Flag Football Rules: The Complete Guide
Flag football keeps almost all of football's strategy while removing its collisions. There is no tackling and no blocking — a play ends when a defender yanks one of the two flags off the ball-carrier's belt. That single substitution changes how the game is spaced, coached, and scored. Here is how it is actually played, and how the rule sets differ by governing body.
How the game is played
The version that defines the elite game is 5-on-5, the format codified by the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) and used for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Under IFAF's rules the field of play is 50 yards long and 25 yards wide, with a 10-yard end zone at each end. Five players from each side are on the field, and because there are no linemen, nearly everyone is an eligible receiver — positions are fluid rather than fixed.
With no blocking allowed, offenses move the ball almost entirely by passing plus quick handoffs, pitches, and laterals behind the line of scrimmage. A ball-carrier is down the moment a flag is pulled, they step out of bounds, or they lose a flag on their own. Defenders may not hold, push, or wrap up to make the stop, and they may never dive to tackle. Flag guarding — using a shoulder, stiff-arm, hand, or the ball to keep a defender off your flags — is itself a penalty, which keeps the emphasis on cutting and evasion.
Downs and the no-run zones
Advancement works in halves of the field. An offense gets four downs to move the ball across midfield; cross it, and the unit earns a fresh set of four downs to reach the end zone. Fail to convert and the ball changes hands on the spot. Two features have no tackle-football equivalent. First, the no-run zones: in the five yards before midfield and the five yards before each end zone, running is illegal and every play must be a pass. Second, the rush rule: any defender rushing the passer must begin at least seven yards behind the line of scrimmage, which gives quarterbacks time to throw without a wall of blockers.
Penalties, timing, and scoring
Penalties follow one logic: contact and unsportsmanlike fouls cost more than procedural ones. Under IFAF rules, non-contact procedural fouls cost five yards, while illegal contact, pass interference, and unsportsmanlike acts cost ten. Flag guarding is a five-yard penalty at the spot with a loss of down. IFAF play runs two 20-minute halves on a mostly continuous clock — it only stops like tackle football inside the final two minutes of each half — with a 25-second play clock and two timeouts per side per half.
Scoring is familiar with adjustments: a touchdown is six points; the try is one point from the five-yard line or two from the ten; a defensive stop in the offense's own end zone is a two-point safety; and a returned interception is a six-point touchdown.
5-on-5 vs. NFL FLAG vs. College 7-on-7
None of these numbers are universal — that is the crucial caveat. The specifics above describe the IFAF 5-on-5 Olympic standard. NFL FLAG (run by RCX Sports) introduces most American players to the sport, and the US college game is genuinely different. Before you assume a rule, check the sanctioning body.
| IFAF 5-on-5 (Olympic) | NFL FLAG (5-on-5) | College 7-on-7 (NAIA) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Players per side | 5 | 5 | 7 |
| Playing field | 50 × 25 yd | 70 × 25 yd or 64 × 25 yd | 80 × 40 yd |
| End zones | 10 yd deep | 10 yd (or 7 yd) | Three 20-yd zones |
| Downs | 4 to midfield, then 4 to score | 4 to midfield, then 3 to score | 4 to reach each 20-yd line |
| Pass rush | Rushers start ≥ 7 yd back | Up to 2 rushers from 7 yd | Per College Flag Football rulebook |
| Game length | Two 20-min halves | Two 24-min halves | Timed quarters (NAIA → 15-min) |
| Governing body | IFAF (Olympic) | RCX Sports / NFL FLAG | NAIA (College Flag Football rulebook) |
The NAIA — along with the emerging NCAA and NJCAA competitions that anchor the women's collegiate scene — plays 7-on-7 using the College Flag Football rulebook, dividing the field into three 20-yard zones with four downs to reach each next line to gain. Flag Football Planet's datais drawn from that women's NAIA 7-on-7 game.
Flag football rules FAQ
What are the rules of flag football?
Flag football keeps most of football's strategy but removes the contact: there is no tackling and no blocking. A play ends when a defender pulls one of the two flags off the ball-carrier's belt, when the runner steps out of bounds, or when a flag falls off on its own. Offenses move the ball mostly by passing plus quick handoffs and pitches behind the line, and guarding your flags is itself a penalty. The exact field size, number of players, downs, and penalties depend on the sanctioning body — the IFAF Olympic game, NFL FLAG, and US college all differ.
How many players are on a flag football team?
Five players per side are on the field in the 5-on-5 game — the IFAF/Olympic format and NFL FLAG. The US college game (NAIA and the emerging NCAA/NJCAA competitions) is played 7-on-7. Rosters are larger than the on-field count; IFAF rosters carry up to 15 players who substitute freely between downs.
Is blocking allowed in flag football?
No. There is no blocking and no tackling in flag football. Defenders may not hold, push, or wrap up a ball-carrier, and they may never dive to tackle — they may only pull a flag. On offense, screening or shielding a defender is illegal, and flag guarding (using a hand, arm, the ball, or a shoulder to keep a defender off your flags) is a penalty.
What is a no-run zone in flag football?
In the 5-on-5 game, the no-run zones are the five yards before midfield and the five yards before each end zone. Inside a no-run zone, running the ball is illegal and every play must be a pass, so short-yardage situations become passing tests.
How does the pass rush work in flag football?
Defenders cannot rush the quarterback at will. In the 5-on-5 game, any player rushing the passer must start at least seven yards behind the line of scrimmage, which gives the quarterback time to throw without a wall of blockers. NFL FLAG allows up to two defenders to rush from that seven-yard line.
How long is a flag football game?
It depends on the body. IFAF (Olympic) games run two 20-minute halves on a mostly continuous clock, stopping like tackle football only inside the final two minutes of each half. NFL FLAG regular-season games are two 24-minute halves with a mercy rule. The US college game is played in timed quarters, and the NAIA is moving its championship to 15-minute quarters.
How does scoring work in flag football?
A touchdown is worth six points. The try afterward is worth one point from the five-yard line or two points from the ten. A defense that stops the offense in its own end zone earns a two-point safety, and a defense that returns an interception for a score is credited with a six-point touchdown.
What is the difference between 5-on-5 and 7-on-7 flag football?
5-on-5 is the IFAF/Olympic and NFL FLAG format, played on a smaller field where a team gets four downs to cross midfield and then more downs to score. 7-on-7 is the US college game (NAIA), played on a larger 80-by-40-yard field divided into three 20-yard zones, with four downs to reach each next line to gain. Flag Football Planet's college data is drawn from the women's NAIA 7-on-7 game.
See the rules play out
Now that you know how the game is structured, follow the women's college game live across Flag Football Planet — standings, rankings, and results week to week.