Image Credit: socalwomensproflagfootballleague.com


Get ready, Southern California — women’s professional flag football is officially coming to the Southland.

The SoCal Women’s Pro Flag Football League (SCWPFFL) announced plans this week to launch its inaugural season later this year, with the goal of making Southern California a premier hub for elite women’s professional flag football.

The new league will feature franchises across all eight Southern California counties: Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Riverside, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino, and Imperial. Games will be hosted at top high school and junior college football stadiums throughout the region, bringing professional-level competition directly into local communities.

The SCWPFFL’s first season will include a 14-game schedule running from June through mid-August, followed by playoffs shortly after. Each matchup will be played over four 15-minute quarters, mirroring the fast-paced, high-energy style that has helped fuel flag football’s rapid rise. A league draft is scheduled for March.

League founder Roy Englebrecht said the timing and location couldn’t be better.

“Southern California has always been a leader in sports innovation,” Englebrecht said in a statement. “This league is about creating opportunity and visibility, with players finally having a true professional home to continue their careers in flag football. It’s not just about the games — it’s about building a sustainable future for women’s football and inspiring the next generation of athletes.”

Englebrecht, a partner in the soon-to-be-public Combat Sports Entertainment, also revealed plans to hire a league commissioner later this month to oversee the league’s formation. He added that the SCWPFFL will offer ownership opportunities for investors interested in being part of the league from the ground up.

“I want people to experience the same thrill I had owning a team,” Englebrecht said, referencing his past ownership of the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes alongside actor Mark Harmon and businessman Hank Stickney. The Quakes are a Single-A minor league baseball affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels and were previously known as the San Bernardino Spirit in the late 1980s.

More details about the league are expected early next month, including team names, specific venues, draft and tryout information, and corporate partnership opportunities.

The launch of the SCWPFFL comes as women’s flag football continues to explode in popularity nationwide. High school athletic associations across the country are officially sanctioning the sport, while the NFL has invested heavily in grassroots programs. The growth at the youth, high school, collegiate, and international levels is also perfectly timed with flag football’s Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“The talent level is extraordinary, the interest is real, and the timing is right,” Englebrecht said. “Our vision is to provide a professional platform for elite female flag football athletes across Southern California, showcasing their speed, skill, and strategy while helping shape the future of one of the fastest-growing sports in the world.”

Additional information about the SoCal Women’s Pro Flag Football League can be found on the league’s official website.

The announcement follows a similar move on the East Coast, where the New York Jets and the East Coast Athletic Conference recently teamed up to launch the nation’s largest collegiate women’s flag football league.