When it comes to college athletics, few programs carry the economic weight of Georgia football. Sanford Stadium routinely packs in over 93,000 fans every fall, creating a game-day atmosphere that’s as electric as it is lucrative. From ticket sales to concessions to team gear flying off the shelves, the Bulldogs aren’t just a powerhouse on the field-they’re the financial engine that drives much of the University of Georgia’s athletic department.
But while the gridiron spotlight has long been dominated by Saturdays in Athens and Friday nights under the lights across Georgia’s high school fields, there’s another form of football quietly gaining serious momentum: girls flag football.
In just a few short years, the sport has exploded across the state. Since being sanctioned by the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) in 2020, girls flag football has grown to include 305 teams for the current school year. That’s not just growth-that’s a movement.
And it’s a movement that hasn’t gone unnoticed in Athens.
“I think it's something you have to keep an eye on,” Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks said after the school’s athletic board met on January 30. “A lot of athletic departments are challenged right now just to meet the needs of their current number of sports, but I do see a lot of growth in that area. A lot of popularity, especially in the state of Georgia.”
Brooks isn’t wrong. The surge in popularity is backed by numbers.
According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, girls flag football led all sports in increased participation for the 2024-25 school year. Nearly 69,000 girls played nationwide-a 60% jump from the previous year.
That kind of growth is exactly what the NCAA looks for in an emerging sport. And in January, the NCAA officially gave flag football that designation for women’s athletics.
The goal? To expand opportunities for female athletes and provide schools with more options to sponsor sports.
Since the emerging sports program was created in 1994, eight sports have graduated to full NCAA championship status-including rowing, ice hockey, and beach volleyball. Acrobatics and tumbling, along with stunt, are next in line for 2026-27.
Flag football could be on a similar trajectory. It’s already set to make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles-a major milestone that could supercharge its growth even further.
In the college ranks, the ball is already rolling. Nebraska became the first Power 4 program to announce it will add women’s flag football, targeting 2028 for its launch with plans to offer 25 scholarships. That move will make it the Cornhuskers’ 25th varsity sport.
Charleston Southern is also joining the wave, becoming at least the 12th Division I program to commit to adding a women’s flag football team.
As for Georgia, the Bulldogs currently sponsor 21 varsity programs-nine for men and 12 for women. According to the school’s most recent NCAA financial report, women make up 47.5% of the university’s athletes. While flag football hasn’t yet been added at the varsity level, the university does have a club team operating under the Recreational Sports department.
That club team is already gaining exposure. UGA President Jere Morehead noted that the team will compete in the inaugural Fiesta Bowl Flag Football Classic this April at Arizona State. They’ll be joined by teams from Alabama State, Charlotte, Florida, Grand Canyon, UCF, and USC.
And the recruiting trail is starting to heat up, too. Nebraska recently made its first known offer in the sport to Makena Cook, a junior quarterback from Orange Lutheran High School in California and a Georgia soccer commit. Cook told KOLN-TV in Lincoln that she’s “keeping all of [her] options open.”
Still, adding another varsity sport comes with a price tag. In the 2025 fiscal year, UGA spent $3.1 million on operating expenses for its women’s soccer team, which includes 35 athletes.
Softball, with 21 athletes, cost even more-$3.3 million. With revenue-sharing models evolving and costs rising, athletic departments are weighing every decision carefully.
But if the momentum behind girls flag football continues at this pace-and all signs suggest it will-Georgia may soon find itself at a crossroads. The Bulldogs have a proud history of embracing new sports, with equestrian added in 2003, soccer in 1995, and softball in 1997. Flag football could very well be next.
And if it is, Georgia won’t just be following a trend-it could be helping to shape the future of women’s sports.