Flag football rules, explained by format and league
In flag football nobody tackles: a defender ends the play by pulling a flag off the ball carrier's belt. Teams play 5, 6 or 7 a side, usually start at their own 5, and must cross midfield for a first down. Most rulebooks bar a direct quarterback run. Headgear and safety rules live on flag football headgear rules by state.
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By Jay Fraser. Published . Updated .
How does a flag football game work?
Two teams take turns on offense. The offense starts at its own 5-yard line, tries to cross midfield for a first down, and then tries to score in the end zone. A flag pull ends each play.
- There is no kickoff. A coin toss decides who starts with the ball in NFL FLAG, FNL and USA Football rules.
- The offense starts at its own 5. In NFL FLAG and USA Football it gets 4 downs to cross midfield; in FNL it gets 3.
- Crossing midfield earns a new set of downs to score: 3 in NFL FLAG and FNL, 4 in USA Football.
- If the offense fails, the other team usually takes over at its own 5. Interceptions can be returned.
- The quarterback has 7 seconds to throw or hand off in NFL FLAG, FNL, USA Football and IFAF rules.
- A play is dead when a flag is pulled, the ball carrier steps out, or the ball hits the ground.
Every player is eligible to catch a pass in NFL FLAG and FNL, the quarterback included once the ball has been handed off. Only 1 forward pass is allowed per play, and it must be thrown from behind the line of scrimmage. Ball carriers may not guard their flags with a hand, arm or the ball.
Those basics hold across most rulebooks. The details do not: the number of players, the size of the field, the rush line and the quarterback rule all change by league. The sections below show where.
Which flag football format do you play?
The format is the number of players a side. 5v5 is the NFL FLAG and Olympic game, 6v6 is the FNL, RISE and Under the Lights youth game, and 7v7 is rec, club and high school flag.
| Format | Rulebooks | Field in those rulebooks | Rules guide and playbook |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5v5 | NFL FLAG; USA Football USA Flag 5s; IFAF (used for LA28); i9 Sports; RISE 7th and 8th grade | About 25 yards wide and 64 to 70 yards long | 5v5 rules; 5v5 playbooknflflagusafb5sifafusafb-lai9rise |
| 6v6 | FNL; RISE; Under the Lights | 25 to 30 x 50 yards in RISE and Under the Lights; not specified in FNL | 6v6 playbook (FNL rules)fnlriseutl |
| 7v7 | USA Football USA Flag 7s; IFAF Flag 7 on 7; NFHS high school, by state adoption | 25 x 70 yards (USA Flag 7s) up to 360 x 160 feet (largest NFHS option) | 7v7 playbook (rec rules)usafb7sifafnfhs-2026 |
Your league decides the format, usually by age. RISE plays 6v6 or 5v5 by grade, NFL FLAG offers leagues for boys and girls from 5 to 17 years old, and the NFHS book is written for high school. If you are not sure, ask your league which rulebook it uses before the first practice.
How do the main rulebooks compare?
They split on four rules: the number of players, whether the quarterback may run, where the rusher starts, and how long the game lasts.
| Rulebook | Players | Quarterback run | Rush | Game length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NFL FLAG | 5 | Not across the line | Up to 2, from 7 yards | 2 x 24 min (league); 2 x 12 (tournament)nflflagnflflag-web |
| FNL | 6 | Not from the snap; handoffs, laterals and pitches allowed | Any number, from 10 yards | 4 x 10 min quartersfnl |
| RISE | 6 or 5 | No direct runs, except 7th and 8th grade when rushed | None until a handoff or fake; 7th and 8th grade, 1 per possession from 3 yards | 2 x 20 minrise |
| USA Football (5s and 7s) | 5 or 7 | Not directly; only after a handoff back or a pass | Up to 2, from 7 yards | 2 x 20 min (league)usafb5susafb7s |
| IFAF (used for LA28) | 5; 7 in Flag 7 on 7 | Not past the line unless the ball came back | Anyone more than 7 yards off; up to 2 may raise a hand for right of way | 2 x 20 minifafusafb-la |
| NFHS high school | 7 | In the NFHS rules book (sold); check your state adopted rulebook | In the NFHS rules book (sold); check your state adopted rulebook | 4 x 12 min periodsnfhs-2026nfhs-2025 |
The 5v5 flag football rules page compares the 5v5 books in detail, and the NFL FLAG rules page explains that rulebook section by section. For FNL, the official rules are linked in the sources below.
Can the quarterback run, and who can rush?
In most youth and rec rulebooks the player who takes the snap cannot run the ball directly across the line. Defenders who rush must start behind a rush line, usually 7 yards back.
NFL FLAG bars a quarterback run across the line of scrimmage. USA Football and IFAF bar it unless the ball has gone to a teammate and come back. FNL bars a run from the snap but allows handoffs, laterals and pitches. RISE 7th and 8th grade is the one game in our table where the quarterback may run, and only when the defense rushes.
The rush line is 7 yards in NFL FLAG, USA Football and i9 Sports, more than 7 yards in IFAF, and 10 yards in FNL. NFL FLAG and USA Football allow up to 2 rushers, who raise a hand before the snap. Once the offense hands off, every defender may cross the line in NFL FLAG, FNL and USA Football rules.
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What is a no-run zone?
A no-run zone is a 5-yard area where the offense must pass. NFL FLAG, FNL and i9 Sports put one before midfield and one before the end zone; USA Football and IFAF put one only before the goal line.
FNL says the zones exist to avoid short-yardage, power running situations. Inside one, a forward pass must cross the line of scrimmage, and FNL also bans handoffs, laterals and backward passes there. NFL FLAG removes the no-run zones in league play for 8U and younger, and USA Football recommends removing them for players still learning to pass and catch.
What contact is allowed in flag football?
Very little. The rulebooks bar tackling, holding and running through a ball carrier, and they bar flag guarding: covering your flags with a hand, arm, the ball or a jersey.
NFL FLAG and USA Football say no blocking or screening is allowed at any time, and IFAF says blocking, tackling and kicking are not allowed. FNL penalizes intentional blocking, picking or shielding. In NFL FLAG most offensive fouls cost 5 yards and a loss of down, and most defensive fouls give 5 yards and an automatic first down.
Every play in the Flag50 playbook is built without blocking: the center always runs a route, and no player blocks.
How does scoring work in flag football?
A touchdown is 6 points in NFL FLAG, FNL, IFAF, USA Football and NFHS rules. The try after it is a play from short range, usually 1 point from the 5 or 2 points from farther out.
NFL FLAG tries are 1 point from the 5 or 2 points from the 10. FNL tries are 1 point from the 5 and 2 points from the 12. A safety is 2 points in both. Scoring has its own guide: the flag football scoring rules covers extra points, safeties, interception returns and tiebreakers.
How do the rules change for young players?
Younger divisions usually remove the rush, remove the no-run zones, allow more runs and put a coach on the field.
- NFL FLAG, 8U and younger in league play: no-run zones removed, no rush without a handoff, and a coach on the field before the snap.
- RISE kindergarten to 2nd grade: unlimited runs, a 45-second play clock, a 5-second pass count and a coach on the field.
- FNL: two coaches on the field in Kindergarten and one in Freshman and Sophomore; none in Junior.
- USA Football: a running clock is recommended for ages 5 to 12, and pass blitzers can be dropped for teams still learning.
Where can you read the official rulebook?
On the league's or governing body's own site. Every rulebook on this page is linked in the sources below with its edition and the date we checked it.
NFL FLAG, FNL, RISE, USA Football and IFAF post their rules for free. The NFHS sells its rules book, and state associations post their adoptions. The i9 Sports rulebook is behind an account login, and i9 Sports publishes a basic rules summary. Coaches can start with flag football rules for coaches, which covers the rules that change your play calls, then find a league near you.
Rules guides on Flag50
- 5v5 rules
NFL FLAG, USA Football, IFAF and the Olympic game: field, rush, quarterback and clock.
- 6v6 rules
FNL, RISE and Under the Lights: the 10-yard rush, the quarterback and the clock.
- 7v7 rules
Rec 7v7, NFHS high school and passing leagues, and how they differ.
- 8v8 rules
Adult screen and contact 8v8 and a youth 8-on-8 game, side by side.
- Rules by league
Ten rulebooks in one sortable table, every cell cited.
- NFL FLAG rules
The NFL FLAG rulebook explained section by section, with penalties and 8U changes.
- Field size by rulebook
Regulation field size in every rulebook, from 25 x 50 yards to high school.
- Game length and clock
Halves, quarters, running clocks, timeouts, mercy rules and overtime.
- Rushing rules
Rush lines, blitzers, rush counts and no-rush youth rules.
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Frequently asked questions
Is flag football a contact sport?
No. Flag football rulebooks bar tackling, holding and blocking, and a play ends when a defender pulls a flag from the ball carrier's belt. Some contact still happens by accident, which officials judge as incidental or a foul.
How many downs do you get in flag football?
It depends on the rulebook. NFL FLAG gives 4 downs to cross midfield and 3 to score, FNL gives 3 and 3, and USA Football gives 4 and 4. There are no first downs past midfield in those books.
Can you run with the ball in flag football?
Yes, after a handoff, pitch or lateral, and receivers run after the catch. What most youth rulebooks bar is the quarterback running the ball directly, and rulebooks with no-run zones bar runs inside them.
What happens if a flag falls off during a play?
In NFL FLAG the ball carrier is down where the flag lands, and a player with one or no flags who catches the ball is down at the catch. In FNL a carrier with only one flag is down, so check flags before every snap.
Sources
- NFL FLAG Official Playing Rules (PDF), cover revised 03.24.2025, linked as the 2026 Rulebook on nflflag.com. Checked .
- NFL FLAG, flag football rules page, Spring 2026 rulebook and tournament guidelines page. Checked .
- Friday Night Lights (FNL) Official Rules (PDF), updated 7/2/2026. Checked .
- RISE Flag Football, Youth Flag Rules (PDF), 2025 file; no date printed in the document. Checked .
- Under the Lights, Rules of the Game, 6v6 (PDF), updated 4-01-21, the newest Under the Lights flag rules we could open. Checked .
- i9 Sports, Flag Football Basic Rules, January 27, 2022; the full i9 Sports rulebook requires an account login. Checked .
- USA Football, USA Flag 5s Rulebook (PDF), v2026.2. Checked .
- USA Football, USA Flag 7s Rulebook (PDF), v2026.2. Checked .
- IFAF, International Flag Football Rules 2023 (PDF), 2023 edition, in effect from May 1, 2023; the current flag edition on the IFAF rules page. Checked .
- USA Football, Summer Series release: events follow the IFAF 5-on-5 rules used in the Olympics, 2025 release. Checked .
- NFHS, 2026-27 flag football rules revisions (release), February 18, 2026. Checked .
- NFHS, first flag football rules book now available (release), July 17, 2025. Checked .