The Board of Directors of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association voted on Wednesday, May 6, 2026 to officially sanction Girl’s Flag Football and Boy’s Volleyball as NCHSAA championship sports after years of growth for both sports.
Additional details regarding an implementation timeline, championship format, and sport-specific regulations for these new sports will be shared with member schools in the coming months.
Girl’s Flag Football
High School Flag Football in North Carolina will now be governed by the NCHSAA and will compete under NFHS rules. The season will take place in the fall, and the first NCHSAA Flag Football Championship will be held in late 2026.
Flag football has rapidly emerged as one of the fastest-growing high school sports in the country, providing new opportunities for female athletes to compete in football while emphasizing speed, strategy, and teamwork.
“Today’s decision represents a meaningful investment in the future of our student-athletes, in this case females, and the continued evolution of school-based athletics in North Carolina,” said Que Tucker, Commissioner of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association. “Girls Flag football offers an inclusive, fast-paced, and highly engaging opportunity for students to compete, connect, and grow through sport, and we’re proud to bring it into our championship program.”
The sanctioning reflects the NCHSAA’s ongoing commitment to expanding participation opportunities and responding to the interests of its member schools and student-athletes.
The growth of flag football has also been supported by partnerships with the NFL and the Carolina Panthers as they have worked to develop the sport at the grassroots and scholastic levels. The Teppers have committed an additional $1 million dollars to support these programs across the Carolinas after Wednesday’s decision. They have now contributed $2.5 million dollars since 2022 to help grow Girl’s Flag Football across the states.
“Sanctioning high school flag football marks a major milestone for girls’ athletics in North Carolina,” said David and Nicole Tepper of the Carolina Panthers. “The Panthers are proud to be a driving force behind this movement beginning with the launch of the first pilot program in 2022 with 19 schools and followed by continued investment under the leadership of Riley Fields and the Panthers Community Relations team. Today, the sport has grown to more than 150 participating schools statewide, reflecting the commitment of coaches, school administrators and participants – and the growing momentum for the sport across the Carolinas.”
Boy’s Volleyball
Boys volleyball has seen increasing participation at the school levels throughout North Carolina in recent years. The Board’s decision formally brings the sport under the NCHSAA umbrella and begins the process of establishing regular-season and championship opportunities for member schools.
The boys volleyball season will take place in the spring, and the first NCHSAA Boy’s Volleyball Championships will be held in May 2027.
“Today is a red-letter day for boy’s volleyball in North Carolina and the decision of the Board of Directors reflects the momentum that students, coaches, and advocates have built over many years,” said Que Tucker, Commissioner of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association. “Sanctioning boy’s volleyball allows us to provide more championship opportunities and continue our mission to expand participation and create positive experiences for student-athletes across the state.”
Coaches and advocates across the state have played a critical role in the sport’s growth and organization.
“This decision formalizes what has been building over the past decade across North Carolina. Boys volleyball has been steadily growing and has created strong communities, with thousands of high school athletes already playing,” said Sarah Conklin, Director of the NC Boys High School Volleyball Association.
Sanctioning the sport expands access and creates new opportunities for young boys who have been waiting for the chance to represent their schools. We’re so proud of this moment and grateful to the NCHSAA for their leadership, and to the coaches, players, and supporters whose belief and commitment made this possible.”
