After a unanimous vote from the Ohio High School Athletic Association Board of Directors, girls' flag football is officially the OHSAA’s 29th recognized sport.
Starting in the 2026-27 school year, girls' flag football will be a fully recognized sport in the state, bringing the total to 15 for girls, compared to 14 for boys.
Ohio sanctioned the sport last July, making the OHSAA one of 23 high school state associations in the U.S. to do so. Forty states offer girls' high school football programs.
RELATED: After years of effort, girls' flag football is now a state-sanctioned sport in Ohio
“The OHSAA is so proud to welcome girls flag football to our family,” OHSAA Executive Director Doug Ute said in a statement. “Flag football has grown so rapidly and will continue to do so. The Browns, Bengals and NFL put in so much work to promote the game and bring us to this moment to welcome girls flag football to the OHSAA.”
This past spring, Ohio saw 162 girls' flag football teams, and in May, the OHSAA partnered with the Cleveland Browns, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and the Cincinnati Bengals to host a high school state tournament. The tournament winner was Northeast Ohio's own Nordonia High School in Macedonia.
RELATED: Nordonia makes history, winning inaugural OHSAA girls flag football state championship
The growth of girls' flag football in Ohio began in Northeast Ohio with the creation of the first Girls High School Flag Football division in 2021.
“The recognition of girls flag football as an official varsity sport in Ohio is a tremendous milestone for student-athletes across the state,” Cleveland Browns managing and principal partners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a statement. “At the Cleveland Browns, we believe in creating more opportunities for young athletes to learn, compete and grow through the game of football and this decision marks just the beginning of that journey for many young women across Ohio. We’re proud to support the continued growth of girls flag football and look forward to seeing the positive impact this will have on schools, communities and the next generation of players.”
RELATED: Amid growth, Cleveland Browns lead charge to see flag football become state-sanctioned sport in Ohio
Dates for the 2027 season and tournament are yet to be determined.
