Tools · Rules at-a-glance · Football — Flag

Flag football: rules at-a-glance

Pull the flag instead of tackling. Same goal, different physics. The rules of youth flag in five minutes.

Field/court setup

Smaller field than tackle: typically 25-30 yards wide × 50-60 yards long, with end zones. NFL Flag uses a 30 × 70 field with 10-yard end zones.

Game length

Two halves, 20-25 minutes each in most youth leagues. Running clock except in the final two minutes. NFL Flag uses 20-minute halves.

Scoring basics

— Touchdown: 6 points.
— Extra point: 1 point from the 5-yard line, 2 points from the 10-yard line.
— Safety: 2 points. Defense forces a flag-pull or fumble in the offense's own end zone.

Calls you'll see

— Flag-pull: defender removes one or both flags. Ball is dead at the spot of the pull.
— Flag-guarding: offensive player uses a hand or arm to prevent the flag from being pulled. 10-yard penalty.
— Holding: defender holds the offensive player rather than pulling the flag. 5-yard penalty.
— Encroachment/offsides: pre-snap movement violations. 5-yard penalty.
— Pass interference: defender prevents the receiver from catching. Spot foul or penalty yardage.
— Illegal contact: any blocking, screening, or contact that isn't a flag-pull. 5-yard penalty.

Three things parents most often get wrong

— There is no blocking. Offensive players cannot screen, block, or use their bodies to obstruct defenders. This is the biggest rule difference from tackle.
— Diving is not allowed. Offensive players cannot leave their feet to advance the ball. Diving for a flag-pull as a defender is also typically restricted.
— Rushing the QB. The pass-rusher must start a specific distance from the line of scrimmage (often 7 yards in NFL Flag). Rushing earlier is a penalty.

A few things to know.

Flag football is now an Olympic sport. Added for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The rules at that level are the international 5v5 format. US national governing-body rules differ slightly.

Format varies. NFL Flag uses 5v5 in most age groups. Some youth leagues use 7v7 or 8v8. Check your league.

Equipment requirements. Mouthguard, cleats (rubber stud only — no metal), flag belt (usually team-supplied). Optional: gloves, padded compression shorts.

Safety profile. Flag has dramatically lower injury rates than tackle, especially for concussion. The trade-off is no contact technique development; kids who go from flag to tackle in middle school often need to learn tackling and blocking from scratch.

Co-ed leagues. Many youth flag leagues are co-ed through middle school. NFL Flag specifically encourages co-ed participation through age 14.

Olympic and HS adoption. With the 2028 Olympics adding flag football, many states are now sanctioning girls’ HS flag football as a varsity sport. State-by-state expansion is rapid.

Last updated April 2026.