Flag is the fastest growing format of the game not only in Great Britain, but across the world, where professional leagues such as the American Flag Football League (AFFL) and the newly established NFL Flag are starting to spring up. It is a high-octane, non-contact version of American football, where tackles are made by pulling off flags which all players wear on their hips.
The game retains the same inclusivity which makes American Football great, welcoming athletes of all abilities, genders and levels of experience. Play is based on the same principles as the contact game with offensive teams having four attempts (downs) to reach a certain point on the field with the defensive team seeking to halt their progress.
There are multiple different formats and variations of Flag Football globally, but in Great Britain the predominant format is 5v5 aligning with the current competition format for the International Federation of American Football (IFAF). In the 5v5 format, if a team succeeds in reaching the endzone they score 6 points and have the option to add a further 1 or 2 points with an extra point attempt. A 1-point conversion attempt sees the play start 5 yards from the endzone, whilst a 2-point conversion attempt sees the play start 10 yards from the endzone.
You can find a summary of how the game is played in Great Britain by watching the video below.
An Introduction to Flag American Football in Great Britain
You can also find the rules of the game by clicking here.
There is more information about the different Flag Football leagues under the ‘Flag Football’ sub-heading. Find your local team here or contact us if you have any queries.