The New York Giants are proud to support the New York Gay Football League, which is celebrating its 22^nd season in 2026.

The NYGFL is a 7-on-7 flag football league inclusive to all but primarily catering to the LGBTQIA+ community in and around New York City. Since being founded in 2004 with just six teams and roughly 70 players, the league has evolved into one of the largest gay football leagues in the country with more than 20 teams and a community of several hundred active members annually.

The Giants have been sponsors of the NYGFL for more than nine years, hosting practices and clinics for NYGFL athletes at their practice facility. The partnership between the Giants and NYGFL began in 2017. Natalie Wizel, content producer in the Giants' marketing department, has been an active member of the NYGFL since 2016 and a captain since 2017. Upon becoming a captain that year, Wizel participated as a member of some of the league's tournament teams.

The NYGFL sends teams consisting of the league's most competitive players to several tournaments each year, including the Florida Sunshine Cup every February, Chicago Pride in June, and the national Gay Bowl in October. These tournaments require booking flights and hotels, so team members reach out to people within their circles for sponsorship opportunities. That sparked the connection between the NYGFL and the Giants, a partnership that has grown over the years.

The 2026 campaign represents the league's 22^nd season of play, which was commemorated with a visit to the NFL League offices in New York City during Pride Month in June. Members of the NYGFL visited the offices and held their annual Hall of Fame ceremony. Six members were inducted into the NYGFL Hall of Fame, including the Giants' very own Wizel. The event was attended by members of the NYGFL, NFL staff, 7-year NFL veteran Carl Nassib, and his brother, former Giants quarterback Ryan Nassib.

"Over the years, the relationship between the New York Gay Football League and the New York Giants has only continued to grow," Wizel told Giants.com. "All the touchpoints we have each year demonstrates that not only are the Giants happy to give a monetary contribution, but they also truly care to engage and support the NYGFL community.

"It is an honor to be a member of this years' New York Gay Football League's Hall of Fame Class. This league has been such a huge and meaningful part of my life on a personal and professional level. As a member of the NYGFL and an employee of the New York Giants, it is an amazing feeling to have the support and community on both ends, especially as I receive this award and recognition."

Following the ceremony, Ethan Medley, Director of Community Relations & Youth Football at the Giants, hosted a Q&A with Carl and Ryan that discussed their upbringing and football background, the courageous moment that Carl became the first openly gay active NFL player, and what it means to Ryan to be an ally.

As the organization has done in previous years, the Giants Foundation gave the NYGFL a $10,000 contribution to assist with operating costs of the league.

The partnership between the Giants and the NYGFL will continue later this summer, as members of the league will be invited to attend a preseason game in August.

"The support that the Giants have continued to bestow on our league and on our community, it has just felt very genuine and authentic," NYGFL Commissioner Monty Clinton told Giants.com. "Our community is incredibly appreciative of the support and the partnership. People come to this organization for football, but they stay for the community. Having the support of the Giants to help continue to elevate our community, and to help give us a voice and add to the credibility of what we do, it shows that football is for everyone.

"The Giants' involvement has been transformative. Twenty years ago, a collaboration of this magnitude between an NFL team and a gay flag football league would have seemed unimaginable. However, the Giants' commitment to inclusivity has set a powerful example in professional sports, demonstrating how far both the league and the broader community have come. This partnership underscores the endless possibilities for the future as both organizations continue to grow and expand, making sports a more inclusive space for all. The support from the Giants is more than just symbolic; it actively contributes to the NYGFL's mission of breaking down stereotypes and fostering community. As the NYGFL celebrates its 22^nd season, the enduring partnership with the Giants highlights how much progress has been made and the exciting potential that lies ahead for both organizations."