Girls flag football becomes official KSHSAA sport after near-unanimous vote
Backed by the Kansas City Chiefs and more than 11,000 petition signatures, the sport will debut in the fall of 2026
TOPEKA, Kan. — High school girls in Kansas will soon be able to compete for a state championship in flag football after the Kansas State High School Activities Association Board of Directors voted 61-1 Thursday to sanction the sport. The near-unanimous approval makes Kansas the 18th state to sanction girls flag football, which will officially begin in the 2026-27 school year.
The decisive vote follows a successful pilot phase and widespread advocacy, including a "Let Her Play" grassroots campaign championed by the Kansas City Chiefs. The NFL franchise gathered more than 11,000 petition signatures and submitted a video message from team executives — including chairman and CEO Clark Hunt and head coach Andy Reid — ahead of the KSHSAA deliberations. The sport has operated at the club level since 2021, and 28 Kansas high schools piloted flag football programs last year, averaging rosters of 24 athletes per team.
"This is a great day for the KSHSAA as our leadership board took decisive action by approving the expansion of program offerings to include girls flag football," KSHSAA Executive Director Bill Faflick said. Faflick also credited the Chiefs and other local stakeholders for helping turn the proposal — initially submitted by the Greater Wichita Athletic League — into a reality. Board members Sara Richardson and Chris Asmussen formally brought the measure forward.
Under the newly approved structure, high school teams will play six to 10 regular-season games culminating in a KSHSAA state tournament. Middle school programs will also have the opportunity to field teams, though their seasons will be capped at six games. KSHSAA officials noted that the sport will use its own National Federation of State High School Associations rulebook, with Assistant Executive Director Jeremy Holaday slated to represent Kansas on the national rules writing committee after current committee member Mark Lentz retires July 1.
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