In flag football, defensive players must remove the ball carrier's flag to stop his progress down the field rather than tackling him. This variation on football remains popular at secondary schools, universities and community centers. The sport follows many of the same rules as football, with several important exceptions. The United States Flag Football Association publishes standard rules for the sport.
Field and Equipment
Flag football fields consist of four or five 20-yard zones, according to the United States Flag Football Association. Ten-yard end zones sit at either end of the field. Flag football players must not wear helmets or protective padding of any kind. Each player must wear two flags of equal length on a belt around the waste.
Play
Each team must have eight players on the field at a time, according to the United States Flag Football Association. Some intramural teams play with seven or nine players on the field at a time. The kickoff consists of a place kick or drop kick from the 20-yard line on a four-zone field or from the 40-yard line on a five-zone field. Four of eight offensive players must be on the line of scrimmage at the time of each snap. The offensive team must advance the ball to the next zone within four downs, or attempts, or else the other team gains possession of the ball. If a defensive player removes the ball carrier's flag, the ball becomes dead. The ball also becomes dead when it hits the ground after a fumble. If a ball carrier loses a flag accidentally, the ball becomes dead at that spot. The ball carrier cannot deliberately run into a defensive player or guard her flags. Defensive players cannot tackle the ball carrier.
Game Length and Scoring
Flag football games consist of four 15-minute quarters. Teams earn six points for each touchdown and two points for each safety. Some intramural leagues impose a mercy rule, under which a game ends when one team leads by a certain number of points, such as 19 or 25 points.
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