SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (January 29, 2026) – Fiesta Sports Foundation continues its groundbreaking soccer engagement initiatives with the creation of the first-ever nationwide collegiate flag soccer event that includes Division I universities, additional cementing its management within the progress of flag soccer at each stage.
The inaugural Fiesta Bowl Flag Football Classic introduced by Oakley is a two-day, 7-on-7 showcase on April 18-19, 2026, that options eight of the nation’s prime ladies’s collegiate flag soccer applications coming to Arizona to compete for the primary nationwide competitors of its type. Games will likely be hosted on Arizona State University’s Tempe campus on the Fields at Dorsey, a confirmed venue for elite flag soccer competitors.
“For more than 50 years, Fiesta Sports Foundation has been focused on innovation, hospitality and creating unforgettable experiences,” mentioned Fiesta Sports Foundation Executive Director & CEO Erik Moses. “Creating the Fiesta Bowl Flag Football Classic presented by Oakley is the next step of that mission. As flag football continues its rapid ascent nationwide, bringing forth the first-ever national college event for the ever-growing Division 1 community helps to elevate the collegiate game, celebrate these student-athletes and shape the future of the sport on a national stage.”
Competing Teams from Coast-to-Coast
Teams from Alabama State, Arizona State, Charlotte, University of Florida, University of Georgia, Grand Canyon University, University of Central Florida (UCF) and University of Southern California (USC) will get pleasure from a Fiesta Bowl-level expertise for his or her student-athletes whereas establishing a brand new nationwide customary for collegiate flag soccer competitors.
Modeled to incorporate the hallmark world-class hospitality and team-centric method that has outlined the Fiesta Bowl since 1971, the Fiesta Bowl Flag Football Classic introduced by Oakley will function a multi-day championship format, with three-game pool play on the primary day main right into a title recreation playoff bracket and awards celebration for day two.
Participating groups will get pleasure from premium lodging, curated hospitality experiences, participant gifting and a signature Fiesta Bowl welcome designed to make each student-athlete really feel like a star each on and off the sphere
This initiative reinforces Oakley’s long-term dedication to assist advance flag soccer and create significant alternatives for athletes as the game continues to evolve. As one of many main product design and sport efficiency manufacturers, Oakley has been on the forefront of flag soccer’s ascent, together with the Oakley Icon Alliance National Championships for women membership flag soccer.
“At Oakley, we believe in the power of sport to unlock confidence and opportunity for every athlete. Flag football is one of the most exciting growth stories in sports, and we are here to support players from their time at an introductory clinic to local leagues and however far their careers take them,” mentioned Oakley Vice President and Head of Global Sports Marketing Corey Hill. “Oakley’s commitment to innovation, inclusion and elevating the athlete experience at every level aligns perfectly with the mission of the Fiesta Sports Foundation. We are excited to help establish the inaugural Flag Football Classic as a defining moment for collegiate flag football and the future of the sport.”
Fiesta Sports Foundation Investment in Flag Football
The Flag Football Classic builds on Fiesta Sports Foundation’s increasing footprint in flag soccer, following the profitable launch of the Fiesta Bowl Copper State Invitational, an in-season highschool ladies flag soccer event fashioned in 2025, and the formation of the Fiesta Bowl All-State flag soccer groups. The Foundation additionally serves as a presenting companion of the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) ladies flag soccer state championships and helps the game via clinics, showcases and neighborhood initiatives all through Arizona.
The Fiesta Bowl Flag Football Classic represents the following step in Fiesta Sports Foundation’s long-term technique to deliberately join youth participation, highschool competitors and elite stage collegiate alternative, growing first-in-class occasions that guarantee the game’s momentum interprets into lasting influence.
“From youth and high school programs to now the collegiate level, we are committed to helping flag football grow in a meaningful and sustainable way,” Moses mentioned. “This tournament is about building a tradition, creating opportunity and providing these athletes an elite experience.”
Flag Football’s Explosive Growth Nationwide
- Women’s flag soccer is experiencing explosive progress throughout the nation, with participation surging on the grassroots and highschool ranges, with greater than 2.5 million athletes now competing yearly
- National highschool participation has elevated by greater than 60 p.c during the last a number of years, with 17 states having sanctioned flag soccer as a championship sport and 20-plus others in a pilot program
- That progress is translating on to the collegiate stage, the place flag soccer has earned recognition as an NCAA Emerging Sport for Women, with greater than 150 NCAA establishments presently providing flag soccer applications on the membership or varsity stage, together with almost 60 by Division 1 establishments
- Alabama State was the primary Division 1 faculty to supply scholarships
- Nebraska is the primary Power Four convention faculty to announce the addition of ladies’s flag soccer as a varsity sport with scholarships
- Flag Football will likely be a aggressive medal sport inside the Olympic Games for the primary time as a part of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles
They Said It
“This Fiesta Bowl Flag Football Classic tournament invite is huge for us and for women’s flag football. It’s a national stage that validates our sport and inspires the next generation.”
- Tyrone Poole, Alabama State Head Coach
“This tournament is more than a game, it’s a special moment! To host the first-ever Fiesta Bowl Flag Football Classic at ASU shows the unstoppable growth of women’s flag football, especially with the recent NCAA announcement recognizing the sport. We are ready and excited to make history. Forks up!”
- Sierra Smith, Arizona State Founder and Team Captain
“Being part of the very first Fiesta Bowl Flag Football Classic is incredibly meaningful for us at ASU. It represents how far this sport has come and the belief that others have shown in its future. The support behind this event validates our athletes, our program, and the work being done to grow opportunities for women in the game.”
- Jesse Pap, Arizona State Head Coach
“I’m proud of our team for earning this opportunity. Competing at the Fiesta Bowl Flag Football Classic matters for our players and for the future of women’s flag football.”
- Landin Sledge, Charlotte Head Coach
“The University of Florida is beyond excited to participate in the Fiesta Bowl Flag Football Classic. This tournament is an incredible opportunity to continue growing the sport of flag football while competing at a high level. We’re proud to be part of an event that brings together elite programs and fosters a competitive atmosphere for athletes, fans and the sport as a whole.”
- Mieke Rowe, UF Flag Football President & Quarterback
“The UGA Club Flag Football Team is beyond grateful to accept an invitation to the Fiesta Bowl Flag Football Classic. We are excited for this opportunity to represent the University of Georgia and showcase the talent that it has to offer against teams from all over the country.”
- Caroline Caplinger, Georgia Head Coach
“The Fiesta Bowl continues to give women’s Flag Football the spotlight it deserves. Being a part of the Fiesta Bowl shows how quickly women’s Flag Football is growing and we are proud to be on that stage.”
- Brian Tice, Grand Canyon Head Coach
“What an honor to be among the trailblazers of our sport as it gains popularity and momentum across the country. We can’t wait to compete in the Fiesta Bowl Flag Football Classic, which is an important milestone in opening the door for more women to play at the collegiate level.”
- Rylee McDaid, UCF Flag Football President
“We are so excited to be selected for the inaugural Fiesta Bowl Flag Football Classic! We are honored to be trailblazers in college club flag football. It’s been a dream of mine to attend a Bowl Game, and now we are making that a reality for women!”
- Alia Pasternak, USC Flag Football Founder and President