The Oregon School Activities Association has its newest sanctioned sport.

The OSAA Delegate Assembly on Oct. 12 voted to make girls flag football an OSAA-sanctioned activity. The inaugural season will begin in spring 2027, two years after it blossomed as an OSAA emerging activity.

Oregon becomes the 25th state nationwide to officially sanction high school girls flag football.

In 2026, 57 varsity programs across all classifications in Oregon competed in the sport, featuring over 1,400 student athletes.

A plan book and dates for the 2027 season will be released at a later date, the OSAA said.

In recent years, girls wresting (2023-24) and boys volleyball (2025-26) have successfully gone through the emerging sport-to-sanctioned sport process.

The NFL's Seattle Seahawks also assisted in supporting girls flag football in Oregon, the OSAA said.

"Locally in Oregon, the Seattle Seahawks have aided in the growth of girls flag football through providing support to the culminating event the last three seasons, donating $30,000 to expand opportunities across the state, and provided equipment to help schools launch their flag football programs. The Seahawks also invested in youth development across Oregon," the OSAA said.

Seattle also hosted a Best of PNW Tournament for the top girls flag football teams in the region last spring, which South Salem High School competed in after finishing runners-up in the state tournament.

“The Seahawks are proud to support the growth of girls flag football across our region and help create more opportunities for young women to compete and experience the game,” Mario Bailey, Seattle Seahawks vice president of community engagement and legends, said in a press release.

“We are thrilled to celebrate Oregon as the latest state to sanction the sport, an important milestone that will build a stronger future for girls flag football throughout the Pacific Northwest," Bailey said.

Nike, like the Seahawks, is also helping girls flag football.

"Nike has also pledged to provide a set of home and away jerseys for all Oregon varsity teams that compete in the inaugural season, as well as any school which adds girls flag football over the first three seasons as a sanctioned activity," the OSAA said.