Flag football age divisions and youth rules

NFL FLAG

• NFL FLAG leagues serve players aged 5 to 17, with boys', girls' and some coed leagues.

  NFL FLAG rules page Who can play

• At 2026-27 regional tournaments, a player's age on August 1, 2026 sets the division. Ages are checked through National Sports ID. Rosters hold up to 10 players and 2 coaches. Coaches must be 16 or older.

  NFL FLAG regionals Age verification, Rosters, Coaches

• In league play, divisions of 8U and younger (and 1st to 3rd grade) do not rush the passer. In tournaments, 8U and older may rush from the 7-yard line at the snap.

  NFL FLAG §XIII.1

• 7U and 6U (1st grade and below)

  7 and under, or 1st grade and below

  NFL FLAG §XVIII

  • No no-run zones: teams may run anywhere.

    NFL FLAG §XVIII.b

  • No rushing the passer unless the offense makes a legal handoff in the backfield.

    NFL FLAG §XVIII.b

  • One coach per team may be on the field before and after the snap. During the play, the coach keeps a safe distance.

    NFL FLAG §XVIII.b

  • If the snap to the quarterback hits the ground, the down is replayed for free. That can happen once per down. A second drop in a row uses up the down.

    NFL FLAG §XVIII.b

  • Defenders line up at least 5 yards off the ball. Inside the 5-yard line, that drops to 3 yards.

    NFL FLAG §XVIII.bNFL FLAG changes item 10

• 8U (2nd and 3rd grade)

  8 and under, or 2nd and 3rd grade

  NFL FLAG §XVIII.aNFL FLAG regionals Age divisions FAQ

  • No no-run zones in league play; 8U tournaments keep them.

    NFL FLAG §XVIII.a

  • In league play, no rushing the passer unless the offense makes a legal handoff in the backfield.

    NFL FLAG §XVIII.a

  • One coach per team may be on the field before the snap but must leave before it. In tournaments coaches stay on the sideline.

    NFL FLAG §XVIII.a

  • At 2026-27 regionals, 8U and 8U Rec use the black peewee ball.

    NFL FLAG regionals Footballs

• 10U (Coed, Rec and Girls)

  10 and under on August 1, 2026

  NFL FLAG regionals Age divisions FAQ

  • 10U Girls uses the black peewee ball; 10U Coed and Rec use the white ball.

    NFL FLAG regionals Footballs

• 12U (Coed, Rec and Girls)

  12 and under on August 1, 2026

  NFL FLAG regionals Age divisions FAQ

  • White ball.

    NFL FLAG regionals Footballs

• 14U and 14U Girls

  14 and under on August 1, 2026

  NFL FLAG regionals Age divisions FAQ

  • White ball.

    NFL FLAG regionals Footballs

• High School Girls

  Girls enrolled in high school for 2026-27

  NFL FLAG regionals Age divisions FAQ

  • White ball.

    NFL FLAG regionals Footballs

USA Flag

• USA Flag defines three age groups: adult (18 and over), junior (14 to 17) and youth (13 and under). Its tournament clock table instead groups youth as 5 to 12 and junior as 13 to 17.

  USA Flag 5's Definitions, Age Groups (p. 4)USA Flag 5's R2-2-1

• The book suggests a running clock for youth, ages 5 to 12. Juniors are ages 13 to 17. For them it suggests a running clock in half 1. In half 2 the clock stops normally.

  USA Flag 5's R2-1-1

• Under 8

  Under 8

  USA Flag 5's R1-5-2e

  • A peewee ball.

    USA Flag 5's R1-5-2e

• Youth

  13 and under

  USA Flag 5's Definitions, Age Groups (p. 4)

  • The junior-size ball, which need not be leather.

    USA Flag 5's R1-5-2d

  • One coach may stand on the field to give the play call and help players line up. Once the quarterback starts calling signals, the coach must go quiet. The coach then stands behind the deepest players.

    USA Flag 5's R1-1-3b, R1-1-3c

  • Tournament games: two 12-minute halves on a running clock, for ages 5 to 12.

    USA Flag 5's R2-2-1

  • For players still learning, the book suggests dropping the no-run zone. It also suggests no blitzers, so the passer gets all 7 seconds.

    USA Flag 5's R1-7-2, R4-5-1

• Junior

  14 to 17

  USA Flag 5's Definitions, Age Groups (p. 4)

  • The youth-size ball.

    USA Flag 5's R1-5-2c

  • No coaches on the field.

    USA Flag 5's R1-1-3d

  • Tournament games are two 15-minute halves. The clock runs nonstop in half 1 and stops normally in half 2. The table calls this level 13 to 17.

    USA Flag 5's R2-2-1

• Adult

  18 and over

  USA Flag 5's Definitions, Age Groups (p. 4)

  • Adult ball for men's and coed games; women's games use the youth-size ball.

    USA Flag 5's R1-5-2a, R1-5-2b

  • No coaches on the field.

    USA Flag 5's R1-1-3d

  • Tournament games: two 20-minute halves on a stopped clock.

    USA Flag 5's R2-2-1

IFAF

• IFAF's rulebook sets ball sizes for under-16 and under-13 games but no other youth rules.

  IFAF 1-2-2

• Under 16

  Under 16

  IFAF 1-2-2

  • The youth-size ball, which need not be leather.

    IFAF 1-2-2

• Under 13

  Under 13

  IFAF 1-2-2

  • The junior-size ball, which need not be leather.

    IFAF 1-2-2

Not covered by the rulebooks

• NFL FLAG league divisions above 8U are not listed. The rulebook only changes rules for 8U and younger. It names no other league age groups. So only the 2026-27 regional tournament divisions are here.
• USA Flag age-specific field sizes: the book allows smaller fields but sets none by age.