Tournament Rules
Flag Football 2016 Rules and Guidelines
ATTIRE:
Players are to be in issued game jersey in order to participate in said game.
Mouth guards are required for games, and recommended for practices.
Football or soccer (soft) cleats are allowed.
Flag belts must be outside of game jersey, with a flag on each side of every player on the
field. Coaches are responsible to ensure flags are visible and properly fastened.
For clarification, illegal equipment consists of:
 Headwear containing any hard, unyielding, stiff material, including billed hats, or
items containing exposed knots.
 Jewelry. Including but not limited to rings, earrings, exposed body piercings,
bracelets (except medical), and necklaces.
 Pads or braces worn above the waist that is not for medical purposes.
 Shoes with metal, ceramic, screw-in or detachable cleats.
o EXCEPTION: Screw-in cleats are allowed if the screw is part of the cleat.
 Leg and knee braces made of hard, unyielding material, unless covered on both
sides and all edges overlapped with a soft material.
 Any slippery or sticky foreign substance on any equipment or exposed part of the
body.
 Exposed metal on clothes or person.
 Towels attached at the player’s waist.
An official time out shall be declared to permit prompt remediation of equipment which
becomes illegal or defective through use
COACHES:
Teams may have up to four designated coaches who are able to coach on the field or
sidelines.
Each coach must have an official coach’s badge clearly displayed.
REFEREE:
A maximum of 2 coaches per team are allowed on the field during play. Each coach must
be badged to be on the field. One coach will be badged as “COACH” and primarily
responsible for managing their team (i.e. calling offensive and defensive plays). A second
coach will be badged as “REFEREE” and also be responsible for acting as a game
referee.
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All coaches are responsible for the enforcement of said rules (referee) during play, and
shall be allowed use of a whistle and game clock (stopwatch) for such. Coaches of both
teams are expected to work together to ensure the safety of the players, fair play, and an
environment respectful of the game, players and families.
Coaches and referees should provide positive guidance to players with the intent to teach.
Once a player is warned 3 times regarding a repeated penalty, that player must leave the
field for 4 plays.
If a team does not have 6 players at the start of, or any point during the game, coaches
may agree to share eligible players from other teams to allow the game to continue. For
example, a team with only 5 players may use a player from another team as a center.
It is recommended that coaches have a printed version of the Flag Football Rules
available at the game for reference if needed.
THE GAME:
No kickoffs or punting. Home team shall have choice of goal to defend for the first half.
The playing field is 53 yards in length, includes two 5-10 yard end zones, and 25-30 yards
wide. Field dimensions may vary according to available space and field conditions.
Games will start with the visiting team having possession of the ball first, on their own
“20” yard line. Home team shall start the second half with possession at own “20” with
respect to change of field direction.
Teams have 4 downs to cross midfield for a first down, and another 4 downs to score
thereafter. Turnover on downs results in the ball spotted at the “20” yard line of the team
gaining possession.
Dead ball when:
 The flag belt is pulled, or falls off. The ball shall be spotted where the ball
carrier’s feet are when a flag belt is pulled or falls off. See “DEFENSE”
section for special exceptions.
 Ball carrier goes out of bounds, or when a knee touches the ground.
 The ball is fumbled. No turnovers shall result from a fumble, and LOS is
where the ball hits the ground. In the event the ball is advanced due to a
fumble the LOS is where the ball carrier last had possession.
CLOCK:
Game duration is a “running clock” consisting of two halves at 25 minutes each, with a 5
minute halftime.
Teams are encouraged to snap the ball in a timely manner (45 seconds after ball is
spotted)excessive and repeated delays of game are to be penalized with a loss of down.
Intentional running out of the game clock will be penalized with a loss of down, or
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should the infraction occur on fourth down a change of possession will occur. Should a
team intentionally end the game by running out the clock, a change of possession will
occur and the other team afford 1 play on offense.
Teams are not allowed any time-outs to be called by any player or coach.
The Referee shall declare an official's time-out when a team is illegally consuming time.
The Referee may declare an official's time-out for any contingency not covered elsewhere
by the Rules. This includes time out for injuries. If an injury time out is called for any
player, said player must sit out a minimum of one (1) timed play before returning to
game.
Extended Periods - A half may be extended by an untimed down when, during the last
timed down, one of the following occurred:
 There was a foul by either team, and the penalty is accepted.
 There was a double foul.
 There was an inadvertent whistle and the down is to be replayed.
 A touchdown was scored. The point after try is attempted.
Overtime- Should a game close with a tie, each team will be given the opportunity to
score with four downs from the 40yard line. Should both teams score or not score each
team will be awarded 4 plays from the 20yard line to score. In the event that there need
be third round this round will be sudden death with each team having the opportunity to
score from the 20 1 play at a time.
SCORING:
Each touchdown is 1 point or a “score”.
Following a touchdown, teams receive an additional play for a point after attempt. Any
legal offensive play is allowed.
A safety results in a change of possession at the “20” yard line unless the safety results in
a lead of 4 scores or more. See sportsmanship rule.
SPORTSMANSHIP:
A team ahead by 4 scores shall forfeit possession of the ball to the opposing team until
said deficit is less than 4 scores. Offense shall start at midfield, and have 4 downs to
score. In lieu of turnover on downs, the ball is re-spotted at midfield, and a new set of
downs is awarded.
DEFENSE:
Defense may not cross LOS until ball is handed off on a run play. NO BLITZES!
Interceptions are returnable and will result in a change of possession at the spot of the
flag pulled, with exception to a return not getting to the starting 20 yard line.
Interceptions of point after attempt (PAT) will result in a failed PAT.
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Any defensive player intentionally pulling a flag belt from an offensive player without
the ball is illegal. The official shall warn the team, and repeated infractions will result in
unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
In circumstances where a flag belt is removed illegally, the ball carrier shall be allowed to
advance the ball and not considered down until a defender gets two hands on the ball
carrier (two hand touch).
In circumstances where a flag belt falls off accidentally, while the ball carrier is running
and without being touched by a defensive player, the ball carrier shall be allowed to
advance the ball and not considered down until a defender gets two hands on the ball
carrier (two hand touch).
OFFENSE:
Any number of linemen allowed. All offensive players are eligible for a pass or handoff.
No blocking is allowed (warning, loss of down penalty thereafter); however, a lineman
may hold his/her place (position) provided lineman does not extend any part of their body
as an attempt to impede a defender’s progress.
No “moving screens”, blocking or shadow blocking of any kind (warning, loss of down
penalty thereafter).
The same offensive player may not advance the ball past the line of scrimmage two (2)
consecutive plays in a row.
RUNNING:
Anyone running with the ball is allowed to spin, but no dives, stiff arms, or guarding of
flags is allowed. Said infractions will result in runner being called down at spot of
infraction.
Quarterback cannot run the ball beyond the LOS unless a previous ball exchange, not
counting the center snap, has taken place.
PASSING:
The center may snap the ball either between the legs or offset to one side of the ball. No
“shotgun” snaps.
If the ball hits the ground (botched snap) during the center to quarterback exchange,
referee shall whistle the play dead, and replay the down without the offense allowed a
huddle. This rule means: line up and run the same play, or face a loss of down.
The quarterback must take possession of the ball from the center. No center sneaks.
Multiple handoffs, pitches, laterals, etc. are allowed, provided they occur behind the line
of scrimmage (LOS). Penalty for illegal handoff is down at spot of infraction.
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Quarterbacks have 7 seconds to throw the ball. A countdown shall be performed by an
on-field coach, with encouragement to said quarterback to throw the ball. After 7 seconds
has passed the defense may Attempt to de-flag the quarter back. Excessive and repeated
time consumption shall result in a penalty (loss of down).
No running past LOS by Quarterback (loss of down) unless a legal pass or handoff to
another player has occurred first. Passes are allowed to be behind LOS (i.e.: screen pass).
An incomplete pass is any pass attempt not caught by any player, regardless of the pass
being forward, lateral, or backward.
If a player is in the air attempting to catch a ball, the player must contact the ground with
at least one foot in-bounds with the ball in their possession prior to going out of bounds,
unless contact by an opponent causes the player to first touch out-of -bounds.
If possession of the ball is lost simultaneously when player hits the ground, it is not a
catch.
If a forward pass is caught simultaneously by members of opposing teams, the ball is
dead at that spot and belongs to the team that snapped the ball.
PASS INTERFERENCE:
Any contact that, in the view of the official, interferes with the attempt to catch a pass
(offensive or defensive player) is pass interference unless it occurs when two or more
eligible players make a simultaneous attempt to reach, catch, or deflect a pass.
Hindering an opponent’s vision without making an attempt to catch, intercept or deflect
the ball is pass interference, even though no contact was made.
Should a receiver be illegally deflagged prior to a catch, said receiver shall be allowed to
advance the ball and not considered down until another flag is removed and/or a defender
gets two hands on the receiver (two hand touch).
Defensive pass interference results in first down at spot of infraction. Offensive pass
interference results in loss of down.
These penalties may be declined by the opposing team with respect to the result of the
play.
PERSONAL FOULS:
Any act listed below or any other act of unnecessary roughness is a personal foul. Players
shall not:
 Punch, strike, strip, steal, or attempt to steal the ball from a player in
possession.
 Trip an opponent.
 Contact an opponent who is on the ground.
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Throw the runner to the ground.
Contact an opponent either before the ball is put in play or after the ball is
declared dead.
Make any contact with an opponent that is deemed unnecessary.
Deliberately drive or run into another player.
Tackle the runner.
Intentionally delay the game
Interfere with the spotting of the ball by referee
Roughness and foul play from players and coaches will NOT be tolerated. This includes,
but not limited to tackling, elbowing, “cheap shots”, trash talk, arguing with referee, etc.
Parent interference will also be penalized in the same manner.
It is the referee’s discretion to penalize with an automatic first down after first warning to
offending team, and 10 yards with automatic first down thereafter.
PRACTICE:
You may have up to two practices per week.
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