Spring High, Klein Collins and other 6A schools could field girls' flag football teams starting in 2028-29. The University Interscholastic League voted Monday, Oct. 19, to launch a pilot program for the sport.

The UIL Legislative Council approved the proposal at its fall meeting in Austin, ABC13 reported. The pilot will be limited to no more than two classifications, with Class 5A and 6A schools eligible and lower classifications able to participate on an elective basis, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

The proposal still needs approval from the Texas Commissioner of Education.

UIL staff will develop rules, guidelines and an implementation plan to present at the June 2027 legislative council meeting. The program would include a state championship in each conference, with district, regional or other qualifying events, the Houston Chronicle reported.

One major open question: when the games will be played. UIL executive director Jamey Harrison said staff would evaluate costs, competition structure, season timing and the impact on other school activities before recommending a path forward.

"We will consider all 12 months on the calendar," Harrison said, according to the Chronicle.

Funding is another unresolved issue. Houston-area flag football teams have been bankrolled by the Houston Texans, whose "She's Next" program sponsors 96 schools in the region. The Dallas Cowboys run a parallel effort. Together, the two NFL franchises created a non-sanctioned league that involved more than 240 schools and nearly 5,500 athletes.

Once the sport moves under the UIL umbrella, school districts will bear costs for equipment, officials, travel and uniforms. Pasadena ISD athletic director Patrick Longstreet told ABC13 those expenses are "something that we haven't experienced before because the Texans have been funding and sponsoring us."

A fall 2026 UIL survey of Texas superintendents found 52% of respondents from 5A and 6A schools favored sanctioning girls' flag football. Statewide, 165 schools indicated they already participate. Over 4,000 high school girls played across 220 schools during the spring 2026 season, and participation jumped by about 3,400 athletes from 2025 to 2026.

The sport's momentum extends beyond Texas. Twenty-five states are expected to have sanctioned girls' flag football by fall 2027. The NCAA named women's flag football an emerging sport in January 2026, and flag football will make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

Spring ISD and Klein ISD have not publicly announced whether they plan to participate in the pilot. School districts will choose whether to opt in. The UIL's next update on the program is expected at the June 2027 legislative council meeting.