SoCal women’s flag football league launched

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) - A women's flag football league launched today, with franchises in each of Southern California's eight counties: Riverside, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Ventura, Santa Barbara and Imperial.

The So Cal Women's Pro Flag Football League is the brainchild of sports entrepreneur and longtime sports promoter Roy Englebrecht, and aims to capitalize on the "unprecedented surge in popularity of women's flag football across the United States,'' organizers said.

The SCWPFFL plans a 14-game regular season that will run from June to mid-August, with playoffs starting in August. Games will be played in four 15-minute quarters, and a league-wide draft will be held mid-March.   

The games are expected to be staged at top high school or junior college football stadiums in the eight counties.   

"Women's flag football has reached a tipping point. The talent level is extraordinary, the interest is real, and the timing is right,'' Englebrecht said. "Southern California has always been a leader in sports innovation, and this league is about creating opportunity and visibility, with players finally having a true professional home to continue their careers in flag football.   

"I look forward to hiring a full-time commissioner in January who will oversee the formation of the League. This will then allow me to give my full attention to the upcoming Combat Sports Entertainment IPO this winter, and the launch of two of its exciting sports properties.''

"It's also exciting for me to provide an opportunity for anyone with some fair amount of capital to be part of league ownership or to become a team owner, and experience what Jerry Jones, Mark Walter, Stan Kroenke, or Steve Ballmer have done,'' Englebrecht added.

League organizers said women's flag football is one of the fastest-growing sports in the United States, sanctioned by numerous state high school athletic associations and supported by the NFL at the grassroots level. The sport will also be included at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Additional announcements, including team names, venues, the league draft, player tryouts, ownership groups and corporate partnerships will be released in early February.

More information can be found at socalwomensproflagfootballleague.com/.