Texas Approves a Girls Flag Football Pilot, No Earlier Than 2028-29

November 1, 2026

The University Interscholastic League's Legislative Council, meeting on 18 and 19 October 2026, approved "the development of girls flag football in concept as a pilot program." The pilot will have no more than two classifications and will begin no earlier than the 2028-29 school year.

The decision leaves several things still to settle. The UIL says it will gather information on rules and guidelines for the pilot, for the Council to consider at later meetings. Every rule change the Council passes also needs the approval of the Texas Commissioner of Education before it takes effect. The UIL has not said which two classifications will take part.

What we record. Texas stays not sanctioned on this tracker. No UIL pilot play exists yet, and the earliest it can start is nearly two years away. Our pilot status is for play that a state association already recognises. When the UIL adopts the pilot's rules and the Commissioner approves them, we will review the entry.

When it comes back. The UIL lets the Council take up new activities in June and October of odd-numbered years, so June 2027 is the earliest likely date for the pilot rules. It is on our upcoming decisions calendar.

This was the Council's latest step on the sport. In June 2026 it asked UIL staff for an implementation plan and a survey of superintendents. Until a pilot begins, Texas schools play in leagues run with the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans, outside the UIL.

The Texas entry and the sanctioning thresholds guide have been updated. Source: UIL Legislative Council meeting results, 19 October 2026.

Sanctioning status for every state is tracked on the national tracker. See methodology for how we source and date entries.