Flag Football vs Tackle Football Rules

Flag football swaps tackling for pulling a flag off the ball carrier's belt. In tackle football, the defense forces the runner to the ground or out of bounds. Under the National Football League (NFL) 2026 Official Playing Rules, teams play 11 on 11 on a field 360 by 160 feet (109.7 by 48.8 m).

NFL FLAG plays 5 on 5 and bans tackling, diving, blocking and screening. Its field is 70 or 64 yards long and 25 or 30 yards wide, depending on which NFL FLAG document and option you read. The line to gain sits at midfield, while the NFL uses a line 10 yards past the snap.

Those flag football vs tackle football differences carry into downs, the clock, kicking and scoring. We researched every row from primary sources, including the NFL FLAG rulebook and the 2026 NFL rules. More matchups sit on our sports comparison hub.

Flag Football vs Tackle Football Side by Side

Flag football and NFL tackle football share 6-point touchdowns and 2-point safeties, and they split on most other rules. Each flag cell uses NFL FLAG rules. Each tackle cell uses the NFL rulebook or the NFL's own glossary.

Rule	Flag football (NFL FLAG)	Tackle football (NFL)
How the defense stops a runner	Pulls a flag from the carrier's belt	Tackle: forces the carrier to the ground or out of bounds
Contact	None: no tackling, diving, blocking or screening	Blocking and tackling are part of play, with legal blocks set in Rule 12
Players per side	5 (some leagues run 6, 7 or 9)	11
Players on the field	10	22
Field length, end line to end line	70 yards (64 in rulebook Option B)	120 yards (360 ft)
Field width	25 yards (rulebook) or 30 yards (rules page)	53 1/3 yards (160 ft)
End zones	10 yards (7 in Option B)	10 yards
Line to gain	Midfield	10 yards past the snap that starts a series
Downs	4 to cross midfield, then 3 to score	4 per series
Start of the game	Coin toss, no kickoff	Kickoffs are part of the game
Fourth-down "punt"	Opponent starts at its own 5-yard line	Punts are part of the game
Game length	48 minutes, two 24-minute halves (regular season)	60 minutes, four 15-minute periods
Tied or lopsided games	Ends at a 35-point lead unless teams agree to continue	Tie goes to overtime
Touchdown	6	6
Extra point or try	1 from the 5 (pass only) or 2 from the 10 (run or pass)	1 (kick) or 2 (touchdown)
Field goal	Not in the NFL FLAG scoring list	3
Safety	2	2

Contact and How a Play Ends

NFL FLAG allows no contact, so a defender stops the ball carrier by pulling a flag from a belt. Tackling, diving, blocking and screening are all banned under the NFL FLAG rules. The NFL FLAG rules page also lists other ways the ball goes dead:

the ball hits the ground
the ball carrier steps out of bounds
the carrier's body, other than hands or feet, touches the ground

Runners may not jump, leap or hurdle, according to the NFL FLAG rulebook. They also may not guard the flag. Flag guarding means stiff-arming or covering the flag with a hand or elbow, and it draws a penalty.

Tackle football ends a play with a tackle or by the runner going out of bounds. The NFL football terms glossary says a tackle happens when a defender forces the ball carrier to the ground or out of bounds. That stop ends the play.

Blocking is written into tackle football. The NFL rulebook defines blocking as "obstructing or impeding an opponent by contacting him with a part of the blocker's body." Rule 12 of that rulebook sets which blocks are legal and which are illegal.

Flag football has no single rulebook. NFL FLAG says no standardized flag rulebook covers every organization. Some 7 on 7 and college leagues allow limited contact such as open-arm blocking, while youth leagues usually follow strictly no-contact rules.

That split matters when you sign up. Ask the league which ruleset it plays and whether it allows any blocking.

Players and Positions

NFL FLAG teams play 5 on 5, and the NFL plays 11 on 11. That puts 10 players on a flag field and 22 on an NFL field. NFL FLAG notes that some leagues run 6 on 6, 7 on 7 or 9 on 9, depending on region and age group.

NFL FLAG rules allow up to 10 players per team, so up to five can sit while five play. In the NFL, putting more than 11 players on the field is a foul.

The NFL's glossary lists positions that include offensive linemen, tight ends, linebackers and special-teams kickers. NFL FLAG rules name a quarterback and up to two designated defensive rushers. Those rushers line up at the 7-yard rush line and keep a hand raised until the snap.

The flag quarterback works against a clock. NFL FLAG gives the quarterback 7 seconds from the snap to release the ball. After a backward handoff, pass or lateral, the 7-second clock goes away.

Our flag football positions guide walks through the roles on a flag team.

Field Size for Flag Football vs Tackle Football

An NFL FLAG field is 70 yards long (64 under rulebook Option B), while an NFL field is 120 yards from end line to end line. NFL FLAG's own documents disagree on width and layout. The rules page says 30 yards wide and 70 yards long, with two 10-yard end zones.

The NFL FLAG rulebook gives two standard options:

Option A: 25 yards wide by 70 yards long (22.9 by 64 m), with 10-yard end zones
Option B: 25 yards wide by 64 yards long (22.9 by 58.5 m), with 7-yard end zones

Both rulebook layouts leave 50 yards between goal lines. Option A is 70 minus two 10-yard end zones, and Option B is 64 minus two 7-yard end zones.

NFL Rule 1 sets the field at 360 feet long and 160 feet wide. Goal lines sit 10 yards in from each end line, so the end zones are 10 yards deep. In yards, that is 120 between end lines, 100 between goal lines and 53 1/3 across.

Field	Length x width	Area	Share of NFL field area
NFL	120 x 53 1/3 yd	6,400 sq yd (5,351 m²)	100%
NFL FLAG rules page	70 x 30 yd	2,100 sq yd (1,756 m²)	About 33%
NFL FLAG rulebook Option A	70 x 25 yd	1,750 sq yd (1,463 m²)	About 27%
NFL FLAG rulebook Option B	64 x 25 yd	1,600 sq yd (1,338 m²)	25%

The Option A flag field is about 58 percent as long as an NFL field (70 ÷ 120). It is about 47 percent as wide (25 ÷ 53 1/3). If you are marking a field, ask your league which NFL FLAG size it uses before you paint lines.

Downs and the Line to Gain

NFL FLAG splits each drive at midfield, while the NFL resets a 10-yard target every series. The NFL FLAG offense takes possession at its own 5-yard line. It has four downs to cross midfield, then three downs to score a touchdown.

The arithmetic runs this way on a 50-yard field between goal lines. Midfield sits 25 yards from each goal line, so the first target is 20 yards away from the 5-yard line. The second target is the last 25 yards, with three downs to cover it.

NFL FLAG also marks no-run zones 5 yards before midfield and 5 yards before each goal line. Inside a no-run zone, a team cannot run the ball across the line of scrimmage. That rule applies right where an offense is closest to a first down or a touchdown.

The NFL counts downs in series. A series is four consecutive scrimmage downs. The line to gain is the spot 10 yards beyond the snap that starts the series, across 100 yards between goal lines.

Kicking is the other big gap. NFL FLAG has no kickoff, and a coin toss starts the game. On fourth down a team may go for it or "punt", which gives the opponent the ball at its own 5-yard line.

NFL games include kickoffs and punts. The 2026 NFL rule changes address kickoff alignment and onside kicks.

Game Clock and Scoring

An NFL game runs 60 minutes, while an NFL FLAG regular-season game runs 48. The NFL plays four 15-minute periods and extends a tie with overtime. The NFL FLAG rulebook sets a continuous clock in two 24-minute halves.

Flag game length varies by setting. Tournament play in the NFL FLAG rulebook uses two 12-minute running-clock halves, or 24 minutes total. The NFL FLAG rules page says halves run 15 to 25 minutes depending on the league, which means 30 to 50 minutes per game.

Against a 60-minute NFL game, a 48-minute flag game is 12 minutes shorter, or 80 percent of the length. A 24-minute tournament game is 40 percent. NFL FLAG regular-season games also end when one team leads by 35 points, unless the teams agree to keep playing.

NFL FLAG sets a play clock. Teams get 40 seconds to snap once the ball is spotted in the regular season. Tournament play cuts that to 25 seconds.

Touchdowns are worth 6 and safeties 2 in both rulebooks. Extra points work differently. NFL FLAG awards 1 point for a pass from the 5-yard line, or 2 points for a run or pass from the 10.

The NFL try after a touchdown is worth 1 point by kick or 2 points by touchdown. NFL field goals are worth 3, and the NFL FLAG scoring list has no field goal. In NFL FLAG, an interception returned for a score on a scrimmage down is worth 6 points.

Required Equipment

NFL FLAG requires every player to wear official NFL FLAG belts and flags and a mouth guard at all times on the field. The rulebook says some locations restrict cleats. Cleats with exposed metal are never allowed.

Some gear is optional in NFL FLAG. Players may wear soft shell helmets, halos and sunglasses. Gloves, elbow pads and knee pads are allowed too.

We did not compile tackle football equipment rules, gear prices or league fees here. Ask a tackle program for its own equipment list before you register.

Flag Football at the Olympics

Flag football will make its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Games. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved it on 16 October 2023. The LA28 flag football page lists two six-team events, one for men and one for women.

Two tournaments of six teams each makes 12 teams across the program.

Picking Flag or Tackle Football

No source ranks one format above the other, so the choice comes down to which rules you want. The lines below use NFL FLAG rules for flag and NFL rules for tackle.

Pick flag football if:

you want rules that ban tackling, blocking, diving and screening
you have a small group, since NFL FLAG plays 5 on 5 with a 10-player team cap
you want a shorter game of 48 minutes, or 24 in tournament play
the player is a child, since NFL FLAG offers leagues for boys and girls aged 5 to 17 on its rules page, or 4 to 17 on its about page
you want the format headed for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics

Pick tackle football if:

you want blocking and tackling as part of the game
you want the 11-player game with linemen, tight ends, linebackers and kickers
you want kickoffs, punts and 3-point field goals
you want 60 minutes in four periods, with overtime for a tie

NFL FLAG youth play does not suit a player who wants to block or tackle. Tackle football in the NFL format does not suit a group of five friends, since it calls for 11 per side. A player who wants some contact without tackling can look for a 7 on 7 or college flag league that allows open-arm blocking.

Our pick-it-if lines would shift if your local flag league plays a different ruleset. A league with open-arm blocking narrows the contact gap. A 9 on 9 league narrows the team-size gap.

If you are still weighing football against other options, take our new sport quiz. You can also browse more new sports to try or a court-sport matchup like pickleball vs tennis.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between flag football and tackle football?

Flag football ends a play when a defender pulls a flag from the ball carrier's belt, and NFL FLAG bans tackling, blocking, diving and screening. Tackle football ends a play with a tackle, which forces the runner to the ground or out of bounds. The formats also differ on players per side, field size, downs and game length.

How many players are on a flag football team vs a tackle football team?

NFL FLAG plays 5 on 5, and the NFL plays 11 on 11. Some flag leagues run 6 on 6, 7 on 7 or 9 on 9, depending on region and age group. NFL FLAG caps a team at 10 players total.

Is flag football easier than tackle football?

None of the sources we used rank either format as easier. The rules ask for different things. NFL FLAG gives the quarterback 7 seconds to release the ball, while the NFL adds blocking, tackling and a kicking game.

Do you need equipment for flag football?

Yes, NFL FLAG requires official belts and flags plus a mouth guard at all times on the field. Cleats with exposed metal are never allowed, and some locations restrict cleats. Soft shell helmets, halos, sunglasses, gloves, elbow pads and knee pads are allowed.

How big is a flag football field compared with a football field?

An NFL FLAG field is 70 or 64 yards long and 25 or 30 yards wide, depending on the NFL FLAG document and option. An NFL field is 120 yards long and 53 1/3 yards wide. The rulebook's Option A flag field covers about 27 percent of an NFL field's area.

Is there blocking in flag football?

No, NFL FLAG bans blocking and screening along with tackling and diving. NFL FLAG notes that some 7 on 7 and college leagues allow limited contact such as open-arm blocking. Ask your league which ruleset it follows.

Is flag football an Olympic sport?

Yes, flag football will debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. The IOC approved it on 16 October 2023. LA28 lists two six-team tournaments, one for men and one for women.

How long is a flag football game compared with a tackle game?

An NFL game runs 60 minutes in four 15-minute periods, with overtime for a tie. An NFL FLAG regular-season game runs 48 minutes on a continuous clock in two 24-minute halves. Tournament flag games use two 12-minute halves, and the NFL FLAG rules page gives 15 to 25 minute halves depending on the league.

Flag Football vs Tackle Football Rules Compared