Girls flag football has reached a major milestone in Ohio.
The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) has officially voted to make girls flag football a fully sanctioned high school sport beginning with the 2026-2027 school year. The unanimous decision makes girls flag football the OHSAA’s 29th recognized sport and marks a significant step forward for one of the state’s fastest-growing athletic programs.
The sport has seen explosive growth over the past few years. Just three years ago, only 20 Ohio schools fielded girls flag football teams. This spring, that number jumped to 162 teams across the state, giving hundreds of student-athletes the chance to compete.
“This is an exciting day for girls athletics in Ohio,” said OHSAA Executive Director Doug Ute. “The OHSAA is so proud to welcome girls flag football to our family. Flag football has grown so rapidly and will continue to do so. The Browns, Bengals and NFL put in so much work to promote the game and bring us to this moment.”
The momentum has been building for several years.
Earlier this spring, the OHSAA partnered with the Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame to host the state’s high school girls flag football championship tournament. Macedonia Nordonia captured the title.
Support from Ohio’s NFL teams has played a major role in the sport’s expansion. Both the Browns and Bengals have invested in growing girls flag football programs across the state and have pledged to continue supporting the sport as it enters its first official OHSAA season.
The announcement also comes as flag football continues to gain recognition on the world stage.
The sport is set to make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles, giving young athletes another pathway to compete at the highest level.
Girls flag football now joins the OHSAA lineup as its 15th girls sport, bringing the association’s total to 29 recognized sports.
Dates for the inaugural OHSAA-sanctioned girls flag football season and state tournament will be announced at a later date. With participation continuing to grow across Ohio, the first official season is expected to be another major step forward for the sport.
