Flag Football·Team Sports

NFHS

🏛️Official — NFHS

NFHS Flag Football Rules Book· 2026 NFHS Flag Football Rules Book — high school sanctioned 5-on-5 girls' and boys' flag football across U.S. state associationsOpen source

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2–5 players

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Outdoor

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Section 1: Introduction

Flag Football under NFHS is the non-contact, flag-based variant of American football sanctioned by the National Federation of State High School Associations for use in U.S. high school athletic programs. It is one of the fastest-growing high school sports in the U.S. — over 20 state associations had sanctioned girls' flag football by 2025, with rapid expansion driven in part by Flag Football's inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The standard NFHS format is 5-on-5 non-contact; some states play 7-on-7. Compare with the international ruleset in the sibling IFAF Flag Football Rules entry.

Section 2: Equipment

Ball: youth/junior/intermediate football (size adjusted by gender + level)
Flag belt: three-flag belt (two hip + one back) per player; pop-style detachable flags 14-16" long
No pads or helmets required (no tackling)
Mouthguards required at most NFHS levels
Cleats: rubber or molded (no metal); turf shoes permitted
Uniforms: clearly numbered, contrasting colors per team

Section 3: Playing Area

Field: 80 yards × 40 yards (with two 10-yard end zones, total 100 yards)
5-yard line markings; cones mark mid-field "no-run zones" near goal lines (no rushes within 5 yards of end zone on offense's side and within 5 yards of midfield on offense's side, varies by state)
Indoor variant: shorter field, walls in play
Marked sidelines and end-zone pylons

Section 4: Players & Officials

5 players per side on the field (some states 7-on-7)
Roster size typically 12-15 players per team
Substitutions: unlimited between plays
Officials: 3-person crew typical (referee, line judge, back judge); 4-person at championships
NFHS rules + each state association's local modifications

Section 5: Rules of Play

Game Length

Two 20-minute halves (running clock except in final 2 minutes — clock stops on incomplete pass, out-of-bounds, score, change of possession)
1-minute half-time; OT periods if tied (alternating from 10-yard line)

Possession

Each possession starts at offense's own 5-yard line
Offense has 4 downs to advance past midfield → fresh 4 downs to score
No first downs prior to midfield
Coin toss for possession choice at game start; loser chooses 2nd half

Plays

QB starts behind line of scrimmage; one direct hike
Once ball is hiked: QB has 7-second pass clock or must release/lateral
Forward pass allowed only behind line of scrimmage
Defense cannot rush QB unless rushing from 7+ yards back (designated rusher)

Down a Player

Player is "down" when defender removes either hip flag (or back flag if used)
No tackling, blocking, or contact — incidental contact penalty-free; intentional contact = flag

Section 6: Scoring

Touchdown: 6 points
Extra point (PAT): 1 point from 5-yard line, 2 points from 10-yard line
Safety: 2 points (defense)
Pick-6 (defensive TD): 6 points
Tiebreaker: alternating possessions from 10-yard line until decisive

Section 7: Violations & Penalties

Offensive flag-guarding: 5-yard penalty + loss of down (using hands/arms to block defender's reach for flag)
Illegal contact / blocking: 10-yard penalty
Defensive holding / illegal flag pull: 5-yard penalty + automatic first down
Pass interference: 10-yard penalty + automatic first down (offensive: 10-yard from line of scrimmage)
Delay of game: 5-yard penalty
Unsportsmanlike conduct: 10-yard penalty; second occurrence = ejection
Stripping the ball / horse-collar tackling: 10-yard penalty + automatic first down

Section 8: Safety Considerations

Flag Football is intentionally non-contact, which substantially reduces injury risk relative to tackle football. NFHS still requires: mandatory mouthguards (at most state-association levels), pre-participation physical examination, certified athletic trainer recommended on-site for varsity games, and AED availability at competition venues. Concussion protocol per NFHS Concussion Rule: any player exhibiting signs of concussion is removed from play and may not return without medical clearance. Flag-guarding penalties are designed to prevent unnecessary defender-offense collision during flag pulls. Heat acclimatization protocols per NFHS Heat Acclimatization Guidelines apply to August/September starts.

NFHS

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Full Rulebook(11 sections)

Overview

How to win

The game

Section 1: Introduction

Section 2: Equipment

Section 3: Playing Area

Section 4: Players & Officials

Section 5: Rules of Play

Game Length

Possession

Plays

Down a Player

Section 6: Scoring

Section 7: Violations & Penalties

Section 8: Safety Considerations

Playing the ball

Fouls & penalties

Equipment

Variations of Flag Football(1)

Version History(1)

Sports with a similar feel(3)