North Alabama, Wesleyan College Adding Women's Flag Football
The University of North Alabama and Wesleyan College (GA) will both add varsity women's flag football programs beginning with the 2026-27 academic year.
UNA becomes the seventh NCAA Division I school to offer a varsity program, following Alabama State, Long Island University (NY), Mercyhurst University (PA), and Mount St. Mary's (MD), which are competing during the 2025-26 academic year. UT Arlington (TX) will start competing in the 2026-27 academic year, while Cal Poly will play its first varsity season in 2027-28.
The state of Alabama will have at least 10 flag football-playing institutions by the start of the 2026-27 academic year. The NJCAA's Alabama Community College Conference has seven members: Bishop State, Calhoun, Lurleen B. Wallace, Northwest-Shoals, Shelton State, Snead State, and Wallace State. In addition to NCAA Division I Alabama State, NCAA Division III Huntingdon College also sponsors flag football. North Alabama is the 10th school to offer the sport.
North Alabama is currently a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN), but will join the United Athletic Conference (UAC) starting in the 2026-27 academic year. UT Arlington will also join the UAC next year, giving the conference two members that offer varsity flag football.
Wesleyan, located in Macon, Georgia, is currently a member of the NCAA Division III Collegiate Conference of the South, but will move to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) beginning with the 2026-27 academic year. At the same time, Wesleyan will add a varsity flag football program. Wesleyan will join the NAIA's Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) along with Andrew College (GA).
Wesleyan's addition of flag football puts the SSAC at five flag football-playing members. Brewton-Parker Christian University (GA), Life University (GA), Point University (GA), and Thomas University (GA) also offer flag football, but play as affiliate members of the Sun Conference. If a sixth flag football team joins the SSAC, it could lead the conference to begin sponsoring the sport.
Flag football has grown in both the NCAA and NAIA. The NCAA is expected to be added to the NCAA's Emerging Sports for Women Program early in 2026 and could achieve NCAA Championship status in 2028. Flag football will make its Olympic debut during the first week of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
The NAIA recently voted to move flag football from an emerging sport to an invitation sport, beginning this academic year. The first invitational tournament will be held in spring 2026. The Great Southwest Athletic Conference will also be sponsoring flag football for the first time next season, alongside the established Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference and Sun Conference.