The Basic Guide for Starting a Women's Tackle Football Team
Starting a women’s football team is a challenge, but by creating or adding to a team you will help shape the future of women’s football.
Here, you’ll find valuable resources to help you learn about current leagues, explore your options, and enhance your understanding of the game. From League Descriptions, Interactive Team Maps, and basic guides to women’s football, we can help you get started.
Are you ready to bring women’s tackle football to your community?
Steps to Get Started
Step 1
Define Your Market and Vision for the Team
Before you recruit a single player, start with why you’re creating the team.
- What community or region will your team represent?
- What values will guide your team culture (e.g., development, inclusivity, competitiveness)?
- Do you plan to compete nationally or regionally?
A clear mission statement helps attract the right athletes, staff, and sponsors.
Step 2
Research Leagues to Find the Right Fit
Women’s tackle football in the U.S. is organized under several leagues, each with its own requirements and structure. The main leagues are listed on the league page.
Compare league fees, travel expectations, marketing support, and level of play to find the best match for your team’s goals.
Be realistic with your current players, coaching staff, and budget.
Step 3
Establish a Foundation: Financial and Legal
There are a few key business steps that need to be taken before starting a team.
- Register your team as a business
- Small teams can probably get away with being a club
- Larger teams will most likely need to register with the state as a Small Business, LLC, or Non Profit.
- Determine how finances will be handled
- Open a Bank Account
- Determine how you will pay for services (cash/credit card/check)
- Obtain liability insurance and waivers. Sometimes leagues provide game day insurance.
- Set up budget. It should include, league fees, field rentals, support staff, uniforms, marketing, etc.
- Research fundraising, investors, sponsorships, and grants to offset costs.
Step 4
Build a Staff
Build a strong leadership team. Success starts from the top, so a strong foundation will lead to success on the field.
- General Manager-Handles finances, registrations, and league relations
- Coaches– A head coach will manage other coaching staff. Coaches will build the playbook and run practices
- Operations-Coordinates equipment, travel, and game day logistics
- Marketing– Social media coordinator, sponsorships, and branding
Role can be combined or split but these are the major responsibilities need to be done by someone. One person can’t do every job. The team starts at the top of the organization.
Step 5
Secure Practice and Game Day Facilities
Work with local schools, parks, or recreation departments to rent a football field. Spring leagues will be competing with track and soccer teams for space. Fall leagues will be competing with high school football.
You’ll need space for:
- Team practices (2–3 times per week)
- Home games
- Storage and locker facilities (if possible)
Leagues will have requirements for game day fields. High School and College hash marks are different spacing. 8-man teams may need to line an 11-man field if no 8-man fields available. When booking a field ask about insurance requirements, light fees, external vendor requirements, etc.
Step 6
Acquire Equipment and Uniforms
Budget for both team-owned and player-purchased gear. Determine what will happen to gear if there are any changes to the team organization.
Typical needs include:
- Helmets and shoulder pads
- Practice jerseys, game uniforms, and warm up gear.
- Training gear, footballs, cones, and first-aid supplies.
Some leagues provide game day footballs for the season. A junior size football is a standard size for women. Leagues may also require uniforms to be purchased through an authorized vendor or have specific uniform requirements.
Step 7
Recruit Players and Additional Staff
Recruiting can be one of the hardest parts of building a team. Many players come from basketball, rugby, track, or soccer backgrounds. Check with leagues for player restrictions (age, out of region players, roster size requirements). Some recruitment ideas below:
- Hold interest meetings and open tryouts. Charging for tryouts can limit the number of players that participate, however, it can give a boost to capital at the beginning of the season.
- Promote through local gyms, colleges, social media, and women’s sports groups.
- Offer introductory clinics to teach football fundamentals and help athletes feel confident joining the team.
A competitive roster typically includes 30–50 players, depending on the league. Smaller teams can be very successful with 20-30 players with highly engaged players and staff.
Step 8
Build the Team by Repeating the Steps as Needed
It takes time to build a strong team. The true strength of teams are in 3 parts.
- Program
- Players
- Coaches
If one part is not working (i.e. a toxic player(s), inconsistent schedule/program goals, coaching mismatch(es)) the team will not be as successful as they could be. Remember to be flexible and have a few back up plans. The first year as a team is going to have a step learning curve.
Reach out for help and advice from players and teams. Women’s football grows stronger when teams support one another.
Leagues
Your most important considerations are location and league. That will dictate costs and potential players. Below are the main 3 leagues that are playing in the 2026 season. There are smaller leagues listed on the league page. Many new teams choose to be a part of a smaller league their first season. This helps to work out any problems with team dynamic and the team management. Smaller leagues may not be cheaper per game than larger leagues due to travel costs and shorter seasons.
Links are below to inquire about starting a team.
WOMEN’S NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE
- Focus on elite play and high professional standards
- High travel costs due to team distance
- New teams are limited
- Branding and media are key factors
- Investors should look in large markets and have a business and market analysis
- High start up cost
WOMEN’S FOOTBALL ALLIANCE
- Focus is on a high level of play and at the Pro Level- high professional standards
- Travel costs can be high depending on team location and proximity to other teams.
- Teams have ownership of regions surrounding them, so new team markets are limited
- There are different levels of play. Generally, larger markets are at the pro level and smaller markets are at lower levels.
- Moderate to low start up cost
- Structural changes are occurring
AMERICAN WOMEN’S FOOTBALL LEAGUE
- Focus is on access
- This is a newer league that has greatly expanded for the 2026 season.
- Many developing teams and smaller market teams are currently in this league
- Information about this league is limited compared to other leagues.
- Low start up cost
WOMEN’S NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE
- Focus on elite play and high professional standards
- High travel costs due to team distance
- New teams are limited
- Branding and media are key factors
- Investors should look in large markets and have a business and market analysis
- High start up cost
WOMEN’S FOOTBALL ALLIANCE
- Focus is on a high level of play and at the Pro Level- high professional standards
- Travel costs can be high depending on team location and proximity to other teams.
- Teams have ownership of regions surrounding them, so new team markets are limited
- There are different levels of play. Generally, larger markets are at the pro level and smaller markets are at lower levels.
- Moderate to low start up cost
- Structural changes are occurring
AMERICAN WOMEN’S FOOTBALL LEAGUE
- Focus is on access
- This is a newer league that has greatly expanded for the 2026 season.
- Many developing teams and smaller market teams are currently in this league
- Information about this league is limited compared to other leagues.
- Low start up cost
Common Questions
Questions you should be asking a league before joining
Understanding financial requirements helps you plan your budget and avoid surprises.
Leagues often charge annual franchise or team fees, and some may include initial franchise costs or require proof of financial stability (net worth or liquid capital).
Knowing due dates for applications, payments, and renewals ensures your team stays in good standing and avoids missing the season cutoff. Each league operates on a seasonal calendar with specific application and payment deadlines. Missing a deadline can delay your entry by an entire year.
Tracking deadlines allows you to plan your recruiting, fundraising, and operations schedule in sync with the league’s timeline.
Some leagues grant teams exclusive rights to a geographic area to prevent overlap and competition for the same players and fans.
Understanding these rules helps you know where your team can operate, recruit, and host games without violating another team’s territory agreement.
Leagues often have standards to maintain professionalism and consistency.
You may be required to have a minimum roster size, specific coaching or medical staff, and meet travel expectations for away games.
Some leagues also include media, branding, or social media engagement requirements to promote visibility.
Knowing these expectations early helps you budget and staff correctly.
Different leagues offer different levels of support.
Some provide marketing materials, branding assistance, operational training, scheduling, and compliance guidance.
Understanding what resources are available helps you choose a league that supports your growth and reduces your startup workload.
Start Your Football Journey Today
Ready to dive into women’s football? Explore the map of current teams and league breakdown. If you want to start your own team or get involved with an existing one.
Let’s make it happen!
Send Us Any Questions
If you have more questions or need specific information, feel free to reach out! Our team is here to help you navigate your options and get started.
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Coming Soon
We are excited to bring women’s football to one place! We would like to provide these same resources for Flag Football in the near future.
We are working to provide resources on previous leagues
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