Maryland’s MPSSAA approves girls flag football as 26th championship sport

Robinson Knights girls flag football team; Courtesy of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA) announced on Friday afternoon via a press release that the association has approved girls flag football as the state’s 26th sanctioned state championship sport. Earlier in the day, Kansas approved girls flag football, becoming the 18th state to sanction the sport with Maryland being the 19th.

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“This is a historic day for our student-athletes and the sport of girls’ flag football,” MPSSAA executive director Andy Warner said in a statement. “The growth of girls’ flag football demonstrates its inclusive reach to our female student-athletes, providing opportunities for teamwork and leadership in an equitable sporting environment. We are thrilled to see these young women compete for state titles and showcase their talents under the lights of our high school stadiums.”

The MPSSAA press release showed the growth of girls flag football on the high school level around the state of Maryland, starting at 10 schools in 2023-24, 53 in 2024-25 and 91 in 2025-26.

“This is a significant day for both the Baltimore Ravens and the entire state of Maryland,” Baltimore Ravens president Sashi Brown said in the statement. “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.”

Below is the full list of the 19 states around the United States that officially sanction girls flag football as a state championship sport:

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Illinois
Kansas
Maryland
Mississippi
Nevada
New York
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Tennessee
Washington

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