A women’s pro flag football league will include teams in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) - Ready, set, hike!
Santa Barbara and Ventura are two of eight Southern California counties that will be represented in a new women's professional flag football league that is launching in the summer of 2026.
The So Cal Women’s Pro Flag Football League (SCWPFFL) is the brainchild of sports entrepreneur and longtime sports promoter Roy Englebrecht.
The league, in 2026, will launch with SCWPFFL franchises in each of the eight Southern California counties, Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Riverside, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino, and Imperial.
“Women’s flag football has reached a tipping point,” said Englebrecht, the founder of So Cal Women’s Pro Flag Football League, and a partner in the soon to go public sports property, Combat Sports Entertainment. “The talent level is extraordinary, the interest is real, and the timing is right. 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.
Games are expected to be staged at top high school or junior college football stadiums in each of the eight counties, to ensure that the athletes from each county will get to play in front of family, friends and football fans. The SCWPFFL 14 game regular season will run June and mid-August, with playoffs starting in August. All SCWPFFL games will be played in four 15-minute quarters. A league wide draft will be held mid-March.
Women’s flag football is currently one of the fastest-growing sports in the United States, sanctioned by numerous state high school athletic associations and now supported by the NFL at the grassroots level.
“This league isn’t just about games,” Englebrecht added. “It’s about building a sustainable future for women’s football and inspiring the next generation of athletes.”
Additional announcements, including team names, venues, league draft, player tryouts, ownership groups, and corporate partnerships – will be released in early February.
(Information and quotes provided by Nicole Taylor BZA).
