Flag football is a variant of American football (or gridiron) where the aim is to advance up the pitch via a series of offensive plays into the opposition’s defensive endzone.
It is a no-contact sport with ‘tackles’ made by removing one of three fabric ‘flags’ attached to the ball-carrier’s waist – one on each side and another at the back.
By whom, where and when was Flag Football invented?
Flag football started out as a means of recreation for American soldiers during World War II who then brought the game back home with them. Fort Meade in Maryland is said to have hosted the first games of flag football.
It was originally called ‘Touch and Tail football’ before the name ‘flag football’ was adopted after the war.
The National Touch Football League was founded in the 1960s in St. Louis, Missouri.
What are the rules of Flag Football?
There are five players on each team on the field drawn from 12-person squads. Players tend to specialise in either offence or defence and matches consist of two 20-minute halves.
A flag football pitch measures 70 x 30 yards (64m x 27.4m) with 10 yards (9.1m) allotted to each of the two endzones.
Play starts at the team’s own five-yard line with the centre snapping the ball back to the quarterback who either passes the ball forward to try and find a receiver, or hands off to a running back.
The play is over when either a flag is removed, the ball-carrier goes out of bounds, or a forward pass hits the ground.
The team on offence has four attempts – known as downs – to go from their own five-yard line to halfway. If successful, they have another four downs to reach the endzone and score a touchdown. If unsuccessful on either count, the ball is turned over to the opposition who start on their own five-yard line.
After a touchdown, worth six points, teams go for an extra point – by running or passing – from the five-yard line, or two extra points from the 10-yard line.
If the scores are tied after 40 minutes, sudden-death overtime begins with the first team to score taking victory.
Flag Football and the Olympics
Flag football will make its Olympic debut at Los Angeles 2028.
Best Flag Football players to watch
The United States is the pre-eminent nation in flag football. They have won the last four men’s titles at the World Championship and took gold at the 2022 World Games led by quarterback Darrell ‘Housh’ Doucette.
Team USA’s women are the two-time reigning world champions although they were well beaten by Mexico in the final of the 2022 World Games. Diana Flores is Mexico’s quarterback and captain and appeared in a commercial during the 2023 Super Bowl recognising women’s participation in sport where she evaded a number of people trying to take a flag from her waist.
Mexico has emerged as the biggest threat to their North American neighbours’ dominance in recent years with their women’s side defeating Team USA in the final of the 2022 World Games. The men’s final saw USA get the better of Italy. Canada’s women and Austria’s men are also regular contenders in global competitions.
