NCAA adds flag football to Emerging Sports for Women program

Flag football has been added to the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program, effective immediately, after representatives from all three divisions approved the recommendation this week at the 2026 NCAA Convention in the Washington, D.C., area.

Flag football has been one of the fastest-growing sports in the country at the youth, high school and collegiate levels. The sport's momentum includes being added as a sport for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

"Welcoming women's flag football into the Emerging Sports for Women is a meaningful step toward expanding access, equity and opportunity," said Jacqie McWilliams, commissioner of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association and chair of the NCAA Committee on Access, Opportunity and Impact. "This sport has already sparked passion nationwide, and now countless young women will see a path that once didn't exist. We celebrate the programs leading the way and look forward to the transformative impact they will have on the future of collegiate athletics."

"The addition of flag football to the Emerging Sports for Women program underscores our commitment to expanding athletic opportunities that resonate with today's student-athletes," added Juan Hernandez, vice president of diversity, equity and belonging at Curry and vice chair of the NCAA Committee on Access, Opportunity and Impact. "The sport's rapid growth across campuses and communities shows the demand for inclusive, competitive environments for women."

The Emerging Sports for Women program is intended to help schools provide more athletics opportunities for women and more sport-sponsorship options for schools, while helping that sport achieve NCAA championship status. 

Since the program was created in 1994, eight sports have successfully become NCAA championship sports, including rowing (1996), ice hockey (2000), water polo (2000), bowling (2003), beach volleyball (2015) and women's wrestling (2025). This week at the NCAA Convention, two other emerging sports — acrobatics and tumbling, and stunt — were approved to become NCAA championship sports in the 2026-27 academic year. 

"Flag football has changed my life in ways I never imagined. This sport has led me to a college scholarship and a future in the game I love," said Ki'Lolo Westerlund, a flag football student-athlete at Alabama State. "The NCAA's decision to include women's flag football in their Emerging Sport for Women program is incredibly meaningful because it shows that our hard work, dedication, and passion are being recognized. This vote gives future generations of women a real reason to believe that they can play, compete, and build a future in football. I'm so proud to be part of this moment and excited for what's ahead."

"The recognition of women's flag football as an NCAA emerging sport marks an important and inspiring step forward for collegiate athletics. By opening new pathways for participation, leadership and scholarship, the NCAA strengthens its commitment to expanding equitable opportunities for women and embracing the evolution of modern sport," said Marion Terenzio, president at SUNY Cobleskill and chair of the NCAA Emerging Sports Subcommittee of the Committee on Access, Opportunity and Impact. "This moment signals both progress and possibility, inviting campuses across the country to support a dynamic, strategic and fast-rising discipline."

Once in the Emerging Sports for Women program, a sport must have a minimum of 40 schools sponsoring the sport at the varsity level and meet minimum contest and participation requirements to be considered for NCAA championship status. Flag football's immediate addition to the program means schools sponsoring the sport in the 2026 spring season can count toward the 40-school threshold required to establish a National Collegiate Championship if they meet minimum requirements. More details about legislative next steps are available in this document. As of summer 2025, NCAA sports sponsorship data showed that at least 40 NCAA schools planned to sponsor flag football at the varsity level in the 2025-26 academic year. Additional tracking from sport leaders anticipates as many as 60 schools could participate in spring 2026. The NCAA expects sponsorship to continue to increase.

"The NCAA's decision to add flag football as an emerging sport validates years of momentum driven by athletes, coaches and community programs nationwide," said Izell Reese, CEO of RCX Sports and president of the RCX Sports Foundation. "It underscores both the growth of women's flag football and the power of intentional investment to unlock opportunity. Our focus at RCX Sports Foundation is making sure the infrastructure — access, resources and support — keeps pace with the sport's demand, empowering student-athletes to thrive at every level."

"Today's decision represents greater access, opportunity and momentum at a critical time ahead of flag football's Olympic debut," said USA Football CEO and Executive Director Scott Hallenbeck. "We're optimistic that, through this process, women's flag football will be positioned as a viable NCAA championship sport, opening even more doors for competition, education, scholarships and potential pathways to Team USA Football. On behalf of the sport's national governing body, I applaud the NCAA and our partners in the football ecosystem who championed this vote."

RCX Sports Foundation and USA Football, the national sport leaders, submitted the application to become an emerging sport and lead the growth at the collegiate level. Both entities are also working with the NFL's support to help grow women's flag football at all levels. 

"Adding flag football to the NCAA's Emerging Sports for Women program is a historic milestone for the game," said Troy Vincent Sr., NFL executive vice president of football operations. "This decision reflects the growing global enthusiasm for flag football and will open doors for young women to pursue their dreams and compete at the collegiate level. We applaud the NCAA for this transformational decision and look forward to collaborating with them to ensure flag football continues its path toward championship status."