Girls Flag Football in Massachusetts: Status, Schools & College Pathway
Girls flag football is thriving in Massachusetts as a New England Patriots-run pilot that reached 90 teams in 2026, but the MIAA has not sanctioned it — a 2025-27 proposal was rejected and supporters are now petitioning for varsity status.
Girls flag football in Massachusetts is booming — but it is not yet an official MIAA varsity sport. The program runs as a pilot organized by the New England Patriots, which grew to 90 teams for the 2026 season and crowned division champions — St. Mary's of Lynn (its third straight Division I title), Fitchburg and Boston Cathedral — at the Patriots' championship at Merrimack College. A proposal to sanction girls flag as an MIAA spring sport for the 2025-27 cycle was rejected, so it remains a pilot rather than a sanctioned championship. Under a revised MIAA process, supporters — backed by the Patriots and Governor Maura Healey — must gather letters of support from at least 15% of member schools by October 1 to petition for sanctioning. The momentum is national: girls participation has more than quadrupled since the 2021-22 NFHS survey, the NCAA added women's flag football to its Emerging Sports for Women program, and the sport debuts at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Massachusetts players eyeing the next level can follow the college pathway, including the NAIA national championship in spring 2027.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is girls flag football sanctioned in Massachusetts?
No. It runs as a New England Patriots-organized pilot; the MIAA rejected a proposal to sanction it as a varsity sport for the 2025-27 cycle.
How many teams play in Massachusetts?
The pilot grew to 90 teams for the 2026 season.
Who runs girls flag football in Massachusetts?
The New England Patriots organize the league and its championship, held at Merrimack College, with backing from Governor Maura Healey.
What would it take to make it a varsity sport?
Under the MIAA's revised process, at least 15% of member schools must submit letters of support by October 1 to petition for sanctioning.