NIRSA Announces Initial Teams for Women's Flag Football Club League
National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) announced 14 teams as part of its new Women's Flag Football Club League that will debut in the 2026-27 academic year. NIRSA is partnering with the NFL to establish the new format and structure, which will include new initiatives. NIRSA Executive Director Pam Watts stated:
“Flag football is a cornerstone of NIRSA, and this league represents a natural evolution of our commitment to expanding access and opportunity in collegiate recreation. As interest in flag football continues to accelerate, we are proud to partner with the NFL and our member institutions to create a structured, competitive environment that supports student development, leadership, and lifelong wellbeing,” she adds.
Brian Flinn, who was recently named as NFL SVP of Global Flag Football, added:
“We’re grateful for NIRSA’s leadership and partnership because this initiative is about more than competition; it’s about opportunity. We’re not just launching a league. We’re continuing to redefine who football is for and what’s possible at the collegiate level, elevating the sport and expanding pathways for athletes at every level."
The 14 that were announced as part of the initial roster list include: Bowling Green State University (OH), Clemson University (SC), Coastal Carolina University (SC), Florida Atlantic University, Grand Canyon University (AZ), North Carolina A&T State University, Pennsylvania State University, Radford University (VA), Texas Southern University, University of Central Florida, University of Florida, University of Georgia, University of North Florida, and University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
Florida, Georgia, Grand Canyon, and UCF all competed at the inaugural Fiesta Bowl Flag Football Classic in April 2026. UCF defeated Florida 19-7 in the Championship. Florida and UCF have been the most dominant teams at the annual NIRSA National Championship, combining to win every title since 2013. Florida has won 7 of the previous 8 championships, including the one held in January 2026.
UW-River Falls was not previously announced as a new program. The Falcons are the third school from the NCAA Division III Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) to add a club or varsity flag football program. UW-Oshkosh offers a varsity program and competed for the first time in spring 2026. UW-Stout offers a club team, which has competed in the Minnesota Vikings' Midwest College Women's Flag Football League (MCWFFL) for the 2025 and 2026 spring seasons.
The NFL has been instrumental in flag football's meteoric growth. The league has poured funding into NFL FLAG, which is focused on the youth level. That has led to 23 states sanctioning girls flag football as a varsity high school sport. The collegiate level is seeing rapid growth, with nearly 400 club and varsity teams expected by the start of the 2027-28 academic year. In January 2026, the NCAA added flag football to the Emerging Sports for Women program, fast-tracking it for championship status as soon as 2028.
The NFL's efforts have led to flag football reaching the international level. The sport will make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games during the first week of competition. The NFL also plans to launch a professional league, with owners providing up to $32 million to fund the initiative. The NFL selected TMRW Sports as the flag football league's operator, which is intending to launch in the run-up to the 2028 Olympics.
NIRSA will provide additional details about scheduling, the end-of-season championship set for April 2027, and broadcasting possibilities over the next few months. More clubs will also be announced over the summer. Teams interested in competing in NIRSA's women's flag football club league can reach out to National Flag Football Manager Nik Sandona for more information via email at nik.sandona@nirsa.org.