Panthers owners commit $1M to girls’ flag football after historic NC vote
Wednesday, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association officially sanctioned girls’ flag football a varsity sport.
Thursday, the Teppers celebrated — and took action.
The David and Nicole Tepper Foundation announced a $1 million commitment to continue its support of girls’ high school flag football programs in North Carolina and South Carolina on Thursday morning. The money will provide grant funding to schools with a “demonstrated need” to sustain their programs, as well as those looking to begin flag football programs.
The formal grant application process for schools will begin in January, said Riley Fields, community relations directions for the Carolina Panthers.
“We’re standing in a moment in time that’s transformational,” Fields told The Charlotte Observer. “It’s a new opportunity for girls. Data is showing that 25-50% of girls who played in the pilot programs across the two-state region, this is the first time they have participated in a school sport.”
He added: “Girls want to play. That’s an undeniable truth. The sport has taken root across the two-state region.”
The commitment by the foundation — run by the Teppers, who own the NFL’s Carolina Panthers and MLS’ Charlotte FC — is a “statement,” Field said. The message: The Teppers aren’t leaving now that such historic legislation has been pushed through; the work has just begun.
The Panthers organization really began putting its weight behind girls’ flag football about 4½ years ago, starting with the inaugural “Girls High School Football Jamboree” in the fall of 2021. They then helped pilot a league in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in 2022 — which for the past few years has culminated with a big final day in Bank of America Stadium.
Currently, there are more than 40 states offering girls’ flag football, including Washington, D.C., according to the National Federation of High Schools. Among those states, over 20 have officially sanctioned the sport. Now you can add North Carolina to the list — and it was a long time coming: There are over 200 high schools in North and South Carolina that are committed to playing flag football in the 2026-27 school year, according to Fields.
And flag football is slated to make its Olympic debut in 2028 at the Los Angeles Summer Games.
“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,” David Tepper and Nicole Tepper wrote in a joint statement Thursday. “We’re deeply grateful for the dedication and partnerships with school districts that made this milestone possible.
“And we 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.”
This story was originally published May 7, 2026 at 9:00 AM.
