Today’s vote by the NCAA to add women’s flag football to its Emerging Sports for Women program marks a milestone that has been decades in the making, and one that will change the trajectory of opportunity for girls and women across the country. For so long, young women with a passion for football have stood on the sidelines, watching a game they loved but couldn’t fully access. With this pivotal decision, the NCAA has sent a clear message: Their time has finally arrived.

This moment represents far more than the addition of a new sport. It’s a powerful acknowledgment of the athletes, coaches, administrators, advocates and girls nationwide who have pushed tirelessly to expand access and carve out space where it didn’t previously exist. And for a sport that has grown at a pace rarely seen in modern sport, the NCAA’s vote doesn’t just validate the momentum — it accelerates it.

Flag football is one of the fastest-growing sports in the U.S. This year, more than 65 NCAA institutions are sponsoring women’s flag football at the club or varsity level, with many more set to join in the 2026-27 academic year. Participation at the high school level is surging, with states across the country officially sanctioning the sport. Momentum has only accelerated with the NFL’s recent announcement of a professional women’s flag football league, and the inclusion of flag football in the L.A. 2028 Olympic Games has further elevated its profile, making it one of the most exciting growth stories in global sports today.

But the NCAA’s vote today does something the Olympics — even with all its magnitude — cannot do on its own: It builds a sustainable, domestic pathway........

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