Flag Football Rules: How to Play 5v5, Field Size, Positions & Scoring

What is this game?

Flag football is American football with the collisions taken out. Every player wears a belt with two flags hanging at the hips, and instead of tackling the ball carrier you pull off one of those flags, which ends the play. Under the rules of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF), teams have five players on the field and there is no blocking, no tackling, and no kicking. It is a fast, pass-first game in which every play is planned in the huddle.

The game is usually traced to the U.S. Army post at Fort Meade, Maryland, around 1940, where soldiers played a version of football designed to keep them from getting hurt during the Second World War. Today the NFL runs NFL FLAG, a youth program for players aged 4 to 17 with more than 2,000 leagues across all 50 states.

On October 16, 2023, the 141st IOC Session in Mumbai approved flag football as one of five additional sports for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, with both a men's and a women's tournament. In Japan the game is a familiar part of school PE: the national curriculum guidelines list it as an example of a territory-style invasion game for primary school pupils.

Figure: The IFAF 5v5 field. Green arrow: field of play, 50 yd (45.75 m). Orange arrow: end zone, 10 yd (9.15 m). Dark grey arrow: width, 25 yd (22.9 m). Red arrow: no-run zone, 5 yd (about 4.6 m). The dashed line in the middle is the line to gain for a first down.

Flag football vs. tackle football and tag rugby

These three games are often compared, especially in schools. The flag football column follows the IFAF rules.

	Flag football	Tag rugby	American (tackle) football
How a play ends	When one of the ball carrier's flags is pulled	The tagged player must pass, and play carries on	When the ball carrier is tackled
Forward pass	One per play	Not allowed (backward passes only)	One per play
Contact	None: no blocking, no tackling	No tackling	Tackling and blocking
Protective gear	None (mouthguards strongly recommended)	None	Helmet and pads
Players on the field	5	Varies by competition	11

Like tackle football, and unlike tag rugby, flag football stops after every play so the team can huddle and call the next one.

Equipment & setup

All you need is a ball and a flag belt for each player. No helmets or shoulder pads.

Ball: the same oval ball as American football. Official games use leather, but a rubber or synthetic ball is fine for school and backyard games
Flag belts: one per player, with one flag on each hip. The flags attach with "pop" sockets that release when pulled
Team colors: contrasting shirts or bibs. Flags must contrast with the color of the shorts
Cones: to mark the corners, goal lines, and the middle line
Mouthguard: IFAF "strongly recommends" one, and some competitions require it
Playing surface: flat and free of obstacles. Grass or artificial turf is ideal

Flag football field size and equipment dimensions

The values below come from the IFAF Flag Football Rules 2023.

Item	Regulation	Notes
Field of play	50 × 25 yd (45.75 × 22.9 m)	From goal line to goal line
End zones	10 yd (9.15 m) deep	One at each end. The goal line is part of the end zone
Whole field	70 × 25 yd (about 64 × 22.9 m)	Including both end zones
Space including the safety area	76 × 31 yd (69.55 × 28.4 m)	Keep 3 yd (2.75 m) clear all around
No-run zones	The 5 yd (about 4.6 m) in front of each goal line
Try spots	5 yd (1 point) and 10 yd (2 points) from the goal line
Flags	15 to 16 in (38.1 to 40.6 cm) long	1.8 to 2.0 in (4.6 to 5.1 cm) wide
Ball weight	Regular size, 400 to 425 g (14 to 15 oz)	Women and under-16s use the youth ball; under-13s use the junior ball

Organizers may adapt the field to the venue or the players' age: the length and width of each half can be changed by up to 5 yd, from a maximum of 60 × 30 yd to a minimum of 40 × 20 yd, and end zones can be shortened to 8 yd.

Players & ages

Format	Players on the field	Roster	Where you'll see it
Flag football (5v5)	5 vs 5	Up to 15 (10 substitutes)	IFAF World Championships and other international events
Flag 7 on 7	7 vs 7	Up to 20	Played on a field widened to 30 yd
Beach flag (4 on 4)	4 vs 4	Up to 10	On a 25 × 25 yd sand field
School and backyard	3 to 6 per side	—	Pick a team size and field to suit

IFAF competitions are played in men's and women's divisions; organizers may allow mixed teams
With no collisions, children and adults of different sizes can play together. NFL FLAG is open to boys and girls from 4 to 17
Throwing, catching, running, and play calling all matter, so there is a job for every kind of player

Rules

The aim is simple: use your downs to move the ball up the field and carry or catch it in the opponent's end zone. Start with the minimal rules, then add the official details as you get comfortable.

How a game works (minimal rules)

Everyone puts on a flag belt, and a coin toss decides who starts on offense
The offense starts on its own 5-yard line. The center snaps the ball from the ground back to the quarterback (QB) to start the play
The QB either hands the ball to a teammate or throws a forward pass
The ball carrier runs forward, dodging defenders
When a defender pulls one of the ball carrier's flags, the play is over and the next one starts from that spot
The offense has four downs to cross the middle line. If it does, it earns four more downs to score; if not, the ball goes to the other team
Carrying the ball into the end zone, or catching a pass there, is a touchdown (6 points). The team with more points at the end wins

For a first game, two rules are enough: no contact, and hand pulled flags straight back.

Standard rules (adding skill)

One forward pass per play, thrown from behind the line of scrimmage. Backward or sideways passes and handoffs are allowed any number of times, as long as the ball hasn't crossed the line
Seven seconds to throw: if the QB hasn't passed or handed off within 7 seconds of the snap, the down is lost
The QB can't run past the line: the QB may not carry the ball beyond the line of scrimmage. To run, hand the ball to someone else
No-run zones: when the ball is snapped inside or on the 5-yard line going toward the opponent's end zone, the offense must pass. (Under the 2023 rules there is no no-run zone at midfield)
The try: after a touchdown, the scoring team chooses to go for 1 point from the 5-yard line or 2 points from the 10-yard line
Interceptions: a defender who catches a pass starts a new series for the defense from where the play ends
Dead on the ground: a pass or fumble that touches the ground is dead. A fumble stays with the team that dropped it, at the spot of the fumble

Official competition rules

The IFAF Flag Football Rules 2023 (in force from May 1, 2023) are the international rules used at IFAF championships. The main points:

Game length: two 20-minute halves with a 2-minute break. Each team has two 60-second timeouts per half
Play clock: the ball must be snapped within 25 seconds of being declared ready
The 7-yard rush: only defenders lined up more than 7 yards from the line of scrimmage at the snap may rush the QB right away. Defenders closer than 7 yards must stay behind the line until the QB hands off, fakes a handoff, or passes
Blitzers: up to two defenders lined up beyond 7 yards may raise a hand before the snap to become "blitzers", which gives them right of way on a straight rush at the QB. The offense must not get in their way
Change of possession: if the offense fails to score or reach the middle within its downs, the other team takes over on its own 5-yard line. After a try, the opponent also starts from its own 5-yard line
Overtime: when a winner is needed, each team gets one series from the middle line, followed by tries if still tied

Figure: Defenders who start more than 7 yards (6.4 m, dark grey arrow) from the line may rush the QB at the snap (green arrows). Those inside 7 yards must wait for a pass or handoff (red crosses).

Scoring examples

How you score	Points
Touchdown	6
Try from the 5-yard line	1
Try from the 10-yard line	2
Defense returns the ball for a touchdown during a try	2 to the defense
Safety (the offense is stopped in its own end zone)	2 to the defense
Safety during a try	1 to the opponent

Example 1: Team A scores a touchdown (6) and converts the 2-point try from the 10-yard line. A scores 8
Example 2: Team A scores a touchdown (6). On the 1-point try, Team B intercepts and runs all the way to A's end zone. A scores 6, B scores 2
Example 3: Starting from its own 5-yard line, Team A's QB drops back into the end zone and loses a flag there. That's a safety: 2 points to B, and B then starts from its own 5-yard line

There is no field goal or extra-point kick, because flag football has no kicking at all.

Common fouls and tricky calls

Flag guarding: covering your flags with a hand, arm, or the ball, or stiff-arming a defender. Penalty: 5 yards and loss of down
Jumping and diving: leaping or diving to keep a flag away is illegal (5 yards and loss of down). Ducking or spinning on its own is allowed
Shielding: an offensive player stepping into the path of a rusher or blitzer. Penalty: 5 yards. There is no blocking of any kind
Contact: pushing, holding, or running into an opponent is a foul (10 yards). The ball carrier has no right of way and must avoid defenders
A missing flag: a ball carrier who has fewer than two flags is down as soon as they have the ball. Return pulled flags to their owner right away
Knee down: the play ends when any part of the ball carrier other than a hand or foot touches the ground

Figure: Left, a clean flag pull ends the play (green ring). Right, covering the flag with an arm is flag guarding, a foul (red cross).

Tips for enjoying the game

Common beginner mistakes

Throwing deep every time: short 5 to 10 yard passes move the ball more reliably, and the QB only has 7 seconds
Grabbing the player instead of the flag: keep your eyes on the hips and go for the flag only. Cutting off the runner's path works better than chasing from behind
Everyone chasing the ball: on defense, decide in the huddle whether each player covers a receiver (man-to-man) or an area (zone)

Positions and plays

The huddle is where flag football shines: before every snap the team agrees exactly what each player will do.

Offense: the center snaps, the quarterback throws, receivers run routes to get open, and a running back takes handoffs. In 5v5 the center can also run out for a pass after the snap
Defense: rushers go after the QB, while the other defenders cover receivers
Play cards: a classic school approach is to draw each receiver's route as an arrow on a card and pick one in the huddle. Two or three simple routes, such as "run and stop" or "run and cut diagonally", are plenty to start

Age variations

Younger kids: shrink the field (say 20 × 15 m), drop forward passes, and play with handoffs and running only
Older kids: add forward passes, then bring in the no-run zones and the 7-second rule
Adults and competitive players: use the IFAF field and rules, and mark 7 yards with a cone so rushers know where to line up

Playing Flag Football in Japan

Governing body: flag football in Japan is run by the Japan American Football Association (JAFA), the IFAF member federation. JAFA selects the men's and women's national teams and holds a national championship
In schools: the Ministry of Education's commentary on the 2017 primary school curriculum (Physical Education) names "simple games based on tag rugby, flag football, and the like" as examples of territory games for grades 3 and 4, and lists flag football among the ball games that may replace basketball or soccer in grades 5 and 6
Where to play: an official field needs about 64 × 23 m, or about 70 × 28 m with the safety area. Many Japanese parks ban ball games or limit ball sizes, so check the park rules first, and shrink the field and teams if space is tight
Gear: flag belts and balls, including school sets, are sold at sports shops and online. In a pinch, towels tucked into the waistband work as flags

Frequently asked questions

Q. How many players are on a flag football team?

Under IFAF rules, five players per team are on the field. A roster can have up to 15, with unlimited substitutions. There are also 7-on-7 and 4-on-4 beach versions, and casual games can use any number.

Q. How big is a flag football field?

The official field is 70 × 25 yards (about 64 × 22.9 m) including the end zones. With the 3-yard safety area around it, you need 76 × 31 yards (69.55 × 28.4 m). Youth and school games often use a smaller field.

Q. How many points is a touchdown?

A touchdown is worth 6 points. The try afterward adds 1 point from the 5-yard line or 2 points from the 10-yard line, and a safety gives the defense 2 points. There are no field goals.

Q. Do you need pads, and is it safe?

No helmets or pads are needed. The rules make contact a foul specifically to reduce injuries. Players can still collide or fall while running, so IFAF strongly recommends a mouthguard.

Q. When did flag football become an Olympic sport?

The IOC approved it on October 16, 2023, for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, with men's and women's tournaments. It had already been played at the 2022 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama.

Q. What's the difference between flag football and tag rugby?

In flag football you may throw one forward pass per play, and every flag pull stops the play. In tag rugby forward passes are not allowed, and a tagged player passes the ball on so play keeps going.

Learn more

IFAF Flag Football Rules 2023 (PDF): the official international rules
NFL FLAG: the NFL's youth flag football program
Introduction to flag football, Japan American Football Association (in Japanese)
Primary school curriculum commentary, Physical Education (MEXT, in Japanese, PDF)
141st IOC Session (Wikipedia): the session that added five sports to LA28
Flag football (Wikipedia): history and variations
Related: Spikeball and Kabaddi, fast team games for a stretch of grass