The Big 12, home to 16 full members from Arizona to West Virginia, is set to bring a major shift one year from now. If they get their way, women’s flag football could become a varsity sport in one of the most competitive conferences in the country. And right now, it’s positioning itself to become the first Power 4 conference to formally sponsor women’s flag football. 

According to CBS Sports, the Big 12 is exploring the potential of adding women’s flag football starting in 2028 with at least six teams. The L.A. 2028 Olympics will debut flag football on the global stage, and by launching programs the same year, the Big 12 is building a direct pipeline for college athletes to potentially represent Team USA. And that’s why the Big 12 teamed up with the NFL.

“We’re trying to meet the moment,” Big 12 chief football and competition officer Scott Draper said. “Our goal here is growth. Our goal is to advance Big 12 membership opportunities and growth for [the conference]. We see this as an opportunity to do that.”

In high school, flag football is becoming increasingly popular, with a 60% year-over-year surge. Now, at least 39 states offer girls’ flag football. In college, more than 65 colleges already sponsor it. So it’s not something new, and the Big 12 might just be the first in line to officialize it at the highest level.

The NCAA has already recommended flag football for inclusion in its Emerging Sports for Women program. If this is approved across all three divisions, aspiring players will get a clearer path to scholarships and a chance to compete for a national title. The NFL has been all-in on flag football for years now, especially on the women’s side. In just three years, NFL FLAG programs among girls have seen a 50% spike in participation. 

For the Big 12, this is a chance to open doors because right now, there are thousands of girls playing flag football across the country with nowhere to go at the collegiate level. They’re just playing with passion without a platform, and that’s what the Big 12 is trying to close. If they pull it off, it won’t be surprising to see the rest of the Power 4 follow suit. But while they’re still exploring, the Big South has already made a significant move.

Big South already moves from idea to action

As the Big 12 aims to lead at the Power 4 level, the Big South is proving its excellence. It officially approved women’s flag football as a championship sport starting in the 2027-28 academic year, becoming the first Division I multi-sport league to take that step. Commissioner Sherika Montgomery called it a “dynamic and rapidly emerging sport fueled by access and opportunity.”

“The Big South Conference is proud to be at the forefront of this growth, providing a competitive platform for student-athletes to excel while helping shape the future of the game across our region and beyond,” he added. 

Five schools are already on board, including Charleston Southern, Gardner-Webb, Radford, UNC Asheville, and USC Upstate, with programs launching as early as Fall 2026. With the sport officially part of the NCAA’s Emerging Sports program as of January, a national championship could realistically arrive as early as Spring 2028, right in time for the Olympics. So now the question is who’s ready for it. The Big 12 sure is.