USA FOOTBALL STATEMENT ON NCAA ADDING FLAG FOOTBALL TO EMERGING SPORTS FOR WOMEN PROGRAM
The following quote can be attributed to Scott Hallenbeck, CEO and Executive Director of USA Football:
"Today's decision represents greater access, opportunity and momentum at a critical time ahead of flag football's Olympic debut. 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."
Background:
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.
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.
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), women's wrestling (2025), acrobatics and tumbling (2026) and stunt (2026).
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.
About USA Football: USA Football is the National Governing Body (NGB) for American Football in the United States and the sole U.S. member of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF), the international governing body for the sport of American football. USA Football selects, trains and leads Team USA Football® in tackle and flag football disciplines, while delivering world-class football development resources, sport standards and competitive opportunities to empower athletes at every level. USA Football is committed to ensuring every athlete has access to develop and compete in the game through safer, inclusive and innovative pathways. For more information, visit usafootball.com.