The 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles will mark the debut of flag football, representing a historic moment for the sport and its growing global community.
Pennsylvania Joins the Flag Football Revolution
Pennsylvania became the 13th state to sanction girls’ flag football as a high school sport in September 2023. The other states that have sanctioned the sport are:
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New York, and Tennessee.
New York’s Flag Football Pioneers Take the Field
In 2023, Pine Bush High School in New York started its inaugural season for girls’ flag football. The team, dubbed “the OGs,” played their first match against Minisink, losing 21-19. Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District in California also launched teams at Valencia, El Dorado, and Yorba Linda High Schools. Central Union High in the Imperial Valley of California began its first season as part of the CIF. These teams are part of the nationwide push as more schools and states officially sanction girls’ flag football.
Flag Football’s Growth Gains Momentum in 2024
In 2024, girls’ flag football continued its expansion across the U.S., with more states and schools officially sanctioning the sport at the high school level. Pennsylvania became the 13th state to recognize girls’ flag football as an official sport in 2023, following the footsteps of states like New York, where the sport’s inaugural season kicked off as part of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association’s (NYSPHSAA) efforts. The state will hold its first girls’ flag football state championship in 2024.
California Schools Prepare for Flag Football’s CIF Debut
Pine Bush High School in New York began its inaugural season of girls’ flag football in 2023, marking a significant step in Section IX, where 13 teams compete. This initiative followed New York’s push to pilot the sport statewide, with growing support from professional teams such as the Jets, Giants, and Buffalo Bills. In California, the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District launched girls’ flag football teams at multiple high schools, preparing for the official CIF season in 2024. Teams like Central Union High in California’s Imperial Valley also started scrimmaging in preparation for their first competitive season under CIF rules.
The Future of Girls’ Flag Football: National Expansion and Beyond
With the sanctioning of girls’ flag football in many states around the country, and more planned in 2025 and beyond, it’s exciting to see a national movement towards expanding girls’ flag football at the high school level. The sport is quickly gaining momentum, fueled by state sanctioning, school support, and growing interest from female athletes across the country.
The increasing number of states and schools adopting the sport signals a bright future for girls’ flag football as it transitions from grassroots efforts into a fully-fledged high school sport with potential collegiate opportunities.
