Maryland makes girls flag football a state championship sport

Maryland Makes It Official: Girls Flag Football Sanctioned for State Championships

This one feels bigger than football.

Maryland is officially sanctioning girls' flag football as a state championship sport, with the first title games set for Fall 2026 at M&T Bank Stadium. And if you've been following this from the beginning, you know this didn't happen overnight.

This is the result of years of work—led in large part by the Baltimore Ravens—turning what started as a pilot program in 2023 into one of the fastest-growing high school sports in the state. We're talking more than 130 schools involved and over $1 million invested to build it the right way.

Ravens president Sashi Brown summed it up best:

“This is a significant day for both the Baltimore Ravens and the entire state of Maryland. The momentum generated since the launch of our girls flag football pilot program in 2023 has led to this landmark sanctioning announcement. I want to acknowledge our partners at the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association and Under Armour for their continued commitment to this shared vision. We set out to create meaningful and equitable opportunities for girls to participate in football across the state, and now, we are seeing that vision realized. We know that today’s young female athletes will be prepared to become tomorrow’s leaders.”

That's what this is really about: opportunity. And now, it's official. Maryland isn't just growing the game—it's setting the standard for what it should look like.

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Maryland sanctions girls flag football as state sport