Eastern Michigan to add women's flag football as varsity program

One of the fastest-growing sports in the country is coming to Eastern Michigan.

The Eastern Michigan Eagles are adding women's flag football as a varsity sport beginning in the spring 2027 season, with flag football becoming the school's 14th women's varsity sport and 21st overall. Eastern Michigan is the first school in the state to announce a varsity women's flag football program.

"Women's flag football is one of the fastest-growing sports in the nation, and its addition reflects our commitment to creating new opportunities for student-athletes at EMU," athletic director Scott Wetherbee said in a release. "With the sport set to take center stage at the 2028 Olympic Games, we are proud to help lead its growth and to build a program our campus and community will embrace."

Michigan is the only other school in the state to field a women's flag football team, though the Wolverines' squad is a club team and does not have varsity status. The NCAA classifies women's flag football as an emerging sport and currently does not have a championship system set up, with four active Division I varsity programs and at least another six teams announced for the upcoming season, according to the latest data from Collegiate Flag Football.

Eastern Michigan has begun a search for a coach, according to the release, and will start recruiting players once a coach is hired.

Girls flag football has become a popular high school sport in Michigan, with the Detroit Lions having sponsored high school teams since 2022. Flag football, both men's and women's, will appear for the first time as an Olympic sport at the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics.

"The addition of women's flag football reflects the kind of strategic growth we are pursuing across the University, growth that welcomes more students into our Eastern community, strengthens alignment across campus, and extends EMU's impact throughout Michigan," said EMU president Dr. Brendan Kelly. "This is a proud moment for our institution, and a clear example of how we are investing in new pathways for student success."