Minnesota Girls Flag Football Explodes to 104 Schools as The Vikings Double Down on Their Support

Backed by more than $600,000 in league support and part of the NFL’s $32 million nationwide investment, the Minnesota Vikings’ high school girls flag football league more than doubles in size entering its second season.

The Minnesota Vikings and the NFL are helping grow the sport of girls high school football in the state. / Minnesota Vikings/Maddie Crooke

Girls flag football continues its rapid rise across Minnesota.

From Pilot Program to Statewide Movement

The Minnesota Vikings announced Thursday that 104 schools will participate in the second season of the Minnesota High School Flag Football League — more than doubling the league’s size from a year ago.

The Vikings launched a pilot program in 2024 with four teams competing in a 12-game regular season before hosting the inaugural state championship at TCO Stadium. In 2025, the league expanded to 51 schools, with the Vikings investing an additional $600,000 to help programs launch and sustain operations.

Now, entering its second full statewide season, participation has surged again — a sign of growing demand for opportunities in girls flag football.

NFL Investment Fuels Momentum

The expansion in Minnesota mirrors a broader national push.

The NFL has invested more than $32 million in girls flag football initiatives nationwide, funding equipment, coaching development and league infrastructure. The goal is to create meaningful participation pathways for female athletes while fostering leadership skills both on and off the field.

Vikings Vice President of Social Impact Brett Taber said the growth from the 2024 pilot to the current statewide model has exceeded expectations. The jump in school participation, he noted, reflects both demand and the sport’s accelerating momentum.

2026 Season Schedule Set

The 2026 season begins in April, with teams competing in Sunday doubleheaders throughout the regular season before advancing to playoffs at select high schools.

The season culminates Monday, June 8, with the state championship tournament at TCO Stadium.

Key Dates:

• April 26 – Regular Season Week 1
• May 3 – Regular Season Week 2
• May 10 – Regular Season Week 3
• May 17 – Regular Season Week 4
• May 31 – Playoffs
• June 8 – State Championship at TCO Stadium

104 Schools Ready to Compete

From traditional powerhouses like Eden Prairie, Lakeville North, Wayzata and Rosemount to programs in Minneapolis, St. Paul and Greater Minnesota, schools across the state are set to take part in the 2026 season.

What began as a small pilot has rapidly evolved into one of the Midwest’s largest girls flag football leagues — and with continued NFL backing, Minnesota appears positioned to remain at the forefront of the sport’s national growth.

The following schools are set to participate during the 2026 season:

Albany Area

Andover High School

Anoka

Apollo (St. Cloud)

Apple Valley

Austin High School

Benilde-St. Margaret's

Big Lake

Bloomington Kennedy & Johnson

Breck School

Burnsville High School

Centennial

Champlin Park High School

Chanhassen High School

Chaska High School

Cloquet High School

Columbia Heights High School

Community School of Excellence

Cretin-Derham Hall

DeLaSalle High School

Eagan High School

Eagle Ridge Academy

East Ridge High School

Eastview

Eden Prairie High School

Edina

Elk River

Fairmont High School

Farmington High School

FIT Academy

Forest Lake High School

Grand Rapids

Hastings

Hiawatha Academies

Hill Murray

Hmong College Prep Academy

Hopkins

Houston

Irondale

La Crescent-Hokah

Lakeville North

Lakeville South

Mahtomedi

Maple Grove

Melrose High School

Minneapolis Camden

Minneapolis Edison

Minneapolis North

Minneapolis Roosevelt

Minneapolis South

Minneapolis Southwest

Minneapolis Washburn

Minnehaha Academy

Minnetonka

Monticello

Mounds View High School

Mountain Iron-Buhl

North St. Paul

Northfield

NRHEG

Orono High School

Osseo Senior High School

Park Center

Park Cottage Grove

Pine Island

Prior Lake

Proctor

Richfield

Robbinsdale Armstong & Cooper

Rochester Century

Rochester Mayo

Rocori

Rogers

Rosemount

Roseville Area

Rushford-Peterson

Sartell High School

Shakopee High School

Simley High School

South St. Paul

Southwest Christian

Spectrum High School

Spring Lake Park

St. Anthony Village

St. Charles High School

St. Cloud Tech

St. Louis Park High School

St. Michael-Albertville

St. Paul Central

St. Paul Como Park

St. Paul Hardin

St. Paul Highland Park

St. Paul Humboldt

St. Paul Johnson

St. Paul Washington

Stillwater Area

Tartan High School

Totino-Grace High School

Two Rivers High School

Waterville-Elysian-Morristown

Wayzata

White Bear Lake

Woodbury