NFHS Focus on Playing Rules Continues with Flag Football Publication
The NFHS has been the national leader for the writing, publishing and distribution of high school sports playing rules for almost 100 years. Earlier this week, another chapter was added to that history with the announcement of the latest rules publication – the NFHS Flag Football Rules Book.
Last year, due to the explosion of girls flag football programs, our member state high school associations requested that the NFHS consider the possibility of publishing a flag football rules book. With approval from the NFHS Board of Directors and the great work of the NFHS Flag Football Rules Committee, the first-ever NFHS Flag Football Rules Book is now reality.
While other rules codes for flag football existed, leaders in schools and state associations wanted the rules expertise and history of the NFHS involved in writing a national rules publication.
Most importantly, the same three-pronged focus of all NFHS rules publications was front and center with the production of the Flag Football Rules Book: 1) minimize the risk of injury, 2) maintain sound traditions of the sport, and 3) encourage sportsmanship.
With almost eight million participants in high school sports, NFHS rules are written for more individuals than all other levels of sports combined. As a result, risk minimization and the fundamentals of good sportsmanship are paramount to the rules-writing process for the NFHS and often are the distinguishing factors from rules at other levels of the sport.
The news release earlier this week noted some of the specific flag football rules, which provide state associations latitude in areas such as size of the field and options for the kicking game.
We expect spectator interest in flag football to increase significantly this coming season; and while the rules for flag football closely follow NFHS football rules, there are many differences – not the least of which is use of the flag instead of tackling and the absence of physical contact.
The NFHS is excited about this new sports opportunity – particularly for girls. Flag is a sport of inclusivity. It can be played in any season, (weather dependent) is fast-paced and offers an opportunity for young people to play and others to coach or officiate in the exciting sport of football.
While the NFHS Flag Football Rules Book was written for both boys and girls competition, the growth of the girls game the past several years drove the urgency for national playing rules.
Currently, for the 2025-26 season, 16 state associations have sanctioned girls flag football and 18 states are involved in independent/pilot programs at some level. States that have sanctioned the sport for girls include NFHS member associations in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Mississippi, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Washington.
State associations with independent/pilot programs include District of Columbia, Delaware, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas and Wisconsin.
In addition to the Flag Football Rules Book, rules publications in six other fall sports are now available as well at www.NFHS.com: football, volleyball, field hockey, soccer, swimming and diving, and spirit.
And, on July 1, all fall NFHS rules publications, including the Flag Football Rules Book, will be available on our new digital rules platform, NFHS Digital. We are pleased to partner with RefReps, an officiating education technology and curriculum company, in this venture. RefReps works with many of our member state associations and has a strong history of helping schools and organizations teach officiating through curriculum, interactive lessons and videos.
We are pleased to be able to offer all NFHS rules publications on a digital platform as this provides another option to our longstanding success with printed publications for the hundreds of thousands of individuals who officiate high school sports. The NFHS news release earlier this week provides more information.
The NFHS is excited about the continued growth and interest in flag football as one of the ongoing goals of the almost 20,000 high schools in our member state associations is to provide more opportunities for students to participate in sports and other school-based activity programs.
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