Tech, Sartell to field girls flag football teams this spring in Vikings-sponsored league

MINNEAPOLIS — Two schools in the St. Cloud region will be competing in Minnesota’s first girls flag football season this spring. 

On Tuesday, the Minnesota Vikings announced the launch of the first statewide flag football league for high school girls. The NFL team sponsored a four-team pilot league in the spring 2024 season and is contributing $600,000 in 2025 “to support the league and participating schools,” according to a release from the Vikings. 

St. Cloud Tech and Sartell-St. Stephen will be among the 51 schools fielding teams in the spring 2025 season. With outstate programs grouped into pods of four, there will be four weeks of Sunday doubleheaders starting April 27. Twelve teams will be invited to the playoff tournament June 1, and the state title game is June 9 at TCO Stadium, the Vikings’ practice facility in the northeast Twin Cities metro.  

The NFL has supported the expansion of girls flag football recently around the country, and earlier this year, the Vikings announced a partnership with six NCAA institutions in the region for a collegiate women’s flag football league. There are 14 state-sanctioned high school leagues across the country with 18 states, including Minnesota, hosting pilot leagues. Flag football will also be an Olympic sport for men and women in the 2028 Los Angeles summer games. 

"Since testing the pilot league in 2024, interest in girls flag football has increased dramatically at the high school level, and to see such a high number of schools participate this year is a tremendous sign for future growth," Vikings Vice President of social impact Brett Taber said. "We take pride in our role of creating opportunities and empowering young women to compete in this sport." 

The Minnesota High School State League requires two years of at least 20 schools competing for the league to consider granting a sport “emerging status.” The activity has a maximum of five years to have 32 competing teams, and the MSHSL board of directors will determine status thereafter. The MSHSL adopted boys volleyball as a varsity sport for the spring 2025 season. St. Cloud Tech will be fielding a team.

Contact reporter Reid Glenn at rglenn@gannett.com.