Women's gridiron football, more commonly known as women's tackle football, women's American football, women's Canadian football, or simply women's football, is a form of gridiron football played by women. Most leagues play by similar rules to the men's game. Women primarily play on a semi-professional or amateur level in the United States. Very few high schools or colleges offer the sport solely for women and girls. However, on occasion, it is permissible for a female player to join the otherwise male team.
Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, formerly Fawcett Stadium, is a football stadium and entertainment complex in Canton, Ohio. It is a major component of Hall of Fame Village, located adjacent to the grounds of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The venue hosts the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Game and serves as the home field for the football teams from Canton McKinley High School. It also served as the home field for Malone University from 1993 to 2018 and Walsh University from 1998 to 2022. It also served as the home stadium for a number of other Canton-area high schools.
The Austin Outlaws are a women's football team in the Women's Football Alliance. They are based in Austin, Texas. Home games are played at historic House Park in downtown Austin.
The Erie Illusion was a women's football team playing in the United States Women's Football League and they were based in Erie, Pennsylvania. Their team colors was orange and purple; the team played at Erie Veterans Memorial Stadium. Mary Butler was the owner and general manager of the franchise. Troy Allen was the Illusion's final head coach.
The Chicago Force was a women's American football team. Founded in 2003 by Lisa Cole, the team played at De La Salle HS & St. Rita HS – both on Chicago's South side; Lane Stadium at Lane Technical College Prep High School, Holmgren Athletic Complex at North Park University on Chicago's North Side, and at Jorndt Field, commonly known as Winnemac Stadium. The team played the 2012–2014 seasons at Lazier Field on the campus of Evanston Township High School, and for the 2015 season onward, back at Lane Tech.
The Columbus Comets were a women's professional American football team based in Columbus, Ohio. They played in the Women's Football Alliance. The Comets played in the National Women's Football Association from their inception in 2003 until 2008. Their home games were played at Grove City Christian School in Grove City, Ohio.
The Cincinnati Sizzle is a women's professional full-contact/tackle football team from Cincinnati, Ohio. The team was established in 2003, by former Cincinnati Bengals running back Ickey Woods. Steve Sherman is the current owner of the Cincinnati Sizzle, as of the 2018 season, with Michelle Terrell continues in her 15th year as general manager. The regular season spans from April to July. Currently the home games are played at Walnut Hills High School (Cincinnati).
The Boston Militia were a women's full-contact football team in the Women's Football Alliance of which they were two-time champions. Previously, the Militia played in the Independent Women's Football League from 2008 until 2010, winning the IWFL championship in 2010. Based in Boston, Massachusetts, the Militia played its home games at Dilboy Stadium in nearby Somerville.
The Dayton Diamonds are a charter member of the Women's Football Alliance which began play in 2008. Based in Dayton, Ohio, home games are played on the campus of Northmont High School in nearby Clayton.
The D.C. Divas are a women's gridiron football team that plays in the Women's Football Alliance. Based in the Washington metropolitan area, the Divas play their home games at The St. James fieldhouse in Springfield, Virginia. Formerly, the Divas played at Eastern High School in Washington, D.C.; Largo High School in Largo, Maryland; the Prince George's Sports and Learning Complex in Landover, and at John R. Lewis High School in Springfield.
The Carolina Phoenix is a football team in the Women's Football Alliance (WFA) based in the Triad of North Carolina. Home games are played at Simeon Stadium in High Point, North Carolina.
The Bay Area Bandits was a women's American football team that played from 2010 to 2012. Based in Fremont, California, the Bandits played their home games at Contra Costa College.
The Central Cal War Angels were a team of the Women's Football Alliance which began play for the 2010 season. Based in Fresno, California, the War Angels play their home games on the campus of Fresno City College.
The Detroit Dark Angels were a women's semi-professional American football team founded in 2010 by Chuck Lauber and Aaron Brothers. In 2014, the team was purchased and reorganized as a 501(c)3 corporation DDA Football Inc., by a group that included former Detroit Demolition players Alecia Sweeney and Yarlen Henry along with Coach Keith Thomas.
Leroy Smith is a former college football player for the Iowa Hawkeyes from 1988 to 1991. He was a defensive lineman that was named a consensus first team All-American and the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Year in 1991.
The Derby City Dynamite is a women's professional full-contact/tackle football team of the Women's Football Alliance that began play in 2012. Based in Louisville, Kentucky, the Dynamite's home venue is John Hardin High School in Elizabethtown.
The Atlanta Phoenix is a women’s tackle football team of the Women's National Football Conference that began play in 2012. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, the team plays its home games at Decatur High Stadium in Downtown Decatur, GA.
The Boston Renegades are a tackle football team in the Women's Football Alliance. The Renegades play their home games at Harry Della Russo Stadium in Revere, Massachusetts.
The Dallas Elite Women's Football team is an American women's tackle football team playing in Division I of the Women's Football Alliance (WFA). The team, based in and around Dallas, Texas, was founded in 2014. The Dallas Elite reached the playoffs and national championship game three years in a row, 2015–2017. They defeated the Boston Renegades 31–21 at Highmark Stadium in Pittsburgh on July 22, 2017, to win the WFA Division I National Championship. Although they missed the playoffs in 2018 and 2019, the team earned a playoff berth in 2021.
