High School

OHSAA to Launch Girls Flag Football State Championship in 2026

With support from the Browns, Bengals, and NFL, Ohio becomes the 17th state to sanction the rapidly growing sport

Gary Adornato

The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) has announced it will sanction girls flag football starting in the spring 2026.
The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) has announced it will sanction girls flag football starting in the spring 2026. / Kevin Whitlock / Massillon Independent / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) announced Thursday it will officially sanction a state championship event for girls flag football beginning in spring 2026, marking a major milestone for the fast-growing sport in the Buckeye State.

The announcement came during a press conference at the NFL FLAG Championships in Canton, and featured representatives from the Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals, NFL, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

“Flag football is growing rapidly and we look forward to working closely with teams, coaches, and schools to help that growth,” said OHSAA Executive Director Doug Ute. “The Browns, Bengals, and NFL have already done so much to promote the game and bring us to this moment.”

From 20 Teams to 80 — and Growing

Girls flag football first took root in Ohio in 2021, when the Browns launched a Northeast Ohio league with just 20 teams. Fast-forward to 2025, and 80 schools now field girls flag football programs, with more expected to join by 2026.

The Bengals helped expand participation in Southwest Ohio, and in May, Hamilton Badin High School won the inaugural state tournament over Willoughby South, hosted at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium in Massillon.

National Momentum and Olympic Spotlight

Ohio now becomes the 17th state to sanction girls flag football at the high school level. Over 100 colleges now offer club or varsity flag football teams, and the sport is set to debut at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

“This is an exciting time for flag football,” said Stephanie Kwok, NFL VP and Head of Flag Football. “Ohio’s decision is a testament to the sport’s strong growth and appeal.”

Unified Support from NFL, Browns, and Bengals

Both Cleveland Browns Managing Partners Dee and Jimmy Haslam and Bengals Director of Strategy Elizabeth Blackburn celebrated the announcement, emphasizing the sport’s impact on building leadership, confidence, and community.

“This is an incredible day for the state of Ohio and the young women who have dreamed of this moment,” Blackburn said. “Flag football is more than a sport — it’s a platform.”

What’s Next

OHSAA will determine dates and formats for the official 2026 girls flag football season and tournament in the coming months.

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Gary Adornato
GARY ADORNATO

Gary Adornato is the Senior VP of Content for High School On SI and SBLive Sports. He began covering high school sports with the Baltimore Sun in 1982, while still a mass communications major at Towson University. In 2003 became one of the first journalists to cover high school sports online while operating MIAASports.com, the official website of the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association. Later, Adornato pioneered market-wide coverage of high school sports with DigitalSports.com, introducing video highlights and player interviews while assembling an award-winning editorial staff. In 2010, he launched VarsitySportsNetwork.com which became the premier source of high school media coverage in the state of Maryland. In 2022, he sold VSN to The Baltimore Banner and joined SBLive Sports as the company's East Coast Managing Editor.

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