Abu Dhabi event is expected to underscore the worldwide growth of the sport.

Organised through the International Federation of American Football’s 75 national member federations, flag football’s popularity is on the rise, projected to surpass tackle football in organized participation within the coming years.

The Abu Dhabi edition is part of the official lineup of side events at this year’s Bitcoin MENA 2024 – the largest global gathering of Bitcoin investors, developers, and stakeholders.

All Bitcoin MENA ticket holders will have free access to witness this historic match live, while separate tickets for the Bitball game are available for purchase at playbitball.com.