The Buffalo Bills, in partnership with Section VI (Buffalo), Section V (Rochester), and Monsignor Martin, will host more than seventy area girls flag football teams for the 2026 High School Girls Flag Football Kickoff from Friday, March 27, to Sunday, March 29. With a record 70 confirmed teams participating in the event to be held at the Bills' indoor training facility, it is expected to be the largest kickoff since the event's inception in 2022.
"Flag football is growing quickly in the United States, especially in Western New York," said Pete Guelli, President of Business Operations. "We are proud to help raise awareness and create more opportunities for young women to play. We're excited to host this weekend's Girls Flag Kickoff, which will bring together over 70 high school teams and 1,750 athletes from Buffalo and Rochester."
In addition to preseason scrimmages, teams will have the opportunity to take photos on a media day set, participate at Bills' social media stations, and be interviewed by local media outlets.
The growth of girls flag football has been remarkable. In 2022, 20 Western New York teams featured flag football. Currently, 255 public schools across New York State are participating in girls flag football, with 91 from WNY (Sections VI, V, and III, which is the Syracuse area).
High school girls flag football launched in the Spring of 2022 and became a New York State-sanctioned sport in 2023. In 2024, the first-ever NYSPHSAA State Championship Season for flag football was held. Since then, three of the five state champions have been from Western New York.
The Bills are currently in their second year of a three-year pilot initiative in support of Modified (Middle School) Girls Flag Football with the Bills Foundation and the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation. Last year, 21 schools received grant funding and equipment as a part of this program; this year, 32 schools received grant and equipment support.
At the 2026 NCAA Convention, flag football was added to the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program. This means it is a step closer to becoming a sanctioned sport – one officially recognized, governed, and regulated by the NCAA which will provide the opportunity to play in college to thousands of student athletes. This explosion of participation and passion for girls' and women's flag football also coincides with the 2028 Olympics, which will include women's flag for the first time.
To stay up to date with the historic growth of the sport, fans are encouraged to download and explore the Bills Mobile app. The app's dedicated Girls Flag Football section serves as the ultimate hub for the season, featuring exclusive video clips and highlights. Throughout the spring, the section will be updated weekly to reveal the Coach of the Week winners and current league standings. Additionally, the app offers an interactive experience by allowing players and parents to submit their own content, from photos to game-winning clips, for a chance to be featured on the official Bills platform.
Kickoff Information
Dates & Sessions
Friday, March 27 – Sunday, March 29
Friday – 1 session (6 p.m. - 9 p.m.)
Saturday – 3 sessions (9 a.m. - noon; 1 p.m.- 4 p.m.; 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.)
Sunday – 2 sessions (9 a.m.- noon; 1p.m. - 4 p.m.)
Location
Buffalo Bills Training Center
One Bills Drive
Orchard Park, NY 14127
Team Attending per Session
Session 1: Friday, March 27th | 6:00 p.m,-9:00 p.m.
- Irondequoit
- Aquinas
- Avon
- Churchville-Chili
- East
- Edison Tech
- Greece Arcadia
- Penfield
- Brockport
- Akron/Alden Schools
- Iroquois
- Lewiston Porter
- Niagara Wheatfield
Session 2: Saturday, March 28th | 9:00 a.m.- noon
- Canisteo-Greenwood
- Eastridge
- Greece Athena
- Le Roy
- Gates Chili
- Williamsville South
- Dunkirk
- Fredonia
- Pioneer
- Silver Creek/Forestville/Lake Shore
Session 3: Saturday, March 28th | 1:00pm-4:00pm
- Monroe
- Pittsford
- Rochester Prep
- Batavia
- Padilla
- Webster Schroeder
- Grand Island
- Southwestern/Frewsburg
- Williamsville North
- Williamsville East
- Jamestown
- Lancaster
- Sweet Home
Session 4: Saturday, March 28th | 5:00pm-8:00pm
- Williamson
- Wayne
- Mercy
- Wilson
- Greece Olympia/Odyssey
- Depew
- Amherst
- West Seneca
- Mount St. Mary Academy
- St Mary's
- South Park
Session 5: Sunday, March 29th | 9:00 a.m. - noon
- East Rochester
- Geneseo
- Livonia
- Spencerport
- Webster Thomas
- Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart
- Orchard Park
- Clarence
- Hutch Tech/Buffalo Public Schools
- Lackawanna
- Tapestry Charter School
Session 6: Sunday, March 29th | 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
- Mount Mercy Academy
- Nardin Academy
- Frontier
- Kenmore
- Hamburg
- North Tonawanda
- Tonawanda City Schools
- Niagara Falls
- Buffalo Academy of Science
- Cheektowaga Cen
- Health Sciences Charter School
- Holland
