The NCAA Committee on Access, Opportunity and Impact has formally recommended that flag football become an NCAA championship sport, with the inaugural title slated for the spring of 2028.
The proposal, which would see Divisions I, II and III sponsor legislation to create a National Collegiate Flag Football Championship, comes as the discipline enjoys rapid growth, with more than 100 institutions slated to field varsity teams in the upcoming academic year.
Jacqie McWilliams Parker, who chairs the committee and serves as commissioner of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, emphasized that girls are eager to compete and that expanding access yields stronger participation and success.
Marion Terenzio, chair of the Emerging Sport Subcommittee and president of SUNY Cobleskill, added that the sport’s momentum, competitiveness and national interest are impossible to ignore.
RCX Sports and USA Football filed the application to bring flag football into the NCAA’s Emerging Sports for Women program earlier this year, a move that aligns with the organization’s vision of cultivating talent ahead of the sport’s Olympic debut in 2028.
Brian Flinn, NFL senior vice president of global flag football, described the recommendation as a pivotal step toward a fully recognized collegiate championship for women.
If the plan proceeds as outlined, each division will review the recommendation by July 1, with potential sponsorship proposals to be voted on in January 2027; all three divisions must approve the legislation before an NCAA Women’s Flag Football Committee, set to begin work that same month, can finalize the championship schedule.
A Timeline for Implementation
The timeline calls for funding approval from the appropriate financial oversight bodies before the championship can be established, ensuring that the sport meets the NCAA’s minimum competition and participant requirements.
Akeylah James, a flag football student‑athlete at Winston‑Salem State, said the prospect of NCAA championship status opens a pathway of greatness for future players.
The move would build on the NCAA’s broader commitment to expanding women’s sports, a trend reflected in a 24% increase in participation across emerging sports during the 2024‑25 season, bringing total NCAA athlete participation to over 554,000.