American Football Rules
Two teams try to advance an oval ball into the opponent's end zone to score.
11-a-side tackle (5-8-a-side flag is the common no-contact casual variant); four 15-minute quarters.
- •Touchdown: 6 points, followed by a 1-point kick or 2-point conversion attempt
- •Field goal (kicking the ball through the posts): 3 points
- •Safety (tackling the attacking team in their own end zone): 2 points to the defense
- •The offense gets 4 downs (attempts) to advance the ball 10 yards, or possession changes
- •In flag football, a "tackle" is pulling a flag from the ball carrier's belt instead of physical contact
- •Forward passes are only legal from behind the line of scrimmage
Flag rules that prevent arguments
Almost every dispute in flag football is about the pass rush. Pick a convention and write it down: a seven-second count before the rush is live, or a designated rusher starting seven yards off the ball. Both work; the hybrid that emerges naturally does not.
Most casual flag leagues also ban blocking outright, which is simpler to officiate and dramatically reduces the collisions that leave people sitting out weeks.
Field, kit and clock
A standard flag field is around 70 by 30 yards, which fits inside a football pitch and takes ten minutes to mark with cones. Belts, flags, a ball and cones is the entire equipment list, which is why flag is how the sport grows outside the US.
A 25-second play clock keeps a two-half game inside its slot, and a running clock except the last two minutes of each half preserves a proper endgame. Without a play clock, flag games stall in the huddle.
Common questions
How many players play flag football?
Five to seven a side is standard. Because squads are small, a shared reserve list that any short team can draw from keeps fixtures alive rather than producing forfeits when two people are away.
Why is tackle harder to organise?
Helmets and pads for every player, certified coaching, insurance and medical cover put the startup cost and administrative load in a different category. The realistic route into tackle is joining an existing club rather than founding one.
What stats are worth tracking?
Turnovers and red-zone conversions separate teams far better than points, since flag scores are high and noisy. They are also a fairer tiebreak than points scored, which rewards whoever played the weakest defence twice.
How big should the field be?
Around 70 by 30 yards for flag, which fits inside a standard football pitch and takes ten minutes to mark with cones. Endzones of ten yards at each end are the usual convention.
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