Overview
- North Carolina’s high school association approved girls’ flag football as a state championship sport, making the state the 22nd to sanction it.
- The New Jersey association’s 311-18 vote Monday made it the 21st state to sanction the sport, with varsity play set to begin in the 2026–27 school year.
- New Jersey’s multi-year pilot swelled to about 140 schools and roughly 4,200 players after NFL-backed support that included funding, gear, clinics and championship events from the Jets, Eagles and Giants.
- The Green Bay Packers this week awarded $100,000 in grants to 20 Wisconsin high schools to launch teams and clubs, a push aimed at paving the way for future state sanctioning there.
- Nationwide participation has climbed toward roughly 70,000 girls, and the sport’s growth is feeding formal pathways that include emerging NCAA consideration and an Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Games.