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Youth flag football format comparison: 5v5, 6v6, 7v7 and 8v8

This free chart compares 5v5 (NFL FLAG rules), 6v6 (FNL rules), girls high school 7v7 (NFHS), 7v7 (rec rules) and 8v8 on one landscape page. It covers players, field size, first downs, rushing, the rush line, blocking, extra points, game length, age groups and who plays it. Every filled cell comes from a published rulebook.

Rec 7v7 and 8v8 have no national rulebook, so most of those cells say varies by league. State associations may modify the NFHS rules, so check your state adopted rulebook before the season.

By Jay Fraser. Published .

Page one of the printable Youth Flag Football Format Comparison Chart: 5v5, 6v6, 7v7, 8v8
Download PDFFree, US Letter, prints on one page. No account needed.

How to use this sheet

  1. 1Find the row for your league's format and check it against your league's own rulebook.
  2. 2Use the rushing and rush line columns to choose plays that are legal in your format.
  3. 3Post it at a coaches meeting when your league is choosing a format.
  4. 4Keep it in your bag for tournaments that play a different format than your league.

Want the rules explained, not just charted? Read flag football rules for coaches. Need plays to track? Open the free 6v6 FNL playbook.

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Frequently asked questions

Q01Which flag football formats have a rush line?+

5v5 under NFL FLAG rules uses a 7-yard rush line with up to 2 rushers, and 6v6 under FNL rules uses a 10-yard line with any number of rushers. The NFHS girls high school rules have no rush line: defenders may rush from the line at any time.

Q02How long is a 6v6 FNL flag football game?+

Four 10-minute quarters with a running clock and a 2-minute halftime, under the FNL Official Rules updated July 2, 2026.

Q03Is there an official 8v8 youth flag football rulebook?+

Not a national one that we could find. 8v8 youth rules are written by individual city recreation leagues and YMCAs, so the chart marks most 8v8 cells as varies by league. Use your league's rulebook.

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