Which states have sanctioned girls high school flag football?
As flag football's Olympic debut gets closer, girls flag football is on the rise. Here are the 20 states that have made it an official high school sport.
Girls flag football is, indisputably, on the rise. Some states have been crowning girls flag football state champions for decades (looking at you, Florida) and some just sanctioned it in early May ( congratulations, New Jersey ), but as flag football's Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles games inches closer, the sport is now growing astronomically. Seventeen states have sanctioned it within the past five years, often with backing and support from local NFL teams , and a number more are currently running pilot programs.
In total, 19 states and Washington, D. C. have sanctioned girls flag football at the high school level as of the beginning of May.
The official sanctioning means it will be recognized as a varsity sport with an official state champion—along with possible inclusion in the USA TODAY Sports flag football Super 25 —on par with other athletic offerings. Take a look at who has sanctioned the sport, and when. States that have sanctioned girls flag football: Note: Oftentimes, some play had begun at the high school before the year of official sanctioning.
Alabama (2023) Alaska (2024) Arizona (2022) California (2023) Colorado (2024) Florida (2003) Georgia (2019) Hawaii (2024) Illinois (2024) Kansas (2026) Maryland (2026) Mississippi (2025) Nevada (2016) New Jersey (2026) New York (2023) Ohio (2025) Pennsylvania (2024) Tennessee (2025) Washington (2025) Washington, D. C. (2025) This article originally appeared on USA TODAY High School Sports Wire: Girls high school flag football is growing.