Flag football
A co-ed game of flag football being played at University of Texas.
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| Characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Contact | Yes |
| Team members | 2 teams of 4-11 |
| Mixed gender | Yes |
| Type | Outdoor, indoor, team sport, ball game, Full-contact |
| Equipment | Ball, flag |
| Venue | football field |
| Presence | |
| Country or region | Worldwide |
| Olympic | No |
| Paralympic | No |
Flag football is a version of US-American football or Canadian football where the basic rules of the game are similar to those of the mainstream game (often called "tackle football" for contrast), but instead of tackling players to the ground, the defensive team must remove a flag or flag belt from the ball carrier ("deflagging") to end a down.
Chiefly because there is no dominant sanctioning organization for the sport, the game has mutated into many variations: 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, and 4-players on each side; coed or single-gender; without kicking and punting and with point-after conversions (including some with 1, 2, and 3 point tries) or without; and field sizes that vary from full CFL size, NFL size (120 yards long by 53 1⁄3 yards wide), to fields a third that size.
An important distinction is whether linemen are allowed to catch passes ("Eligible Linemen") or, as in the NFL / CFL, are not allowed to do so ("Ineligible Linemen"). Flag (and touch) football may also be divided into "contact" or "non-contact", depending on whether or not blocking is allowed; if allowed, blocking is usually restricted to the chest.
The ability or inability for the quarterback to advance the ball past the line of scrimmage (LOS) by running is another rule subject to variation by league.
The sport has a strong amateur following and several national and international competitions each year sponsored by various associations.
The majority of adult flag football leagues are organized by recreation departments of cities and municipalities, across all 50 states in America. Pickup games are common, as flag football is first and foremost a recreational sport. Flag football tournaments are held to boost competitive play. Every Memorial Day weekend in Roswell, NM. Hike it & Spike it 4-on-4 flag football has almost 600 teams playing in 42 divisions. Young, old, male and female are all welcome in the alien city.
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