Flag football gets NCAA committee recommendation for NCAA Emerging Sports for Women

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The fast-growing sport of women’s flag football could be the next NCAA sport.

On Wednesday, the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics recommended that Division I, II and III athletics sponsor legislation to expand the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program. The recommendation will move through the NCAA governance structures. All three divisions will be able to sponsor legislation to advance the sport to NCAA championship status.

According to the NCAA Sports Sponsorship and Participation Rates Database, at least 40 schools must sponsor the sport at the varsity level and meet the minimum contest and participation requirements to be considered for championship status. According to the NCAA press release, at least 65 NCAA schools are sponsoring women’s flag football at the club or varsity levels this year. More are expected to join the fold in 2026.

According to the NCAA press release, at least 65 NCAA schools are sponsoring women’s flag football at the club or varsity levels this year and more are expected to join the fold in 2026.

“The growth of flag football will be exciting to watch in the NCAA as women’s sports continue to generate more visibility and opportunities for female student-athletes to excel academically and athletically,” Ragean Hill, chair of the Committee on Women’s Athletics and executive associate athletics director at Charlotte said in a statement.

“The Committee on Women’s Athletics wants to thank RCX Sports Foundation and USA Football for submitting the application. CWA looks forward to flag football being added to the Emerging Sports for Women program and watching the sport’s exciting journey to NCAA championship status in the future.”

According to NFLFlag.com, 14 states have already sanctioned flag football as a high school varsity sport, including Florida, California and New York. More states, including Michigan, are playing girls’ flag football as a pilot program. According to the NFL Flag football site, a pilot program is: “States are running flag football pilot test seasons in select schools to evaluate full adoption as a sanctioned sport.”

The Michigan High School Football Coaches Association (MHSFCA) is hosting the state’s first girls’ flag football state championships on May 28 in Rochester Hills.

During the Super Bowl on Sunday, commercials aired with the NFL’s push to expand girls’ flag football in more states. Flag football was added for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and has gained momentum as a varsity high school sport.

Established in 1994, The Emerging Sports for Women program is intended to help provide schools women and schools with more opportunities and scholarships. Since its inception, six sports have achieved NCAA championship status: rowing (1996), ice hockey (2000), water polo (2000), bowling (2003), beach volleyball (2015), and wrestling (2026).

In January, all three NCAA divisions moved women’s wrestling from the program to become the 91st championship in the NCAA. The first NCAA championship for women’s wrestling is scheduled for winter 2026. Other sports currently in the program include: acrobatics, tumbling, equestrian (only Divisions I and II), rugby, stunt and triathlon.

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