Flag football scoring: touchdowns, extra points and safeties
A touchdown is worth 6 points. Then you try for 1 or 2 more. NFL FLAG, USA Flag and IFAF try for 1 from the 5 and 2 from the 10. College and high school use the 3 and the 10. A safety is worth 2. In USA Flag, IFAF and college, a safety on a try is worth 1.
SoCal Fire Elite 6, Lakeview Lady Hawks 01st half5 (1-point try)Ball on opp 5
Example: NFL FLAG 5v5, girls' youth, NFL FLAG tournament
After the game's first touchdown, SoCal Fire Elite chose the 1-point try. It was good, making it 7-0.
In NFL FLAG, the 1-point try starts at the 5 and must be a pass. The 2-point try starts at the 10.
Watch: Recording a touchdown (0:38)Lakeview Lady Hawks 0, SoCal Fire Elite 61st half3rd & goal line behind themBall on own 1
Example: USA Flag 5's, 8U
In an 8U game, Lakeview started at its own 5. Two runs left the ball at its own 1. On 3rd down, the quarterback was sacked in the end zone.
That safety cost 2 points. Then SoCal started its drive at its own 5.
Watch: Recording a touchdown (0:38)Knowing the extra point choice helps you call the right play after a touchdown.
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
Touchdown and extra point
Touchdown: 6. The try after it: 1 point from the 5 (pass only) or 2 from the 10 (run or pass). You call your choice. Changing it costs a timeout.
Safety
2 points. It happens when the ball carrier is downed in the end zone they defend. A snap that lands there counts too. The rulebook does not say how play restarts.
NFL FLAG One-Way Field
5v5 · Youth, on a one-direction field
USA Flag 5's
5v5 · Leagues and tournaments, all ages
Touchdown and extra point
Touchdown: 6. The try after it is 1 point from the 5 or 2 from the 10. From the 5 it must be a pass, since that is the no-run zone. From the 10 you may run or pass.
Safety
2 points, or 1 on a try. An offensive foul in its own end zone can be a safety. The other team then starts at its own 5.
USA Flag 7's
7v7 · Leagues and tournaments, all ages
Touchdown and extra point
Touchdown: 6. The try after it is 1 point from the 5 or 2 from the 10. From the 5 it must be a pass, since that is the no-run zone. From the 10 you may run or pass.
Safety
2 points, or 1 on a try. An offensive foul in its own end zone can be a safety. The other team then starts at its own 5.
NFHS (girls' high school)
7v7 · Sanctioned high school
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.
Safety
2 points. The team that gave it up then punts from its own 20. In 2025-26, the other team snapped from its own 30. Only the offense can score on a try. So there is no 1-point safety.
Illinois HS (IHSA)
7v7 · Illinois girls' high school
Touchdown and extra point
Tries follow NFHS: 1 point from the 3 or 2 from the 10. No field goals. Overtime uses the same 2 tries.
IFAF Flag Football
5v5 · International play
Touchdown and extra point
Touchdown: 6. The try after it: 1 point from the 5 or 2 from the 10. You choose before the ref readies the ball. A snap on the 5 must be a pass.
Safety
2 points, or 1 on a try. The team that scored it then snaps from its own 5.
College Flag Football
7v7 · College, including NAIA women's
Touchdown and extra point
Touchdown: 6. The try after it: 1 point from the 3 or 2 from the 10. Changing your choice costs a timeout.
Safety
2 points, or 1 on a try. The defending team then takes over on its own 14.
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 · 0:38Recording a touchdownThe play that ends a drive
- BreakAway U lesson · 0:39Logging the extra pointOne point or two
- BreakAway U guideHow to stat a flag football game
Who it's for
- Stats: Live game stats, box scores, player cards
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.
A touchdown is 6. The try after it is 1 or 2 points. NFL FLAG, USA Flag and IFAF take 1 from the 5 and 2 from the 10. College and NFHS take 1 from the 3 and 2 from the 10. A safety is 2 points in every rulebook that covers it. A defensive score on a try is worth 2 in most of them. NFHS lets only the offense score on a try.
Once you score a touchdown, your team runs one more play from a set spot. The closer spot is worth 1 point and the farther one is worth 2. NFL FLAG, USA Flag and IFAF use the 5 and the 10. College and high school use the 3 and the 10. In NFL FLAG and USA Flag, the 1-point try must be a pass.
No. One-Way Field has no safeties. Instead, the other team gets the ball at the 40.
Related rules
- Flag football overtime rules
- Flag football rule changes for 2026-27
- How many players are on a flag football team?
- Can the quarterback run in flag football?
- Rushing the passer: the rush line and the 7-second rule
- What is a no-run zone in flag football?
- Every rule, every ruleset, side by side
Official rulebooks
- NFL FLAG Official Playing RulesRevised March 24, 2025. Free from the publisher.
- USA Flag 5's Rulebookv2026.2. Free from the publisher.
- USA Flag 7's Rulebookv2026.2. Free from the publisher.
- IFAF Flag Football Rules2023, effective May 1, 2023. Free from the publisher.
- 2025-26 and 2026-27 College Flag Football Rules2025-26 and 2026-27. Free from the publisher.
- 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
- NFL FLAG Official Playing Rules (NFL FLAG, Revised March 24, 2025)
- USA Flag 5's Rulebook (USA Flag 5's, v2026.2)
- USA Flag 7's Rulebook (USA Flag 7's, v2026.2)
- NFHS Flag Football Rules Book (NFHS, 2026-27)
- IHSA Girls' Flag Football Manual for Schools and Managers (IHSA manual, 2026-27)
- IHSA adoptions for the 2025-26 NFHS Flag Football Rules (IHSA, 2025-26, Section 7)
- IFAF Flag Football Rules (IFAF, 2023, effective May 1, 2023)
- 2025-26 and 2026-27 College Flag Football Rules (College, 2025-26 and 2026-27)
- High school flag football revisions (NFHS, Feb 2026, February 18, 2026)