CHARLOTTE– It's a new day for girls flag football in the Carolinas.
On Thursday, The David & Nicole Tepper Foundation (DNTF) announced a $1 million commitment to continue its support of girls high school flag football programs in both North Carolina and South Carolina.
The contribution comes on the heels of a historic NCHSAA vote earlier this week (Wednesday) to officially sanction girls flag football as a varsity sport in North Carolina. It will provide grant funding directly to schools to support the continued growth and development of the sport in both states.
"Yesterday marked a landmark moment for girls' athletics in North Carolina as the NCHSAA officially sanctioned girls flag football," said David and Nicole Tepper. "This is more than the introduction of a new sport – it's a legacy change that will open doors for generations of young women to compete, grow, and thrive.
"We're deeply grateful for the dedication and partnerships with school districts that made this milestone possible and remain committed to expanding the same opportunity in South Carolina so young women across both states can experience the access and transformative power of flag football for years to come."
Since 2022, DNTF and the Carolina Panthers have led the expansion efforts of girls flag football across the Carolinas, investing more than $1,500,000 in grants, programming, and other resources to support the continued growth of the sport.
Prior to sanctioning, 154 high schools across North Carolina and 55 high schools across South Carolina are committed to fielding girls flag football teams for the 2026-2027 season, with the number expected to increase in the coming weeks. The rapid growth reflects the enthusiasm and commitment of student-athletes, coaches, and local communities to the sport.
With Wednesday's NCHSAA vote, North Carolina became the 22nd state to sanction girls flag football as a varsity sport. Flag football is slated to make its Olympic debut in 2028 at the Los Angeles Summer Games.
Nicole Tepper appeared on Good Morning Football on Thursday morning to announce the partnership and donation and spoke on the importance of providing support for girls flag football.
"The opportunity to give female athletes the resources that they need to succeed is very, very important to us, so we support that wholeheartedly," said Tepper on GMFB.
"Flag football is something that's up and coming. It's going to be in the Olympics, and so we're just excited for being able to give the resources that these teams, schools need in funding. So we're excited to be a part of it and be able to give back."
To celebrate this milestone and amplify the sport's momentum, the Panthers released a new digital spot highlighting the generational impact of girls flag football. The spot features NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan and Panthers Legend Greg Olsen, with a voiceover from women's sports icon Dawn Staley.
Information about the grant application process will be announced in early 2027.
