Flag football game length and clock rules, by rulebook
Most flag football rulebooks set 40 to 48 minutes of game clock. NFL FLAG plays two 24-minute halves in league play and two 12-minute halves in tournaments, USA Football and IFAF play two 20-minute halves, FNL plays four 10-minute quarters, and NFHS high school plays four 12-minute periods.
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By Jay Fraser. Published . Updated .
How long is a flag football game?
Usually two 20- to 24-minute halves or four 10- to 12-minute quarters, on a clock that runs most of the game. Tournament games are often shorter.
| NFL FLAG, league | 2 x 24 min | Continuous; stops for halftime, injuries and at the officials' discretion | 2 min | 1 of 60 seconds per half | 40 secondsnflflag |
| NFL FLAG, tournament | 2 x 12 min | Running | 1 min | 3 of 30 seconds per game | 25 secondsnflflag |
| USA Football, league | 2 x 20 min | Stops for timeouts and injuries; running clock recommended for ages 5 to 12 | 5 min | 2 of 30 seconds per half | 30 secondsusafb5s |
| USA Football, tournament | 2 x 12 min youth, 2 x 15 junior, 2 x 20 adult | Running for youth; running then pro clock for junior; pro clock for adults | 2 min | not specified | not specifiedusafb5s |
| IFAF | 2 x 20 min | Stops for timeouts and injuries; stops more often in the last 2 min of each half | 2 min | 2 per half | 25 secondsifaf |
| FNL | 4 x 10 min quarters | Running; stops for timeouts | 2 min; 1 min after the 1st and 3rd quarters | 2 of 20 seconds per half | 35 secondsfnl |
| RISE | 2 x 20 min | Running; stops in the last minute | 5 min | 2 of 20 seconds per half | 30 seconds; 45 for K to 2ndrise |
| Under the Lights 6v6 (rules as of 2021) | 2 x 20 min | Running; stops in the final minute | 5 min | 2 of 30 seconds per half | 30 seconds; 45 for K to 2ndutl |
| Under the Lights 7v7 | Up to 2 x 20 min | Running | not specified | 1 per half | 25 secondsutl7v7 |
| i9 Sports | 2 x 15 or 25 min | Stops only for timeouts, injuries and halftime | not specified | not specified | not specifiedi9 |
| NFHS high school | 4 x 12 min periods | See NFHS rules book | See NFHS rules book | 3 per half from 2026-27 | See NFHS rules booknfhs-2025nfhs-changesnfhs-book |
| Sun Bowl 8v8 | 2 x 20 min | Continuous; 7 plays left after the 2-minute warning | At least 3 min | 2 of 1 minute per half | 25 secondssunbowl8v8 |
| LYFA 8-on-8 (youth) | 4 x 12 min quarters | Running; stops on dead balls in the last 2 min of a half | 5 min | 2 of 30 seconds per half | 30 secondslyfa8v8 |
Two summaries differ from the rulebooks above. The nflflag.com rules page says games are two 15- to 25-minute halves depending on the league, while the NFL FLAG rulebook PDF says 24-minute halves in league play. Your league sets the final number, so check its schedule.
Does the clock stop in flag football?
Rarely. Most rulebooks run the clock through incompletions and out-of-bounds plays and stop it only for timeouts, injuries and halftime, with extra stops near the end of a half.
The late-game stops differ. IFAF stops the clock in the last 2 minutes of each half for first downs, penalties, out-of-bounds plays, incomplete passes, scores and timeouts. USA Football calls a similar set of stops a pro clock and recommends it for the last 2 minutes of each half in adult play. RISE and Under the Lights add stops only in the final minute, for incompletions, out-of-bounds plays, changes of possession and penalties among others.
FNL and NFL FLAG league play keep the clock running for the whole game. FNL stops it for team and referee timeouts; NFL FLAG stops it for halftime, injuries and at the officials' discretion.
What is the mercy rule in flag football?
Most rulebooks end the game, run the clock or cap the score once one team leads by 28 to 35 points. A few change the rush or the downs instead.
- NFL FLAG: a 35-point lead ends a league game, and a 28-point lead ends a tournament game.
- USA Football: after one team leads by 30, the game is over; in league play the clock runs continuously once a team gains a 30-point lead.
- IFAF: with a 30-point difference at the referee's notification, the clock no longer stops in the last 2 minutes.
- FNL: a team leading by 20 or more cannot rush the quarterback, and the score is recorded with no more than a 28-point spread.
- RISE and Under the Lights: a team up by 30 gets only 2 downs to reach midfield and 2 to score until the lead drops below 30.
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How does overtime work in flag football?
Most rulebooks skip a timed period and play extra possessions. NFL FLAG and USA Football tournaments give each team one try from the 5 or the 10; FNL plays 3 downs each from midfield.
In the NFL FLAG first overtime, each team gets one play from the 5 for 1 point or the 10 for 2 points. From the second overtime both teams must go for 2, and from the third each team gets one play from its own 5 and the longer gain wins. There are no timeouts in overtime. USA Football league play starts each team at midfield for a full series; IFAF does the same after a 2-minute break.
FNL places the ball at midfield, and each team runs 3 downs to gain more yards or score more points. A regular season game still tied after one overtime is a tie. Points from overtime and tries are explained in the flag football scoring rules guide.
Does game length change by format?
Less than you might expect. Most 5v5, 6v6, 7v7 and 8v8 league rulebooks land between 40 and 48 minutes for a full game.
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Frequently asked questions
How long is halftime in flag football?
Between 1 and 5 minutes. NFL FLAG uses 2 minutes in league play and 1 in tournaments, FNL and IFAF use 2, and USA Football league play, RISE and Under the Lights use 5.
How many timeouts does a flag football team get?
Usually 1 or 2 per half. NFL FLAG league play allows 1 of 60 seconds per half, FNL and RISE allow 2 of 20 seconds, USA Football allows 2 of 30 seconds, and NFHS high school raised its limit to 3 per half for 2026-27.
How much time does the offense get between plays in flag football?
It ranges from 25 to 45 seconds. NFL FLAG gives 40 seconds in league play and 25 in tournaments, USA Football 30, FNL 35, IFAF 25 after the ball is ready for play, and RISE and Under the Lights 45 for kindergarten to 2nd grade.
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 .
- USA Football, USA Flag 5s 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 .
- 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 .
- Under the Lights, 7v7 Official Rules and Game Policies (PDF), updated 3-20-2026. Checked .
- i9 Sports, Flag Football Basic Rules, January 27, 2022; the full i9 Sports rulebook requires an account login. Checked .
- NFHS, first flag football rules book now available (release), July 17, 2025. Checked .
- NFHS, 2026-27 flag football rules changes (PDF), final as of May 2026. Checked .
- NFHS, 2026-27 Flag Football Rules Book (NFHS store listing), 2026-27; sold by the NFHS, not posted free. Checked .
- Sun Bowl Flag Football Tournament, 8 v 8 Rules (PDF), 2024 tournament rules, based on SWFFL league rules. Checked .
- LYFA, Ultimate Flag Football 8-on-8 Flag, Official 2025 Rules (PDF), board approved and amended February 28, 2025. Checked .