Women's Flag Football Could Become NCAA Sport After Committee Recommendation

The NCAA will consider adding flag football as a women's varsity sport in all three divisions.

Division I, Division II and Division III leadership will be able to consider legislation approving the sport after the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics recommended its addition Wednesday.

The news comes ahead of the Olympic debut of both men's and women's flag football at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Flag football previously made its international debut at a multi-sport event during the 2022 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama.

According to an NCAA press release, the three divisions "will review updated statistics, current sports sponsorship numbers, financial considerations, potential timelines and other relevant topics before making a final decision."

If approved, the sport would be added to college athletics as part of the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program.

The program allows organizations governing each sport to work directly with schools interested in adding the program, according to the NCAA.

The Emerging Sports for Women program currently governs acrobatics and tumbling, rugby, stunt, triathlon and women's wrestling. Equestrian is also part of the program in DI and DII.

Women's wrestling successfully moved through the program to be granted NCAA championship status last month. Competitors will play for the sport's inaugural NCAA title in winter 2026.

Five other sports have reached championship status after advancing through the program, including rowing, ice hockey, water polo, bowling and beach volleyball.

In order for women's flag football to become the 92nd NCAA sport with a championship, the sport must meet minimum participation requirements including at least 40 schools sponsoring the sport at the varsity level, according to the NCAA.

Per the NCAA, at least 65 member schools are currently sponsoring women's flag football at either a club or varsity level. The NCAA expects more programs to add the sport next academic year.

The push to expand flag football has started at the youth and high school level, with help from the NFL. The league says it has been promoting flag football as both a physical education curriculum component and varsity sport at high schools across the United States.