Flag Football: FAQs about the sport set to debut at Los Angeles 2028

What are the differences between regular football and flag football?

Contact

Unlike American football, which is a full-contact sport, flag football is a non-contact sport. Any contact that is deemed to create an advantage for a player will be penalised.

Instead of using contact to halt the advancing offensive player, defenders ‘tackle’ the ball carrier by removing one or both of their flags.

Equipment

Flag football, unlike its contact counterpart, involves relatively little gear. All players need to wear a flag belt with flags and a mouthguard to compete.

In American Football, players are required to wear helmets, shoulder pads and other protective gear.

Team size

In American football, there are 11 players per team on the field. In flag football, there are five players on each team.

Field size

A flag football field is shorter than a standard tackle field. A flag field measures 70 x 25 yards with 10 yards allotted to each of the two end zones, whereas a standard American football field measures 120 x 53⅓ yards, including its end zones.

Game length

A game of flag football consists of two 20-minute halves, whereas an American Football game takes place over four 15-minute quarters.

Other points of difference in play include scoring and player positions.

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