Girls Flag Football in Missouri

Pilot Missouri has organized play without a formal sanctioning vote.

Is girls' flag football a varsity sport in Missouri?

Not yet as a fully sanctioned sport. The Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) recognizes organized high school play — as an emerging, pilot or association-run event — without having formally adopted girls' flag football as a sanctioned sport. Next decision: MSHSAA annual ballot, Spring 2027 (expected, per reporting). Checked against MSHSAA's own materials on 2026-09-15.

Does Missouri have girls' flag football?

Yes. High schools in Missouri play girls' flag football in MSHSAA-recognized programs that are not yet fully sanctioned.

Can you play college flag football in Missouri?

Yes. We have checked 6 varsity women's flag football programs at colleges in Missouri: Avila University (NAIA), Cottey College (NAIA), Missouri Baptist University (NAIA), Missouri Valley College (NAIA), North Central Missouri College (NJCAA), William Woods University (NAIA). Each is confirmed from its conference's, college's or governing body's own pages.

The details

Governing body	Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA)

Checked on 2026-09-15 against MSHSAA's association release (annual ballot results).

MSHSAA member schools voted 271-96 (73.8%) on the 2025 annual ballot to amend By-Law 5.2.6 and designate girls flag football an MSHSAA emerging sport, effective immediately for registration purposes. Not yet confirmed from MSHSAA documents, but reported with quotes from MSHSAA's communications director: the sport became provisionally interscholastic for 2026-27 after 50 or more schools in at least three of MSHSAA's eight board districts registered; another such year followed by a two-thirds vote on the annual ballot would make it fully interscholastic, with a championship possible in 2027-28. Most Missouri teams have played in spring.

College programmes in Missouri

Varsity women's flag football programmes based in Missouri, checked against conference or school sources:

Avila University — NAIA, KCAC
Cottey College — NAIA, KCAC
Missouri Baptist University — NAIA, HAAC
Missouri Valley College — NAIA, HAAC
North Central Missouri College — NJCAA
William Woods University — NAIA, HAAC

See all checked college programmes.

What's coming up in Missouri

Spring 2027 — Decision: If participation holds for a second year, member schools vote on making girls flag football fully interscholastic; a two-thirds majority is needed. (reported)

Every scheduled vote and first season nationwide is on the upcoming decisions calendar.

How states sanction the sport

Our guide explains how Missouri's association handles new sports, alongside the rules other states use.

Where Missouri fits nationally

23 states and the District of Columbia have sanctioned girls' flag football as a high school sport, by our count. See the national tracker for every state, or why published counts differ.

Neighboring states

Arkansas Not sanctioned
Iowa Not sanctioned
Illinois Sanctioned
Kansas Sanctioned
Kentucky Sanctioned
Nebraska Not sanctioned
Oklahoma Not sanctioned
Tennessee Sanctioned

Funding for girls' flag football in Missouri

Kansas City Chiefs: New programs in Kansas and Missouri can receive up to 25 Nike uniforms and the USA Football equipment toolkit, plus camps and clinics. No dollar amounts published. Apply or register interest. (Chiefs girls high school page)

National grants open to schools anywhere are in our directory of girls' flag football grants.