Vikings Partner with 7 NCAA Institutions to Launch Collegiate Women’s Flag Football League

The Vikings since 2022 have actively supported the growth of girls and women’s flag football. The organization has allocated more than $600,000 toward statewide and regional girls flag football efforts, helping reduce financial barriers for girls to play and assisting with transportation and facility costs, as well as coaches’ and officials’ stipends.

Flag football is currently the fastest-growing sport, three years from making its Olympics debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. According to the NFL, more than 20 million people in 100 countries are currently playing, and participation from girls ages 6-17 doubled over the past two years.

After partnering with Minneapolis Public Schools to pilot a middle school girls flag program in 2022, eight districts participated in the middle school program in 2024. The Vikings have also been working with high school programs throughout the state and expect to inaugurate the state’s first high school girls flag football league in spring 2025.

At the college level, nearly 500 NCAA institutions have expressed interest in women’s flag football. In 2024, 51 collegiate institutions — including NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA — had a women’s flag football program.

The Vikings are proud to be part of this additional implementation.

“The competition is certainly a critical element of what we are doing here, but what’s just as powerful is the sense of community this league will create. These young women are pioneers in collegiate flag football, and they’re setting an example for younger girls who now see that they, too, can have a future in this sport,” Rush said. “And it doesn’t stop with the players. This league will inspire more coaches, referees, athletic trainers, support staff and administrators to get involved, strengthening the entire ecosystem of girls and women’s flag football in the Upper Midwest and beyond.”