A key NCAA committee has endorsed making flag football an official championship sport. If the measure passes the next voting hurdle, the first national championship could be held as soon as spring 2028.
The NCAA Committee on Access, Opportunity, and Impact formally voted on Tuesday to recommend including the sport at its spring meeting. That doesn’t make flag football official yet, however.
All athletic divisions, Divisions I, II, and III, would have to endorse the creation of a championship at each of their levels. The next major stop on the road to becoming a full-fledged collegiate sport will be when the proposal gets discussed at the 2026 NCAA Convention this summer.
“Women’s flag football is experiencing extraordinary growth at the collegiate level, and this recommendation is another major step toward achieving NCAA championship status,” said RCX Sports Founder Izell Reese, who petitioned along with USA Football to have flag football join the Emerging Sports for Women program earlier this year. “The momentum behind the game reflects the passion of athletes, coaches, administrators, and partners across the country who have embraced flag football and invested in creating more opportunities for female athletes.”
Scott Hallenbeck, CEO and Executive Director of USA Football, echoed Reese’s optimism about the sport’s prospects.
“This is great news for flag football,” Hallenbeck said. “Growing the game is central to our mission, and the potential for college programs to play at a championship level does exactly that. It also strengthens the talent pipeline as we prepare for the Olympics in 2028.”
For the proposal to advance, at least 40 schools must add the sport at the varsity level.
“The college-level growth in flag football has been significant — as many as 60 schools sponsoring it at the varsity level this spring — and this recommendation reflects that,” NCAA president Charlie Baker said. “With the sport headed to the 2028 Olympics, the timing couldn’t be better for women who might not have had a path to compete at the college level before. That’s worth celebrating.”