More high school girls are taking up flag football. As its popularity increases, more opportunities are arising for the athletes.

Girls flag football is now officially a sanctioned sport here in Ohio. The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OSHAA) announced that it will sanction girls’ high school flag football in the spring of 2026, according to an OSHAA spokesperson. This makes Ohio the 17th state to sanction girls flag football in the United States.

The Ohio High School Athletic Association announced on Thursday that it will sanction a state championship event in girls flag football beginning in the spring of 2026. The announcement was made at a press conference in Canton alongside representatives from the National Football League,