Is girls' flag football a varsity sport in Montana?

Not yet. An emerging-sport season is a step short of varsity. Every state's status is on the tracker, with its source.

How would Montana sanction girls' flag football?

The MHSA would have to vote it in. Most states run a season or two as an emerging sport before that vote.

Which rules do teams in Montana play by?

Each league picks its own until an association steps in. There is no single national rulebook, and rules vary by state.

Who runs high school sports in Montana?

The MHSA. It decides whether girls' flag football becomes a sanctioned sport. The girls' flag football FAQ covers how sanctioning works across the country.

How do I find a team in Montana?

Ask your school's athletic director first, then the MHSA for the schools in this season. The start-a-team steps cover the rest. Near the state line, check Wyoming's status too.

Girls' Flag Football in Montana: Is It a Sanctioned High School Sport?

Not yet. As of October 26, 2026, the MHSA is not among the 25 state associations that have voted to sanction it. It runs girls' flag football as a fall emerging sport, the step before sanctioning.

No date for full sanctioning is set.

Emerging

Last checked October 26, 2026.

Montana,stop by stop.

Now: Emerging sportNext stop: Approved

Start
Pilot leaguePlayed in leagues outside the associationApril 20, 2021
Emerging sportThe MHSA lists it as an emerging sportApril 2024You are here
ApprovedWould be voted inNext stop
SanctionedWould become a sanctioned high school sport
First state championWould crown a first champion

Montanaat a glance.

Status: Emerging
Governing body: MHSA
First championship: 2025 MHSA state championships: Glacier (AA), Hamilton (A), Three Forks (B-C). 2026 set for October 7-8 at Daylis Stadium, Billings
Season: Fall
NFL partner: Atlanta Falcons / Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation

Sources

Start a teamin Montana.

1Talk to your athletic directorYour school can join the emerging-sport season now, without waiting for the vote. Every new team helps the MHSA reach full sanctioning.The full start-a-team guide
2Find a coach and build the rosterRun an interest meeting early and keep the list: it is the case for the team, and in the app it becomes the roster.Set up a roster
3Run the season with leagues and tournamentsSchedules, pools, standings and brackets sit in one place. Create a league for the season, or create a tournament for a weekend.Leagues and tournaments
4Stat every gameStatting is free, and a season with numbers behind it is one people can see. Our guide walks through statting a game from the first snap.Stats on BreakAway
5Let families follow liveEvery play lands in Game Center as it is logged, so parents and grandparents who miss the trip still see the game.Game Center for families

Momentum to point to

October 16, 2023: LA28 Olympics add flag football (Sports Illustrated)
February 13, 2025: NFHS rules book announced (NFHS)
January 16, 2026: NCAA emerging sport (The Philadelphia Inquirer)
June 17, 2026: NAIA championship sport from 2026-27 (NAIA)

Run your seasonon BreakAway.

Standings and leaders on every phone
Each league gets a public page with its games, pools, playoffs and stat leaders.
Build pools and a bracket
Bring the schedule you have
Upload the spreadsheet already on your laptop. Check what we read, then add it in one click.
Import your schedule and teams
Stat from the sideline
Tap the passer, the receiver and the flag pull, and the play is in the book.
Start statting a game
Share the game
Send the link to the group chat and the recap, box score and plays come with it.
Share the game to the group chat

The home of flag.See it in action.

Collegenext.

In Montana, 56% of high school girls live within 100 miles of a college program; the farthest county is 343 miles away. No girl here lives that close to a scholarship program yet.

Nearest college programs

Program miles are from the state's population center. Miles as the crow flies from each county's Census center point to the nearest campus, weighted by the girls 15 to 17 who live there (US Census ACS, the age band closest to high school). College program: 388 confirmed varsity and club programs; unconfirmed clubs are left out, and 2 without a known campus location are skipped. Scholarship program: confirmed varsity programs at levels whose governing body allows athletic aid for the sport (D-I, D-II, NAIA), 126 today. Sources: US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files: counties (internal point latitude and longitude); US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B01001 (Sex by Age): female, 15 to 17 years.

Questions,answered.

Is girls' flag football a varsity sport in Montana?: Not yet. An emerging-sport season is a step short of varsity. Every state's status is on the tracker, with its source.
How would Montana sanction girls' flag football?: The MHSA would have to vote it in. Most states run a season or two as an emerging sport before that vote.
Which rules do teams in Montana play by?: Each league picks its own until an association steps in. There is no single national rulebook, and rules vary by state.
Who runs high school sports in Montana?: The MHSA. It decides whether girls' flag football becomes a sanctioned sport. The girls' flag football FAQ covers how sanctioning works across the country.
How do I find a team in Montana?: Ask your school's athletic director first, then the MHSA for the schools in this season. The start-a-team steps cover the rest. Near the state line, check Wyoming's status too.