USA FOOTBALL STATEMENT ON NCAA DIVISION I VOTE TO ADD FLAG FOOTBALL AS AN EMERGING SPORT FOR WOMEN
The following quote can be attributed to Scott Hallenbeck, CEO and Executive Director of USA Football:
"USA Football is excited by today's Division I vote to move women's flag football forward within the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women process. This is an important recognition as the sport continues to surge in popularity and present new opportunities to women and girls across the country. We look forward to hearing from Divisions II and III later this week, as today's decision has set the tone for the next phase of consideration."
Background:
Today, Division I representatives voted to add flag football to the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program for the division. The vote was taken at the 2026 NCAA Convention in the Washington, D.C., area. Representatives at the Division II and Division III levels will vote on the addition of flag football to the Emerging Sports for Women program on Friday.
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).
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.