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Current season, competition or edition: 2025 Women's Football Alliance Season | |
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| Sport | Women's gridiron football |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2009; 16 years ago (2009) |
| First season | 2009 |
| No. of teams | 60 active |
| Country | United States |
| Most recent champions | Pro –St. Louis Slam Div. 2 –Salt Lake Wildcats Div. 3 –Richmond Black Widows Flag –Pittsburgh Passion |
| Most titles | Boston (7 titles) |
| Official website | wfaprofootball |
TheWomen's Football Alliance (WFA) is asemi-pro full-contactwomen's American football league in theUnited States. Founded in 2009, it is the largest 11-on-11 football league for women in the world, and the longest running active women's football league in the U.S. Since 2016, the league has operated with three competitive levels: Pro, Division 2 and Division 3. The league is owned and operated byJeff King andLisa Gibbons King ofExeter, California. Lisa King is also awide receiver for the WFA'sCali War.[1]
In addition to operating annual national championship seasons in the United States, the league also operates the WFA International program which organizes international competitions for its own Team United and Team World against each other and all-star teams from other nations. The program also supports international player exchanges and provides logistical support to women's tackle football leagues in Central and South America, Europe, and Africa.[2]
The Women's Football Alliance was established in 2009 and began its inaugural season with 36 teams. Many of the teams were already established teams from other leagues such asWomen's Professional Football League,Independent Women's Football League andNational Women's Football Association, while others began their inaugural season of play in the WFA.
The first season of play ended with a championship game, which was played in the rebuilding (post-Katrina) city ofNew Orleans, Louisiana and was hosted by theNew Orleans Blaze. The game was between theSt. Louis Slam (American Conference – St. Louis, MO) and theWest Michigan Mayhem (National Conference – Kalamazoo, MI). St. Louis became the first WFA National Champions with a final game score of 21–14.[citation needed] Additionally, there was an International Game played between the Aguilas Regias ofMonterrey, Mexico and the hosting team, New Orleans Blaze. The Blaze won this game 12–0.[3]: 123
The WFA grew in the second year (2010) to have over 40 teams competing for the national championship. The national championship for the 2010 season was accompanied by the first All-American game. The term All-American is used by the WFA to represent the best players at all positions from all WFA teams. The teams were chosen partly based on statistics and partly based on the vote of head coaches. The All-American game was played just before the championship game inLas Vegas, Nevada and was hosted by theLas Vegas Showgirlz. The All-American game was won by the American Conference. The second championship in the WFA would again come down to the last few plays and have a score differential of only four points. TheLone Star Mustangs (American Conference – Dallas/Fort Worth) defeated theColumbus Comets (National Conference – Columbus, Ohio) to become the second National Champions of the WFA by a score of 16–12.
As the Women's Football Alliance prepared for the 2011 season, they were scheduled to have over 60 teams playing across the United States. They again grew due in part to new teams starting and in part due to established teams moving in from other leagues, most notably theNew York Sharks,[4]D.C. Divas,[5]Chicago Force,[6]Dallas Diamonds, andKansas City Tribe.[7] In the 2011 WFA championship, which was held inBedford, Texas, theBoston Militia defeated theSan Diego Surge 34–19 to claim the title.
The WFA opened the season with 60 teams. The 2012 WFA National Championship game took place atHeinz Field inPittsburgh, Pennsylvania, home stadium of the NFL franchisePittsburgh Steelers; it was the first women's football championship game to be played in anNFL stadium.[8] After losing the title game in the previous season, theSan Diego Surge returned to win the 2012 championship 40–36 over theChicago Force.
The WFA opened the season with 50 teams. Running back Whitney Zelee (Boston Militia) made headlines in 2013 by becoming the league's first player to surpass 2,000 rushing yards in a football season, setting a league record of 2,128 yards.[9] After losing the title game in the previous season, theChicago Force returned to win the 2013 championship over theDallas Diamonds 81–34 atBalboa Stadium,San Diego, California.
The WFA opened the season with 42 teams. The preseason was capped by the inaugural WFA International Bowl, in which the Mexican All-Stars defeated theAustin Outlaws in exhibition. TheBoston Militia became the league's first two-time champion in 2014, winning 69–34 in a title rematch with theSan Diego Surge atLane Tech Stadium inChicago, Illinois. During championship weekend, the league introduced a new mid-major bowl game: the Alliance Bowl. TheSeattle Majestics of the American Conference faced theIndy Crash of the National Conference in a contest to "showcase of the depth of quality teams that exist in the Women's Football Alliance."[10] TheIndy Crash prevailed 26–12. This season was also notable for the introduction ofKenneth Massey Ratings into the league's playoffs system.
The WFA opened the season with 40 teams, the fewest since the league was first established in 2009. The preseason concluded with the second WFA International Bowl Game Series, in which the Mexican All-Stars went 1–1, defeating the Tacoma Trauma before falling to theSeattle Majestics. On August 8, 2015, theD.C. Divas defeated theDallas Elite 30–26 in the WFA National Championship game at Los Angeles (Calif.) Southwest College Stadium. TheCentral Cal War Angels beat theAtlanta Phoenix 28–8 in the Alliance Bowl, an invitational bowl game also held during championship weekend.
WFA executives launched a new, tiered league structure consisting of three divisions, similar to that of NCAA Football. The league opened the season with 43 teams (11 in Division 1, 16 in Division 2, and 16 in Division 3). The WFA also announced the W Bowl as their new brand for the WFA National Championship game. With a 28–26 victory over theDallas Elite, theD.C. Divas won the inaugural W Bowl and their second national championship in as many years. TheSt. Louis Slam downed theTampa Bay Inferno 38–7 to claim the Division 2 championship. TheAcadiana Zydeco defeated theRichmond Black Widows 20–18 in the Division 3 title game. All three games were played at Joe P. Michaela Stadium in Imperial, Pa.
Allison Cahill of theBoston Renegades reached a new milestone in sports by becoming the first quarterback to attain 100 victories playing exclusively in women's football leagues.[11]
The league expanded to 65 teams (15 in Division 1, 19 in Division 2, and 31 in Division 3). On July 22, theDallas Elite claimed the Division 1 National Championship, dubbed W Bowl II, with a 31–21 outcome against theBoston Renegades at Highmark Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. TheSt. Louis Slam repeated as Division 2 champions after a rematch in the title game againstTampa Bay finished 42–15. TheArkansas Wildcats beat theOrlando Anarchy 42–26 to claim the Division 3 trophy.
The league opened the season with 67 teams (9 in Division 1, 16 in Division 2, and 39 in Division 3). On July 28, theBoston Renegades won the Division 1 National Championship game 42–18 over theLos Angeles Warriors atFifth Third Bank Stadium,Kennesaw State University inKennesaw, Georgia. The game was broadcast on ESPN3. TheNew York Sharks claimed the Division 2 title with a 27–21 victory over theMinnesota Vixen. In a rematch of the 2017 Division 3 championship game, theOrlando Anarchy defeated theArkansas Wildcats 46–0.
The league opened with 62 teams (6 in Division 1, 18 in Division 2, and 38 in Division 3). TheBoston Renegades repeated as league champions, matching the feat first accomplished by theD.C. Divas (2015, 2016). On July 13, Boston beat the Cali War 52–24 at theColorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado. The game was broadcast on ESPN3. TheSt. Louis Slam won their third Division 2 title in four years by downing theDetroit Dark Angels 34–0. TheOrlando Anarchy made their third consecutive trip to the Division 3 championship game but fell to the Nevada Storm 62–45.
The 2020 season of the Women's Football Alliance was cancelled in its entirety due to health and safety concerns in regards to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic.[12] Although regular season games were scheduled, none were played.
The WFA signed deals with Eleven Sports/FTF Next Sports Network to broadcast ten 'WFA Game of the Week' events[13] and eight games from the 2019 season[14] on its cable network, streaming channels and website. They also established partnerships with Secret, Xenith, Wilson, Glazier Clinics, and Florida State University Interdisciplinary Center for Athletic Coaching.
The WFA established the Women's Football Coaching Alliance (WFCA), and the 'WFA Gives Campaign'. The league also witnessed the release of two feature films focused on its players, "Born To Play," directed by Viridiana Lieberman, and "Open Field," directed by Kathy Kuras. "Born To Play" aired nationally on ESPN and internationally on ABC to widespread critical acclaim.[15]
In February, the WFA announced a five-year agreement with the Hall of Fame Resort and Entertainment Company for the league's championship games to be played atTom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium atHall of Fame Village in Canton, Ohio. The league resumed play after a 2020 season lost to global pandemic. Scheduling challenges and safety concerns necessitated a delayed start (May instead of April) and a shortened season (6 regular season games instead of 8). The 2021 season opened with 49 teams (7 in Division 1, 12 in Division 2, and 30 in Division 3). On July 24, theBoston Renegades collected their third consecutive league title with a 42–26 victory over theMinnesota Vixen. TheNevada Storm defeated theDetroit Dark Angels 42–18 to win the Division 2 title. TheDerby City Dynamite claimed the Division 3 crown with a 30–20 victory over theArizona Outkast. All three championship games and the 2021 All-American game were broadcast onNext Level Sports television channel andFTF Next streaming channel.
Heading into the 2022 season, the WFA rebranded Division 1 as the Pro Division and labeled the level as "WFA Pro." The league started the season with 59 teams: 11 in the Pro Division, 12 in Division 2, and 27 in Division 3. The league also added a developmental level that launched with nine teams.
The league's championship games again took place atTom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium atHall of Fame Village in Canton, Ohio. On July 10, theBoston Renegades collected their fourth consecutive league title with a 32–12 victory over theMinnesota Vixen.[16] On July 9, theMile High Blaze defeated theDerby City Dynamite 21–20 to win the Division 2 title,[17] and theOklahoma City Lady Force claimed the Division 3 crown with a 25–0 victory over theCapital City Savages.[18] The National Conference won the All-American Game 14–12.
For the first time, the WFA Pro National Championship Game was broadcast on ESPN2. AdeNation was the name sponsor for the championship game while Xenith sponsored the WFA All-American Game. The WFA also signed a multi-year licensing deal with Fathead[19] and brought back "The Road To Canton" television show for a second season.[20] The 2023 season began April 22 with 14 teams.[21]
Following the success of the 2022 WFA Pro Championship Game broadcast, WFA reached a deal to air the 2023 Pro Championship on ESPN2.[22] The WFA began the 2023 season with 60 teams: 14 in the Pro Division, 16 in Division 2, 24 in Division 3, and 6 in the Developmental Division.
The regular season ran from April 22 to June 10, with the championship games played on July 22. TheBoston Renegades defeated theSt. Louis Slam in the WFA Pro National Championship Game 35-7 to win their fifth consecutive championship and seventh overall. In the Division 2 Championship, the New York Wolves defeated the Oklahoma City Lady Force 21-0 for their first championship, and the Division 3 Championship saw the West Palm Beach Coyotes handily beat the New Mexico Banitas 58-6.
The WFA Pro National Championship Game garnered 174,000 live viewers,[23] leading to the WFA securing a primetime slot for the 2024 championship on ESPN2.[24]
On July 7, the WFA announced the National Championship Trophies would be renamed in honor of the lateFranco Harris, a co-owner of thePittsburgh Passion and member of thePro Football Hall of Fame, citing his contributions to the league and women's football.[25]
The 2024 WFA season saw an overall decrease in the number of teams, with 54 total: 14 in WFA Pro, 15 in Division 2, and 29 in Division 3. The regular season ran from April 27 to June 15, with most teams play 6 games over 8 weeks.
In the WFA Pro National Championship Game, the St. Louis Slam defeated the Boston Renegades, 30-27, ending the latter's streak of five straight championships. The Nebraska Pride won the Division 2 championship over the West Palm Beach Coyotes, 32-6, while the Cincinnati Cougars took the Division 3 title over the New Mexico Banitas, 48-26.
| Team | Location | Founded | Joined | Head coach | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Conference | ||||||
| Alabama Fire | Birmingham, Alabama | 2015 | 2023 | Cedric Lane | ||
| Boston Renegades | Boston, Massachusetts | 2015 | 2015 | John Johnson | ||
| Cali War | Los Angeles, California | 2018 | 2019 | Jeff King | ||
| D.C. Divas | Washington, D.C. | 2000 | 2011 | Allysea Marfull | ||
| New York Wolves | New York, New York | 2018 | 2019 | Fabian Alesandro | ||
| Pittsburgh Passion | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | 2002 | 2016 | Teresa Conn | ||
| Tampa Bay Inferno | Tampa, Florida | 2009 | 2010 | Arlo Henderson | ||
| American Conference | ||||||
| Arlington Impact | Arlington, Texas | 2011 | 2023 | Jimmie Hughes | ||
| Dallas Elite Mustangs | Dallas, Texas | 2014 | 2015 | Kristian Scott | ||
| Houston Energy | Houston, Texas | 2000 | 2019 | Brian Wiggins | ||
| Mile High Blaze | Denver, Colorado | 2013 | 2015 | Rob Sandlin | ||
| Minnesota Vixen | St. Paul, Minnesota | 1999 | 2017 | Connor Jo Lewis | ||
| Nevada Storm | Reno, Nevada | 2011 | 2019 | Chris Garza | ||
| St. Louis Slam | St. Louis, Missouri | 2003 | 2009 | Quincy Davis | ||
| Team | Location | Founded | Joined | Head coach | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Conference | ||||||
| Atlanta Rage | Atlanta, Georgia | 2022 | 2023 | Blair Clark | ||
| Baltimore Nighthawks | Baltimore, Maryland | 2007 | 2017 | Mike Lynn | ||
| Capital City Savages | Lansing, Michigan | 2017 | 2019 | Andre Broach | ||
| Carolina Phoenix | Greensboro, North Carolina | 2006 | 2017 | Maria V. Ormond | ||
| Columbus Chaos | Columbus, Ohio | 2021 | 2022 | Mike Kandler | ||
| Derby City Dynamite | Louisville, Kentucky | 2011 | 2012 | Tracy Logan | ||
| Detroit Venom | Detroit, Michigan | 2011 | 2012 | Andre Harlon | ||
| Grand Rapids Tidal Waves | Grand Rapids, Michigan | 2017 | 2018 | Stacey Davis | ||
| Jacksonville Dixie Blues | Jacksonville, Florida | 2001 | 2009 | Michelle Robinson | ||
| Miami Fury | Miami, Florida | 2000 | 2011 | Raul Camaliche | ||
| Tri-State Warriors | New Brunswick, New Jersey | 2021 | 2022 | Rich Harrigan | ||
| West Palm Beach Coyotes | West Palm Beach, Florida | 2019 | 2023 | Paul Gonsalves | ||
| American Conference | ||||||
| Austin Outlaws | Austin, Texas | 2001 | 2009 | Jason Barlow | ||
| Nebraska Pride | Omaha, Nebraska | 2023 | 2023 | Nancy Javaux-Major | ||
| Oklahoma City Lady Force | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | 2014 | 2021 | Leonard Bulock | ||
| Portland Fighting Shockwave | Portland, Oregon | 2002 | 2013 | TBD | ||
| Sun City Stealth | El Paso, Texas | 2019 | 2021 | Marcus Riley | ||
| Vegas NVaders | Las Vegas, Nevada | 2023 | 2024 | Erik Garcia | ||
| Region | Team | Location | Founded | Joined | Head coach | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Conference | ||||||
| Northeast Region | Connecticut Nightmare | Windsor, Connecticut | 2009 | 2017 | Bruce Haney | |
| Harrisburg Havoc | Harrisburg, Pennsylvania | 2021 | 2022 | Jeff Thomas | ||
| Maine Mayhem | Portland, Maine | 2015 | 2017 | Bryant Oja | ||
| New Hampshire Rebellion | Manchester, New Hampshire | 2021 | 2022 | Arasi Chau | ||
| New York Knockout | Troy, New York | 2012 | 2017 | Lou Butts | ||
| Upstate Lady Predators | Rochester, New York | 2023 | 2024 | Jessica Coluzzi | ||
| Southeast Region | Cincinnati Cougars | Cincinnati, Ohio | 2022 | 2023 | Izaah Burks Sr. | |
| East Tennessee Valkyrie | Elizabethton, Tennessee | 2021 | 2022 | Shannon Simpson | ||
| Music City Mizfits | Nashville, Tennessee | 2016 | 2017 | Donald Ragsdale | ||
| Orlando Anarchy | Orlando, Florida | 2009 | 2010 | Sherman Harlow | ||
| Raleigh Express | Raleigh, North Carolina | 2022 | 2023 | Brent Fisher | ||
| Richmond Black Widows | Richmond, Virginia | 2015 | 2016 | Steve Baxter | ||
| Virginia Panthers | Williamsburg, Virginia | 2022 | 2023 | James Lancaster | ||
| American Conference | ||||||
| Midwest Region | Cedar Raptors | Cedar Rapids, Iowa | 2023 | 2024 | Quinton Ray | |
| Iowa Phoenix | Des Moines, Iowa | 2018 | 2019 | Ricky Jimenez-Dragoni | ||
| Midwest Mountain Lions | Waukegan, Illinois | 2019 | 2022 | Jahamal Hardy | ||
| Minnesota Minx | Minneapolis, Minnesota | 2021 | 2022 | Grand Palmer | ||
| Oklahoma Rage | Tulsa, Oklahoma | 2022 | 2023 | Tarrion Adams | ||
| Sioux Falls Snow Leopards | Sioux Falls, South Dakota | 2021 | 2021 | Riley Key | ||
| Zydeco Spice | Lafayette, Louisiana | 2009 | 2010 | Josh Edison | ||
| Pacific Region | Arizona Outkast | Phoenix, Arizona | 2011 | 2019 | TBD | |
| Capital Pioneers | Salem, Oregon | 2019 | 2021 | TBD | ||
| Central Valley Chaos | Bakersfield, California | 2021 | 2023 | Andrew Blanton | ||
| New Mexico Banitas | Las Cruces, New Mexico | 2022 | 2023 | Brian Bartlett | ||
| Oregon Cougars | Eugene, Oregon | 2021 | 2022 | Chuck Hoffman | ||
| Rocky Mountain Thunderkatz | Colorado Springs, Colorado | 2012 | 2017 | Demareo Pruitt | ||
| Wasatch Warriors | Salt Lake City, Utah | 2019 | 2023 | Abel Tenorio | ||
| Team | Location | Founded | Joined | Head coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Legacy | Fort Myers, Florida | 2023 | 2024 | Madison Schmatz |
| Year | Winner | Loser | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | St. Louis Slam | Tampa Bay Inferno | 38–7 | |
| 2017 | St. Louis Slam | Tampa Bay Inferno | 42–15 | |
| 2018 | New York Sharks | Minnesota Vixen | 27–21 | |
| 2019 | St. Louis Slam | Detroit Dark Angels | 34–0 | |
| 2020 | Season cancelled due to theCOVID-19 pandemic | |||
| 2021 | Nevada Storm | Detroit Dark Angels | 42–18 | |
| 2022 | Mile High Blaze | Derby City Dynamite | 21–20 | |
| 2023 | New York Wolves | Oklahoma City Lady Force | 21–0 | |
| 2024 | Nebraska Pride | West Palm Beach Coyotes | 32–6 | |
| 2025 | Salt Lake Wildcats | Baltimore Nighthawks | 19–0 | |
| Year | Winner | Loser | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Pittsburgh Passion | Cali War | 26–14 |
| Year | Winner | Loser | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Indy Crash | Seattle Majestics | 26–12 |
| 2015 | Central Cal War Angels | Atlanta Phoenix | 28–8 |
| Year | Winner | Loser | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Houston Power | Acadiana Zydeco | 9–6 |
Media related toWomen's Football Alliance at Wikimedia CommonsTop-level professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada | |||||||
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