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SALT LAKE CITY — High school girls in Utah can now sign up to play in the state's first all-girls high school flag football league. According to the Utah High School Girls Football Association, the girls flag football begins in September. The athletes will be play six regular-season games and the playoffs. Girls flag football is a non-contact sport. Instead of tackling, a player pulls a flag off their opponent to stop the play. Creation of the league in Utah comes ahead of the sports' official Olympic debut in the 2028 Summer Olympic Games. Utahns have already had a glimpse of girls playing flag football. According to Darby NeVille with the association, high school girls football debuted at the 2025 Utah Summer Games. "It was incredible to see girls competing on that stage for the first time," said Ryan NeVille of the Utah High School Girls Football Association. "Being a part of the Summer Games showed that this movement is real -- and just getting started."
Why now is the time for girls flag football
Support for the sport has been building. High school girls in seventeen states are already playing. And the 2028 Summer Olympic Games aren't too far away. And NeVille said that more colleges are offering scholarships to girls in the sport. According to NFLFlag, the National Football League's official flag football program, more than 100 colleges and universities are offering club or varsity flag football. The program also said that thousands of teams are competing at the intramural level.
Who can play girls flag football, and when
Girls in grades nine through twelve, from any Utah high school, are eligible. The cost is $200 per player, and includes a uniform and flags. The season begins in September 2025. Visit the Utah High School Girls Football Association for updates, to sign up, or to learn more.
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