What is flag football and how big is the field?
B · Beginner · The game · 1 of 5Flag football is American football without contact. Two teams of five try to carry or pass the ball over the other team's goal line. A ball carrier is stopped by pulling a flag from their belt, not by a tackle. The field is 50 yards (45.75 m) long and 25 yards (22.90 m) wide, with a 10-yard end zone at each end.
How it works
- Five a side: "2 teams of not more than 5 players each". A squad has up to 15.
- Fewer is allowed: a team may play one short. Two short and it forfeits.
- The aim: to advance the ball over the other team's goal line "by running or passing it".
- No contact: the rule book's summary is "Blocking, tackling and kicking are not allowed."
- The field of play: 50 yards by 25 yards.
- End zones: 10 yards deep at each end. The goal line is part of the end zone.
- The middle line: halfway. Crossing it earns a new set of downs.
- No-running zones: the 5 yards in front of each goal line, where the attacking team must pass.
- Safety area: 3 yards of clear ground outside every line.
- The ball: an American football. Women's games use the smaller youth size.
- Officials: two, three or four, led by the referee.
- No goalposts: there is no kicking, so there are none.
The glossary has flag football, the field, the end zone, the middle line, the no-running zone and the team.
Tricky cases
A team has only four players available. Can it play?
Yes. A team may play with one fewer than the regular number. If more than one is missing the game is forfeited.
Is the goal line in the field of play or in the end zone?
In the end zone. The ball has only to reach the plane of the goal line for a touchdown.
Can a team kick a field goal or punt on fourth down?
No. There are no kicks of any kind. A runner who kicks the ball on purpose is penalised.
Can men and women play in the same team?
Not under the standard rules, which require players of the same gender. A competition organiser may allow mixed teams as a national change.
Why the rule exists
The rule book says its "most important principle" is to avoid any contact that has force behind it. Removing blocking and tackling removes the helmets and padding too, and leaves a fast passing game that needs only a ball, two belts and a small field.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 5 on 5 (the standard game) | Field 50 by 25 yards | IFAF Flag Rules, Dimensions of Fields |
| 7 on 7 | Field 30 yards wide, seven players, squads of 20 | IFAF Flag Rules, Flag 7 on 7 |
| Beach flag | Four a side on 25 by 25 yards of sand, no shoes | IFAF Flag Rules, Beach Flag |
| National changes | Field may be up to 5 yards longer or shorter a half | IFAF Flag Rules, National Changes |
From the rule book
International Federation of American Football, International Flag Football Rules 2023 (in force from 1 May 2023), the overview chapters, Dimensions of Fields, Rule 1, Sections 1 and 2, and Rule 2, Section 1. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: IFAF International Flag Football Rules 2023 (PDF).