Flag football is a variation of American football in which players do not tackle one another. Instead of tackling the ball carrier, players pull pieces of cloth, called flags, from the carrier’s belt or back pocket. In 2023, officials announced that flag football would be played at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California.
Flag football likely originated among American soldiers during World War II (1939-1945) as a safer alternative to tackle football. After the war, flag football grew in popularity. Several flag football leagues were created. In 2002, the International Federation of American Football held the first World Flag Football Championship in Austria. The relative safety of flag football has attracted growing numbers of youth, high school, recreational, and women players. Flag football may particularly appeal to players and others concerned about the long-term risk of brain injury and other chronic injuries associated with contact sports.
There are several different versions of flag football. These versions vary in how many players are on each team, how many flags they wear on their belts, what surface the game is played on, how big the field is, and other rules. Generally, official variations of flag football have fewer players on each team and a smaller field compared with tackle football.
Unlike tackle football, flag football generally lacks kickoffs, punts, or field goals. Defensive players are not allowed to hold, shield, or tackle offensive players. The ball carrier is not allowed to cover his flags, jump, or dive. Because flag football involves less contact than tackle football, players usually wear less protective gear.
As in tackle football, the teams of flag football swap back and forth between playing offense and defense. The offensive team competes to bring the football into the other team’s end zone to score a touchdown. Players can pass the ball and carry it forward by running. Each attempt, or play, ends when a defender pulls a flag from the ball carrier, the ball carrier runs out of bounds, or the ball is called dead for another reason.
