All Scores

Flag football’s rise in popularity spurred by Nike, NFL commitments

Beyond the flashy dollar signs and viral game clips, the participation numbers of girls in flag football reveal that real growth is happening where it matters. (Alan Youngblood/Special to the Ocala Star-Banner via USA TODAY NETWORK)

Highlights of girls and women making stunning plays in flag football have been going viral in increasing numbers in recent years, and that’s because the sport is spreading like wildfire across the country, partly due to the recent initiative between Nike and the NFL that committed $5 million in product to grow girls flag football in high school athletics. State athletic associations can now apply for a one-time donation of up to $100,000 in product to go toward launching or supporting girls flag football.

In the latest augmentation of the initiative, Nike and the NFL have invited two of the top high school girls flag football teams in the country to square off this Friday as part of the inaugural Nike Kickoff Classic celebrating the return of football season across the country. In the grandest spotlight the sport has yet been given, the Alonso (Fla.) Ravens will take on the Robinson (Fla.) Knights at 3 p.m. (PT) in a game that will be broadcast nationwide on NFL Network YouTube from Ronaldo Field at Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton, Ore.

Beyond the flashy dollar signs and viral game clips, the participation numbers of girls in the sport reveal that real growth is happening where it matters. When the NFL and Nike first announced their initiative to grow girls flag football, six states sponsored the sport (Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Nevada and New York).

Since that announcement, one academic year has passed, and two more states have officially added the sport — Arkansas and Alabama — with California set to launch its program in 2023. In 2010, there were 6,235 girls playing high school flag football. By 2018, the latest data set available, that number had grown to 11,209 and that was three years before the boost from Nike and the NFL.

One person who has noticed the recent flame of popularity for the sport is Diane Beruldsen, founder of the International Women’s Flag Football Association (IWFFA), who has been playing and growing the sport of women’s flag football since the 1970s.

“I have to say, with the NFL’s advertisements, their excitement, they really have increased the number of flag football players for girls and women,” Berulsden said. “The last three years, I’d say, flag football has really bloomed.”

Just like all other sports, women have been playing football since its inception. They may have been off in the margins, away from mainstream attention and approval, but they were there. Women’s tackle football leagues have existed in the U.S. since the 1960s, as recently documented in “Hail Mary: The Rise and Fall of the National Women’s Football League,” and continue today with not one but two elite leagues (the Women’s Football Alliance and the Women’s National Football Conference) pushing the game forward.

img
According to Diane Beruldson, the first organized women’s flag football league was started in 1971 by Philadelphia’s Parks and Recreation Department and still continues today, now with 28 teams. (Treasure Coast News via USA TODAY NETWORK)

It’s no different with flag football, which women have been playing since soon after its inception in the 1940s and ‘50s.

“In the early years, we had to fight for field space,” Berdulsen said. “It would be the men first, then the boys, then the girls, then the women last.”

According to Beruldson, the first organized women’s flag football league was started in 1971 by Philadelphia’s Parks and Recreation Department and still continues today, now with 28 teams. Through the ‘70s and ‘80s, more leagues formed across the U.S. Beruldson herself spearheaded leagues in Brooklyn (1985), New York (1990) and Key West (1991). By 2001, the annual tournament she hosted in Key West included 49 teams and had added divisions for girls and juniors between the ages of 8 and 15.

It’s no surprise that when Florida became the first state to sanction girls flag football as a varsity sport in 2002, there were 103 schools and 3,855 participants across the state. Today, 320 schools in the state have teams.

Nevada had similar success when one of the state’s school districts launched a girls flag football program in 2014 after a student survey aimed at increasing girls participation in athletics revealed flag football received the highest interest amongst prospective new sports. Thirty-seven schools in the state now sponsor the sport for girls.

In Georgia and Alabama, financial support from the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons has been instrumental in launching their programs through grant money that schools can apply for and use for a variety of needs such as game officials and coach stipends. Georgia had 191 teams participate in just its second year of sanctioning the sport last season, and Alabama has 44 schools registered for its pilot program this year.

Beyond the financial commitment from the NFL and Nike, flag football has other appealing attributes that are contributing to its growing popularity.

For one, it’s a relatively low-cost sport in terms of equipment and facilities for athletic departments to add, especially for those that already sponsor tackle football. It also taps into the massive popularity of American tackle football. Its familiarity makes it attractive to new players, parents, and athletics supporters.

Lastly, its roster sizes are large enough to significantly increase the numbers of girls participating in sports for a given school, district and state.

“According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, there are one million fewer female high school athletes participating in sports than their male counterparts. This discrepancy is largely due to football,” Nike said via email. “As one of the fastest growing sports in the U.S., flag football provides girls with another opportunity to play and compete in sport and has the power to make a difference during a crucial period in their athletic development.”

img
Beyond the financial commitment from the NFL and Nike, flag football has other appealing attributes that are contributing to its growing popularity. (Treasure Coast News via USA TODAY NETWORK)

Given that the noted disparity in high school athletics participation numbers is hardly a recent finding, it’s logical to wonder why now? Or more accurately, why not until now?

The obvious answer is that gendered social norms have always deemed tackle football a strictly male sphere. The women who played the game in the early decades went boldly against the grain, and many girls and women playing tackle football today still face significant backlash.

If individual families and communities haven’t been encouraging girls and women to pursue football in grand numbers, it’s no surprise that large organizations haven’t done so either, which reveals a fourth attribute that makes flag football so appealing — it’s not tackle football.

With increasing awareness and concern over concussions in athletics, especially in football, and persistent reluctance to see traditional tackle football as a girls game, flag is a very alluring version to promote.

Within flag football, there are many different variations. The main demarcation is how many players are on the field at a time. Beruldson believes the 8-on-8 variation played and taught by the IWFFA has the most to offer athletes. Whereas in 5-on-5 and 7-on-7, there is no blocking allowed, the 8-on-8 version includes blocking and most closely resembles the 11-on-11 tackle version of the game, making it a sport that requires and values a wide variety of body shapes and athleticism.

The existing national tackle football leagues for women — the WFA and WNFC — are thrilled with the explosion of flag football at the youth and high school levels. From their perspective, flag football is a direct gateway to the tackle version of the game.

“As flag develops, girls want to put on helmets. It’s just some girls are tackle football players,” said Odessa Jenkins, founder and CEO of the WNFC. “I don’t care what you do, how many flags you let her pull, she wants to tackle. She wants to get physical.”

Women’s football leaders across the board are also thrilled by the fact that flag football is now a sponsored varsity sport at 15 colleges in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Once again, the NFL was integral to this development, partnering with the NAIA to create the infrastructure and operations required to add the sport and serving as the presenting sponsor of the NAIA Football National Championships.

The recent rise of girls flag football across the country may give the impression that the sport was pulled out of thin air, but women have been playing and growing the game on their own for decades. What we’re seeing now is the incredible growth that’s possible when power players like Nike and the NFL come together to promote the natural athleticism and desire to play.

“What drives us is the possibility of inspiring more girls and women to see themselves in sport,” Nike said via email. “This grant demonstrates Nike’s continued commitment to inspire girls to continue to keep playing.”

Tessa Nichols is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports.

New York Liberty Lead 2025 WNBA Power Rankings

New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu celebrates a three-pointer during a 2025 WNBA preseason game.
The New York Liberty lead the WNBA power rankings ahead of the 2025 season tip-off. (Ali Gradischer/Getty Images)

The New York Liberty will open the 2025 WNBA season at the top of the league's power rankings, drumming up high expectations despite a short-staffed roster.

Trailing the reigning champions at No. 2 are 2024 runners-up Minnesota, followed by 2023 champs Las Vegas at No. 3.

Fueled by this year's overall No. 2 draft pick Dominique Malonga, the Seattle Storm claimed No. 4 in the WNBA rankings, with the revamped Indiana Fever eyeing a 2025 turnaround at No. 5.

The betting market similarly reflects the league's latest forecast, with sportsbook FanDuel setting the Liberty's title odds at +210, followed by the Aces at +360, and the Lynx at +370.

The lines also support Indiana's promise, giving the Fever the fourth-best championship odds at +390 — far higher than the fifth-best Phoenix Mercury at +1,300.

On the other hand, the Dallas Wings, LA Sparks, Washington Mystics, Connecticut Sun, and Golden State Valkyries occupy the rankings' bottom half, as 2025's potential lottery teams prepare to prove themselves against top-line squads this season.

The up-for-sale Sun and brand-new Valkyries have the longest title odds on FanDuel, clocking in at +50,000 each.

While preseason action has provided some quality sneak peeks, Friday's opening tip-off represents a fresh start for the league, one where anything can — and likely will — happen.

Seattle Storm and France international teammates Gabby Williams and Dominique Malonga smile before a 2025 WNBA preseason game.
France's Gabby Williams and Dominique Malonga will skip the 2025 Eurobasket to stay with Seattle. (Scott Eklund/NBAE via Getty Images)

European WNBA stars drop out of 2025 EuroBasket

Several European WNBA standouts announced they will skip out on this summer's FIBA EuroBasket, opting to prioritize league play following a pivotal 2024 Olympics.

Reigning Olympic silver medalists Gabby Williams and Dominique Malonga both confirmed they will not represent France at the European tournament in June, opting to remain with the Seattle Storm.

The duo's France teammate Carla Leite is also forgoing the trip, instead remaining with the Golden State Valkyries for the entirety of the expansion side's debut season.

As a major international tournament, the 2025 FIBA EuroBasket is exempt from the WNBA's prioritization rule, meaning eligible players can miss regular-season league play to compete in the overseas contest without being in violation of WNBA protocols.

The 2025 regional FIBA competition between Europe's top national teams will tip off on June 18th.

Alex Morgan Rejoins San Diego Wave as Minority Owner

San Diego Wave minority owner Alex Morgan wears a pink suit and smiles while sitting in gray stadium seats.
Alex Morgan retired from professional soccer in 2024. (San Diego Wave FC)

US soccer legend Alex Morgan is back in the game, becoming a minority owner of her former NWSL club by investing in the San Diego Wave FC on Tuesday.

One of the 2022 expansion side's first signings, Morgan captained the Wave to their 2023 NWSL Shield win before retiring in September 2024 as the team's all-time leader in both goals (28) and assists (11).

"San Diego is where I've built my home, where I am raising my children, and found a purpose beyond my playing career," Morgan said in a club statement. "I believed in Wave FC before a single match was played, and I still believe this club has the power to change the future of women's sports."

Morgan joins an ownership group led by the Leichtman-Levine family. The Leichtmans purchased the team from founding owner Ron Burkle at a reported $113 million valuation last year.

"Alex has always fought to positively impact this game beyond the pitch," said Wave FC controlling owner Lauren Leichtman. "Her decision to invest is not only a continuation of her leadership but also a reflection of her belief in what we are building."

The two-time World Cup champion appears to be making good on her desire to shape the women's sports landscape after hanging up her boots, also buying into Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball ahead of the league's early 2025 debut.

"I was on board [with Unrivaled] from day one," Morgan told Boardroom in January. "Fans want to see what a player's personality is and who they vibe with, what drives them, and I think that being able to mesh that with competition, it already [is] a home run here with Unrivaled. So it would be really exciting to do something with other women's sports as well."

Minnesota Enters Game 4 with 2-1 PWHL Semifinals Lead Over Toronto

Defender Lee Stecklein celebrates a goal during the 2025 PWHL semifinals with her Minnesota Frost teammates.
Minnesota holds a 2-1 series advantage over Toronto. (Michael Chisholm/Getty Images)

The Minnesota Frost offense is ruling the ice, as record-setting scoring has the reigning PWHL champions on the brink of returning to the Walter Cup finals, entering Wednesday's Game 4 on a 2-1 series lead over the Toronto Sceptres in the best-of-five semifinals. 

Just two days after No. 4-seed Minnesota leveled the series with a 5-3 Friday win — recording the most combined goals ever scored in a PWHL Playoff game — the Frost found yet another gear, winning the highest scoring game in the second-year league's history in Sunday’s 7-5 Game 3 defeat of No. 2-seed Toronto.

In Sunday's barnburner, 21 players earned points across the two teams, but it was Minnesota who claimed victory, never relinquishing their early lead after netting a trio of goals in the game's first eight minutes.

"Minnesota's a great team," Sceptres head coach Troy Ryan said after the loss. "If you're putting yourself in a situation where you've got to chase them, it's an uphill battle."

"I think it’s a fan's dream and a coach's nightmare, a 7-5 playoff game," said Minnesota boss Ken Klee. "We found a way to win and that's the most important thing."

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Minnesota skaters now own the league's 2025 Playoffs stat sheet, with four Frost players topping the points race.

More eyebrow-raising, however, is that the league's postseason offensive leader is a defender, as the Frost's Lee Stecklein has burned up the ice with three goals and three assists in the playoffs so far.

Calling her "outstanding" and "world-class," Klee sang Stecklein's praises while acknowledging that the postseason means Minnesota must "find different ways to score goals and different people have to contribute."

"[Stecklein] knows that, she exemplifies that, and that's why she's one of our leaders and one of our best players."

How to watch Minnesota vs. Toronto in the PWHL Semifinals

The defending champion Frost will hope to secure their spot in the 2025 PWHL Finals while the Sceptres aim to stave off elimination in the pair's next semifinals game on Wednesday.

The puck drops on Game 4 of the best-of-five series at 7 PM ET, with live coverage streaming on the PWHL YouTube channel.

Marta Comes Out of Retirement to Join Brazil National Team Roster

Marta looks up before the 2024 Olympic gold-medal match between Brazil and the USWNT.
Despite her 2024 international retirement, Marta will return to the Brazil team this month. (Cao Can/Xinhua via Getty Images)

Soccer legend Marta is officially returning to the canary yellow kit, earning a Brazil national team call-up just over nine months after her planned retirement from international duty.

Brazil head coach Arthur Elias named Marta to the world No. 8 Seleção's roster on Tuesday, with the 39-year-old icon returning for the team's upcoming home friendlies against No. 5 Japan on May 30th and June 2nd.

"I was with Marta recently and spoke with her," Elias told reporters on Tuesday. "She said she is available to help the team while she is playing at a high level, as she is now."

Stellar club form fuels Marta's Brazil return

Marta, who hung up her international boots after snagging a third silver Olympic medal at the 2024 Paris Games, hasn't missed a beat since, captaining the Orlando Pride to the club's first-ever NWSL Shield and Championship last fall.

In the process, the scoring phenom claimed the league's Best XI First Team honors, as well as finalist nods for both the 2024 NWSL MVP and Midfielder of the Year awards.

Unsurprisingly, the Pride inked Marta to a two-year contract extension in January.

While Marta's consistently impressive form fueled Elias's request to lure her out of retirement, the manager is also hoping her unmatched leadership will bolster younger athletes as Brazil takes aim at a record-extending ninth Copa América title this summer — and, as the host nation, a deep 2027 World Cup run.

Joining the legend on Tuesday's roster are fellow Brazil veterans Lorena and Debinha, from the NWSL-leading Kansas City Current, and Marta's Orlando teammate Angelina.

"[Marta's] presence in some call-ups is very important for the younger players, for the renewal that is taking place in the national team," explained Elias. "We really want expectations to rise for the women's national team and for football in our country."

Start your morning off right with Just Women’s Sports’ free, 5x-a-week newsletter.