Flag Football Points of Emphasis - 2026-27

Screen Blocking
Flag Football is a non-contact sport and any intentional contact made by a player, either on offense or defense, is a foul.

Screen blocking is a non-contact, position-based technique. The blocker must establish position prior to the defender’s arrival and may not lean into or initiate contact. Advantage is gained through anticipation and proper angles, not physical engagement. Once established, the blocker may only move in the same direction and path of the opponent while maintaining their frame. Any movement that initiates contact or takes away the opponent’s ability to avoid the screen results in an illegal screen and may lead to an illegal blocking foul.

Another key emphasis is the use of hands, arms, knees, legs and body control. Blockers should keep their arms at their sides, across their chest or behind their back and may not extend elbows, forearms, shoulders, knees or legs to impede a defender’s progress. Even minimal contact initiated by the blocker should be considered illegal, regardless of intent or force. Coaches should stress discipline and balance, as poor body control often leads to leaning or drifting that results in fouls.

Game officials and coaches must also focus on timing and distance. A legal screen requires that the defender be given a reasonable opportunity, generally one (1) to two (2) steps to change direction and avoid the block. Screening from a blindside or stepping into a defender at the last moment removes that opportunity and should be penalized. Game officials should judge whether the blocker was clearly in position before the defender’s approach and whether the defender had a viable avoidance path.

Finally, there should be consistent emphasis on player safety and responsibility. Once a legal screen is established, defenders are responsible for avoiding contact; however, the burden remains on the blocker to be legal first. Game officials should prioritize safety by penalizing screens that result in contact early in the game to set expectations. Proper enforcement promotes fair competition, reduces collisions, and reinforces the non-contact nature of flag football.

Flag Belts and Flag Pulls
The flags and flag belts are an essential piece of equipment that must be worn properly for safety and fairness. Of note are the following from Rule 1-5-1f:

• Flags must be one solid color, and the shorts/pants color must clearly contrast with the color of the flags.

• Belts must contain three flags that must be at least 1.5 inches wide and 14 inches long.

• Sizing of the belt is important so that one flag is located on each hip and one flag is located on the tailbone.

• No article of clothing, nor the athlete’s hair, may cover the flag or belt. This is for the safety of all players so that hair or clothing is not pulled when the defender attempts to pull the flag.

• Manufacturer’s or school logos should not be on the flags or flag belt.

When the flag or flag belt of the player in possession of the ball is removed, the ball becomes dead and the down is ended. Points of emphasis regarding the pulling of flags include:

• A defensive player must always make an effort to pull the opponent’s flag. Slight contact may occur during a legitimate attempt to pull a flag. Contact without an attempt to pull a flag is a foul and should always be penalized. Contact to the arm of the passer results in a foul for roughing the passer as the rusher must attempt to pull the passer’s flag.

• If the flag belt of the player in possession of the ball inadvertently falls to the ground without being removed by the opponent, the opponent must deliver a one-hand touch between the shoulders and knees (including arms and hands) to end the play (Rule 4-2-2c). Similarly, in the rare case that a defender pulls the flag of an offensive player who is bobbling the ball, that offensive player has not yet gained possession and thus must be touched with one hand by a defender once possession has been established.

• The player in possession of the ball cannot use hands, arms or the ball where contact occurs between the runner and an opponent that denies the opportunity for an opponent to pull or remove the flag or flag belt. This is considered flag guarding, and it can only occur if there is contact made between the runner and opponent. The penalty for flag guarding is 10 yards (Rule 9-2-2c).

Following a touchdown, a teammate of the scoring player must remove the scorer’s flag in view of the game official. This is to prove that the flag could have been pulled and was not tampered with (Rule 8-2-1c). Game officials are encouraged to remind players to do this, and teams are encouraged to incorporate this action prior to any celebration with teammates. If the flag inspection reveals that the flag has been tampered with, the head coach is ejected by the penalty for Rule 9-8-1h, in addition to a 10-yard, previous spot enforcement that negates the touchdown.

Kicking
The kicking game is a critical part of flag football. Kicking the ball affects field position and adds a critical phase to the game of football. The rules related to scrimmage kicks are established to add excitement to the game, but also to minimize risk to the participants.

In NFHS Flag Football Rules, a scrimmage kick is a play that must be declared in advance. Once declared, the kicking team (K) must kick the ball and cannot run a play unless there is a charged time-out by either team, an official’s time-out, the end of a period or penalty enforcement, at which point K may re-declare its intention. The receiving team (R) must be given adequate time to substitute after a declared kick.

Prior to the ball being kicked, the kicking team must be set and stationary. Any movement by the kicking team prior to the kick is a foul for a false start. The return team has no requirement and may shift prior to the kick assuming it does not encroach into the neutral zone. The ball must be kicked by the kicking team within five seconds of receiving the snap. Failure to do so will result in a 5-yard delay-of-game penalty (Rule 3-6-2).

Once the ball is kicked, the receiving team may catch the airborne kick or recover a grounded kick and return the football. Any scrimmage kick that breaks the plane of R’s goal line results in a touchback (unless R chooses a spot of first touching by K). If a kick is touched by any player, and then subsequently touches the ground, the play is dead and belongs to R at that spot. If the punt crosses the neutral zone, touches R before hitting the ground, and is then caught by K, the ball is dead and belongs to K at that spot.

If K touches a scrimmage kick beyond the expanded neutral zone and before R touches it or the ball comes to rest, that spot is the “spot of first touching.” R may choose to take the ball at that spot, at any spot of first touching if there are multiple or accept the result of the play. However, R loses this right if R touches the ball and commits a foul during the down or if a penalty for a foul during the down is accepted. First touching is ignored if R blocked or pushed K into contact with the ball. Touching of a low scrimmage kick in an effort to block the kick is ignored.