INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics has put forth a suggestion for all three divisions—Division I, II, and III—to consider endorsing legislation that would incorporate flag football into the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women initiative.

This proposal, made on Wednesday, presents an opportunity for each division to advance the fast-growing sport within the NCAA legislative framework.

In order for a sport to achieve championship status, it is necessary for at least 40 schools to support the sport at the varsity level and for it to meet specific requirements for participation and contests.

Currently, there are over 65 NCAA institutions that are participating in women’s flag football at either the varsity or club levels, with additional schools expected to come on board by 2026. Moreover, flag football has been included as one of the sports featured in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

The NAIA initiated women’s flag football in 2020, with this organization managing sports for approximately 200 predominantly private institutions and officially hosting championships for the sport since 2021.

As of now, 14 states have recognized girls’ flag football as a varsity high school sport. This sport was ranked as the 12th most popular among girls in the 2023-24 academic year, attracting 42,955 participants, according to statistics from the National Federation of High Schools, while nearly half a million girls aged 6 to 17 engaged in flag football during 2023, as reported by NFL FLAG.