What are the rules of 5v5 flag football?

Start with the rulebook your league uses

This guide follows the 2023 IFAF flag football rules, the current international edition. Ask your league which rulebook it uses and what it changes. Officials decide the details on game day.

Leagues do change things. NFL FLAG, for example, adds a second no-run zone before midfield. Check field markings, rushing rules and the clock before your first game.

Players, snaps and downs

Each team puts five players on the field. The center snaps the ball back to the quarterback, then runs a route like any other receiver. The defense lines up on its side of the line of scrimmage.

You start each possession on your own 5-yard line. You have four downs to cross midfield. Cross it and you get four more downs to score. Fall short and the other team takes over on its own 5-yard line.

Before practice, show players the line of scrimmage and the direction of attack. Have the center practise a clean snap to a quarterback who is ready for it. Walk the alignment first, then add a snap count so everyone starts together.

Stop the runner without contact

Flag football is non-contact. Defenders stop the runner by pulling a flag. They do not tackle, hold, push or strip the ball. A dropped ball is dead where it fell, because there are no fumbles.

The offense cannot block or shield a defender, and receivers cannot set picks. Teach crossing receivers to run their own paths and avoid contact. In Mesh Drive, X and Z cross at different depths. Walk their paths first, then add defenders once the receivers keep their lanes apart.

The runner cannot guard the flags with hands or arms, and cannot dive or jump to gain yards. Practise approaching under control, reaching for the flag and stopping after the pull.

Know the no-run zones

IFAF marks a no-run zone in the last 5 yards before each goal line. Inside it, you cannot advance the ball on a running play. You can still hand off or pitch behind the line, but the play has to finish with a forward pass.

Plan the pass before the snap. Mark the zone with cones at practice and tell your quarterback which calls work there. For a short-field example, use Goal Line Mesh. The red-zone guide covers spacing and catches near the back line.

Pass, hand off and protect the quarterback

The quarterback cannot run the ball past the line of scrimmage. A player who takes a handoff or a pitch can run. If the quarterback hands off and later gets the ball back, the quarterback can run too. Routr’s templates use the quarterback as the passer.

The quarterback has 7 seconds after the snap to pass. A handoff or pitch stops that count, but a fake does not. If time runs out, the play is dead and you lose the down. Practise a quick first read and a ready second option.

Handoffs and pitches must happen behind the line. You get one forward pass per play. In Trips Stick, Y sits at 5 yards while X widens into the flat. Put a defender in the drill and let the quarterback see which throw opens.

Rush the passer without blocking

Any defender who lines up more than 7 yards off the line can rush the quarterback. Up to two of them can raise a hand before the snap to signal a blitz. A signalled blitzer who runs straight at the quarterback right away has the right of way. Your offense must leave that path open.

Defenders closer than 7 yards stay behind the line until the quarterback hands off, fakes a handoff or throws. Start the drill with a stationary rusher. Add a live one when your quarterback can find the short throw under pressure.

How scoring works

A touchdown is worth 6 points. After it, the scoring team tries for 1 or 2 points from a set spot. A safety is worth 2. Check where your league spots each try before game day.

Walk through a touchdown and the try with the whole team. Tell players where the next snap starts and which route is the first read.

A first-practice checklist

1. Confirm your league’s rulebook, field markings and no-run zones with the organiser.
2. Teach a clean snap, a flag pull without contact and the line of scrimmage.
3. Walk a short pass, a crossing play and a goal-line pass with room between receivers.
4. Add a defender, then have the quarterback name the first read before each snap.
5. Finish with a short series of downs and reset after each whistle.

Browse the twelve play diagrams to choose calls for your next practice.