Girls Flag Football in Texas: Status, Schools & College Pathway
Girls flag football is surging in Texas via the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans, who have helped launch 200+ varsity teams and the first state championship in June 2026 — but UIL sanctioning is still pending, with a decision expected October 2026.
Girls flag football is booming in Texas, but it is not yet a UIL-sanctioned varsity sport. Instead, the sport's rapid growth has been driven by the NFL's Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans, who say they have helped establish more than 200 scholastically-based varsity girls flag football teams across the state. In June 2026 the two clubs jointly staged the first-ever Girls Flag Football Texas State Championship at DATCU Stadium on the University of North Texas campus (June 13-14, 2026), crowning statewide champions outside the UIL structure. Sanctioning is now working its way through the University Interscholastic League: in June 2026 the UIL Legislative Council directed staff to build an implementation plan and survey superintendents, with a final decision expected at its October 2026 meeting — meaning the earliest varsity season would be 2027-28. Momentum is national: the NCAA added women's flag football to its Emerging Sports for Women program, flag football debuts at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, and girls participation has more than quadrupled since the 2021-22 NFHS survey. For Texas players, the college pathway already runs through the NAIA national championship in spring 2027.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has the UIL sanctioned girls flag football in Texas?
Not yet. As of mid-2026 the UIL had not sanctioned the sport. In June 2026 the UIL Legislative Council directed staff to develop an implementation plan and survey superintendents, with a final decision expected at the October 2026 meeting. The earliest possible varsity season would be 2027-28.
Who runs girls flag football in Texas right now?
Growth is largely driven by the NFL's Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans, who say they have helped establish more than 200 scholastically-based varsity girls flag football teams across Texas and jointly organized the first statewide championship in June 2026.
Was there a Texas state championship in 2026?
Yes. The Cowboys and Texans staged the first-ever Girls Flag Football Texas State Championship on June 13-14, 2026 at DATCU Stadium at the University of North Texas. It was a club-run event, not an official UIL championship.
Where can Texas players compete after high school?
Women's flag football now has a growing college pathway, including NCAA emerging-sport programs and an NAIA national championship, plus the sport's inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.