Kansas, Maryland sanction girls flag football

Last week, the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) and the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA) officially sanctioned girls flag football starting in the 2026-27 school year, making them the 18^th and 19^th sports, respectively, to sanction the sport.

“This is a historic day for our student-athletes and the sport of girls’ flag football,” MPSSAA Executive Director Andy Warner said in a news release.

“The growth of girls’ flag football demonstrates its inclusive reach to our female student-athletes, providing opportunities for teamwork and leadership in an equitable sporting environment. We are thrilled to see these young women compete for state titles and showcase their talents under the lights of our high school stadiums.”

According to the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), nationwide participation has more than doubled over the last several years. In the 2022-23 school year, there were 20,875 players and in the 2023-24 school year, there were 42,955 players — a 105% increase.

In Maryland, participation has grown from 10 teams in 2023 to 132 schools, or 66 percent of MPSSAA-member schools, participating this year, while in Kansas, 28 high schools piloted girls flag football programs last year with an average of 24 athletes per roster.

Last year, the NFHS released its first national rules book for high school girls flag football, with flag football becoming the 18^th sport the NFHS writes national playing rules for and the first since 2016.

“The momentum generated since the launch of our girls’ flag football pilot program in 2023 has led to this landmark sanctioning announcement,” Baltimore Ravens President Sashi Brown said.

“I want to acknowledge our partners at the [MPSSAA] and Under Armour for their continued commitment to this shared vision. We set out to create meaningful and equitable opportunities for girls to participate in football across the state, and now, we are seeing that vision realized. We know that today’s young female athletes will be prepared to become tomorrow’s leaders.”

The Ravens’ involvement marks a continued push from the NFL to establish girls flag football programs across the U.S. The Washington Commanders supported the effort in Maryland and Washington, D.C., while the Kansas City Chiefs supported the effort in Kansas and continue to work toward establishment in Missouri.

“This is a great day for the KSHSAA as our leadership board took decisive action by approving the expansion of program offerings to include girls flag football,” KSHSAA Executive Director Bill Faflick said in a news release. “We appreciate the leadership of the board of directors, who faithfully serve and reflect the desires of membership in these important decisions. The KSHSAA also appreciates the support of the Kansas City Chiefs and other stakeholders who helped bring girls flag football to Kansas.”