Organizers behind the Fiesta Bowl are getting involved in a different kind of college football.
The Fiesta Sports Foundation announced Thursday it will host the first-of-its-kind national championship for Division I women’s flag football. The two-day showcase will be staged April 18 and 19 on the campus of Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona.
Dubbed the Fiesta Bowl Flag Football Classic presented by Oakley, the inaugural tournament will feature eight teams from the Division I NCAA ranks, the majority of whom currently sponsor women’s flag football at only the club level. Alabama State is the only program invited that is committed to launching the sport at the varsity level. The other club teams invited are Arizona State, Charlotte, Florida, Georgia, Grand Canyon, UCF and USC.
Erik Moses, the executive director and CEO of the Fiesta Sports Foundation, says this tournament represents the organization’s commitment to innovation, hospitality “and creating unforgettable experiences.”
“From youth and high school programs to now the collegiate level, we are committed to helping flag football grow in a meaningful and sustainable way,” Moses said in a statement. “This tournament is about building a tradition, creating opportunity and providing these athletes an elite experience.”
The Fiesta Bowl Flag Football Classic will feature a multi-day championship format, with three-game pool play on the first day leading into a title game playoff bracket on the second day. Once teams arrive in Tempe, the Fiesta Sports Foundation will provide accommodations, meals, ground transportation, gifts and a player hospitality lounge.
“This Fiesta Bowl Flag Football Classic tournament invite is huge for us and for women’s flag football,” Alabama State coach Tyrone Poole said. “It’s a national stage that validates our sport and inspires the next generation.”
According to the NFL, more than 30 states are offering girls high school football programs and 17 states have officially state sanctioned championships — one of which is Arizona. The Fiesta Sports Foundation serves as a presenting partner of the Arizona Interscholastic Association girls flag football state championships.
With support from the NFL, and with the sport’s Olympic debut looming in 2028, flag football is growing across the youth and college level.
According to the National Sporting Goods Association, flag football was the sport that grew the most at the youth level in 2024, with participation increasing by 21%. And earlier this month, the NCAA added women’s flag football to its Emerging Sports for Women program, putting it on a path to become a championship sport that could have its own NCAA Tournament in the future.
With the recent announcements from Nebraska and Charleston Southern, at least 12 Division I schools have launched or made public plans to start a varsity women’s flag football team.
The NCAA reported in 2025 at least 65 schools across all divisions planned to sponsor women’s flag football at the varsity or club level. The Division III Atlantic East played a full varsity season last year, Division II Conference Carolinas will play a full varsity season this spring, and the Division II CIAA will play a varsity season next year. With investment from the New York Jets, the ECAC will begin a women’s flag football league this year too with a mix of club and varsity teams.
Elsewhere in collegiate athletics, the NAIA has been hosting a national championship for women’s flag football since 2021, with the Ottawa University Braves of Kansas winning all five titles.
“This tournament is more than a game, it’s a special moment,” said Sierra Smith, Arizona State’s team captain. “… It shows the unstoppable growth of women’s flag football, especially with the recent NCAA announcement recognizing the sport. We are ready and excited to make history.”