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How many downs in flag football?

Usually 4 downs, but the goal changes. NFL FLAG gives you 4 downs to cross midfield, then 3 to score. USA Flag gives you 4 and 4, and midfield is the only first down. IFAF uses midfield as its only first-down line. College and high school put first-down lines on set yard lines.

SoCal Fire Elite 0, Lakeview Lady Hawks 01st half4th & 3 to midfieldBall on own 22

Example: NFL FLAG 5v5, girls' youth, NFL FLAG tournament

SoCal Fire Elite faced 4th down at its own 22, 3 yards short of midfield. A 7-yard pass got them across.

In NFL FLAG, crossing midfield earns a new set of 3 downs to score. They scored on the 3rd one.

Watch how to stat it in the BreakAway app: Handling 4th downWatch: Handling 4th down (0:41)

Northshore Storm 0, LC Legends 01st half4th & 9 to midfieldBall on own 16

Example: USA Flag 5's, adult women

Northshore faced 4th down at its own 16, still 9 yards short of midfield. A 16-yard pass carried them across.

In USA Flag 5's, midfield is the only first down. Crossing it gave them 4 new plays to score.

Watch how to stat it in the BreakAway app: Handling 4th downWatch: Handling 4th down (0:41)

Downs decide when to go for it and when to punt. They shape every drive.

Updated · cited to the official rulebooks · Compare every ruleset

By ruleset

What each rulebook says, in our words, with the rule to check it against. A blank cell says why it is blank.

  • NFL FLAG 5v5

    5v5 · Youth leagues and tournaments

    Downs and first downs

    4 downs to cross midfield. Then 3 downs to score.

    NFL FLAG §I.3

    Turnover on downs

    Short of midfield on 4th down, the other team takes over at that spot. Past midfield without a score, the other team starts at its own 5.

    NFL FLAG §I.3

  • NFL FLAG One-Way Field

    5v5 · Youth, on a one-direction field

    Downs and first downs

    No One-Way change: the NFL FLAG 5v5 rule applies.

    NFL FLAG §V.f

    Turnover on downs

    The ball never starts further back than the 40.

    NFL FLAG §V.c

  • USA Flag 5's

    5v5 · Leagues and tournaments, all ages

    Downs and first downs

    4 plays to cross midfield, then 4 to score. Midfield is the only first down.

    USA Flag 5's R1-1-2a

    Turnover on downs

    The other team starts at its own 5. That is true for every change of possession except an interception.

    USA Flag 5's R1-1-2b, c, e

  • USA Flag 7's

    7v7 · Leagues and tournaments, all ages

    Downs and first downs

    4 plays to cross midfield, then 4 to score. Midfield is the only first down.

    USA Flag 7's R1-1-2a

    Turnover on downs

    The other team starts at its own 5. That is true for every change of possession except an interception.

    USA Flag 7's R1-1-2b, c, e

  • NFHS (girls' high school)

    7v7 · Sanctioned high school

    Downs and first downs

    4 downs to get to the line to gain. It is the first 20- or 40-yard line ahead of the ball, set when the series starts. Near the goal, the goal line is the target.

    NFHS 5-1-1; 5-3-1; 2-21-4

    Turnover on downs

    The other team gets the ball where the 4th down ended.

    NFHS 5-1-3c; 4-3-4

    Illinois (IHSA) makes no change here.

  • IFAF Flag Football

    5v5 · International play

    Downs and first downs

    4 downs. Midfield is the only line to gain. Crossing it earns a first down only once per drive.

    IFAF R2-1-6; R5-1-1a

    Turnover on downs

    The other team starts on its own 5.

    IFAF R5-1-1

  • College Flag Football

    7v7 · College, including NAIA women's

    Downs and first downs

    4 downs to reach the next line. Lines cross the field every 20 yards. No measuring with chains.

    College R5-1-1 to R5-1-3; R1-2-2

    Turnover on downs

    The other team gets the ball. The rule does not say where.

    College R5-1-1c

Stat it in BreakAway

From 5v5 and 7v7 to NFL FLAG and your own house rules, if you play it, BreakAway can stat it. See how rulesets work

Who it's for

In the glossary

Pick your ruleset. Stat the game.

Start from a curated list of presets. Change any rule for your team, league or tournament. Field and downs, how the game's organized, scoring, punts and turnovers, overtime. Saved to your team for the next game. Tap to use it and you're ready to stat. Real stats, generated as you go.

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A completed pass, logged in seconds.

Questions.

The other team gets the ball. In USA Flag and IFAF, it starts at its own 5. In NFL FLAG, it starts at its own 5 if you had crossed midfield, or at the spot if not. In high school, it starts where the 4th down ended.

Related rules

Official rulebooks

Sources cited on this page

  1. NFL FLAG Official Playing Rules (NFL FLAG, Revised March 24, 2025)
  2. USA Flag 5's Rulebook (USA Flag 5's, v2026.2)
  3. USA Flag 7's Rulebook (USA Flag 7's, v2026.2)
  4. NFHS Flag Football Rules Book (NFHS, 2026-27)
  5. IFAF Flag Football Rules (IFAF, 2023, effective May 1, 2023)
  6. 2025-26 and 2026-27 College Flag Football Rules (College, 2025-26 and 2026-27)

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