NCAA Division II Adds Flag Football as Emerging Sport for Women

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA (April 16, 2025) – The NCAA Division II Management Council sponsored a 2026 NCAA Convention proposal to add flag football as an Emerging Sport for Women. 

The NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics, which oversees the Emerging Sports for Women program, has recommended that each division sponsor legislation to add flag football. Once in the program, a sport must have a minimum of 40 schools sponsoring the sport at the varsity level and meet minimum contest and participant requirements (as reflected in the NCAA Sports Sponsorship and Participation Rates Database) to be considered for championship status.

Flag football has been one of the fastest-growing sports in the country. At least 65 NCAA schools are sponsoring women’s flag football at either the club or varsity level this year, with more slated to join in 2026. Flag football also has been added as a sport for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

The Division II Management Council also supported a recommendation to expand the Division II Football Championship bracket from 28 to 32 teams, starting with the 2025 championship. The recommendation needs final approval from the Division II Executive Board, which meets Tuesday, April 22.