Illinois girls' flag football rules (IHSA)
Illinois plays NFHS rules with its own state choices. The field is 100 yards between goal lines and 53 1/3 yards wide. Halftime is 6 minutes. A 30-point lead in the 2nd half starts a running clock. Overtime is one extra-point try each.
Desert Ridge Coyotes 26, Rosemont Rockers 33Q410 (2-point try)Ball on opp 10
Example: Illinois HS (IHSA), Illinois girls' high school
Late in the 4th quarter, Desert Ridge scored to trail 33-26. It went for 2 and made it, cutting the gap to 33-28.
In Illinois play, a 2-point try is snapped from the 10. A 1-point try is snapped from the 3.
Watch: Calling halftime (0:29)Bay City Blaze 12, Lakeview Lady Hawks 0Q2
Example: Illinois HS (IHSA), Illinois girls' high school
Leading 12-0, Bay City failed on 4th down and gave the ball away. On the very next snap, Bay City intercepted and scored. It did it again on the following drive.
In Illinois play, an interception can be returned for a touchdown. Two pick-sixes made it 24-0.
Watch: Calling halftime (0:29)If your team plays in Illinois, these are the choices your games use.
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What IHSA chose
- FieldNFHS Table 1-7 #1
NFHS field 3: 100 yards between the goal lines, 53 1/3 wide.
- Flag beltsNFHS Table 1-7 #11
2 pop-up flags, one on each hip. Each flag is at least 15.5 by 1.5 inches.
- Hash marksNFHS Table 1-7 #13
Not yet. Illinois says it may be a year away. Every snap comes from the middle of the field.
- PuntingNFHS option, MPSSAA list #13
Not stated. Neither the 2025-26 Illinois list nor the 2026-27 manual mentions punting.
- Field goals and kicked triesNFHS Table 1-7 #20
None. No goal posts, no tee and no field goals.
- Coin tossNFHS Table 1-7 #18
10 minutes before kickoff. It may happen off the field before warm-ups.
- HalftimeNFHS Table 1-7 #17
6 minutes. Both coaches and tournament staff may agree to change it.
- OvertimeNFHS Table 1-7 #14
One try each: 1 point from the 3 or 2 from the 10. The toss winner picks offense or defense first, or which end. The manual also sends ties to NFHS overtime rules, but the book has none. From the 2025-26 list: the visitor calls the toss. An interception ends the play. There is 1 timeout per team each period.
IHSA manual Clock Procedures 8; VIII.DNFHS 3-1-1 NOTEIHSA item 13
- Mercy ruleNFHS Table 1-7 #15
A lead of 30 or more during the 3rd or 4th quarter starts a running clock. It runs for the rest of the game.
The NFHS rules underneath
Every state starts from the NFHS book. The core, in our words, with the rule number. More on high school rules
Field and players
- Players on the field
7 to start. Players may get hurt or thrown out with no one left to sub in. Only then may a team play short. Never below 5.
Possession
- 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.
Scoring
- Touchdown and extra point
Touchdown: 6. On the try, you pick 1 point from the 3 or 2 from the 10. Field goals (3) and kicked tries (1) count only where the state allows them. Then the other team starts at its 14. A team still behind may keep the ball instead. It gets 4th down at its own 20.
Plays
- Flag guarding
Using the hands, arms or ball to stop a flag pull. It only counts if there is contact. Penalty: 10 yards. You keep the down.
Clock and game
- Game length and clock
Four quarters of 12 minutes, with a 1-minute break after the 1st and 3rd. Each state sets halftime between 5 and 20 minutes. You get 25 seconds to snap. Each team has 3 timeouts per half, 1 minute each, and loses any it doesn't use. Until the 2-minute mark of each half, an incomplete pass or a runner going out keeps the clock running.
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
- BreakAway U lesson · 0:29Calling halftimeSwitch halves in one tap
- BreakAway U lesson · 0:39Logging the extra pointOne point or two
- BreakAway U guideHow to stat a flag football game
Who it's for
- High school: Season-long stats for high school flag football programs
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.
A completed pass, logged in seconds.
Questions.
6 minutes. Both coaches and the tournament staff can agree to change it.
No. Illinois has no goal posts, no kicking tee and no field goals.
Related rules
- North Carolina girls' flag football rules (NCHSAA)
- Tennessee girls' flag football rules (TSSAA)
- Maryland girls' flag football rules (MPSSAA)
- California girls' flag football rules (CIF)
- Every rule, every ruleset, side by side
Official rulebooks
- IHSA adoptions for the 2025-26 NFHS Flag Football Rules2025-26, Section 7. From IHSA.
- IHSA Girls' Flag Football Manual for Schools and Managers2026-27. From IHSA.
- Get the official NFHS rulebookThe NFHS Flag Football Rules Book is sold by NFHS. The cells here answer one question each in BreakAway's words; the book is the rule.
Sources cited on this page
- NFHS Flag Football Rules Book (NFHS, 2026-27)
- NFHS 2026-27 Flag Football Rules Changes (NFHS changes, Final, May 2026)
- IHSA adoptions for the 2025-26 NFHS Flag Football Rules (IHSA, 2025-26, Section 7)
- NFHS 2026-27 Flag Football Field Diagrams (NFHS diagrams, 2026-27)
- IHSA Girls' Flag Football Manual for Schools and Managers (IHSA manual, 2026-27)