Charted: More women are playing football
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Women are increasingly joining the typically male-dominated sport despite fewer leagues and opportunities.
The big picture: The NFL is investing in women's flag football, and the Olympics is planning the sport's debut in 2028.
The latest: At the high school level, 17 states' athletic associations have sanctioned girls varsity flag championships, including Pennsylvania, and other states have pilot programs in play.
- Independent collegiate leagues, including the NAIA and NJCAA, already have flag football.
- In February, an NCAA committee recommended that Divisions I, II and III add flag football as an emerging women's sport.
Zoom in: The Philadelphia Eagles launched a girls' flag football league in 2022, and it has grown to more than 90 teams across Pennsylvania.
Reality check: Access to tackle football remains scarce for women, and many athletes who wind up in pro leagues come from sports such as basketball and track.