Little League Flag Football Rules

In 1983, Pop Warner, without the resources to play expensive tackle football, created a little league flag football program for kids. Flag football also provides younger kids the chance to play, lowering the required age from seven to five. The basic rules for little league flag football are simple, implemented to make sure that kids of all abilities can play and remain safe.

  1. Setting Up

    • In little league flag football, the kids wear a belt with two flags, attached with Velcro. The only other uniform requirements are a mouthpiece and either rubber cleats or sneakers. The field is a shortened version of a regular football field, 80 yards long and 40 yards wide. The games consist of four ten-minute quarters using an intermediate sized football and requiring eight players on each team.

    Basic Football Rules

    • The plays available in the game are sweeps, passes and hand-offs. All eight players are eligible to catch a pass, including the center. The offensive team can only throw one forward pass per play. To catch a pass, the receiver must have one foot in bounds. There are no fumbles and if a player drops the ball, the play is dead. Interceptions are legal and players can return them for a touchdown.

    Playing the Game

    • Individual little league flag football programs choose whether to use kickoffs or not. If there is no kickoff, the offensive team normally starts on the 10- or 15-yard line. This gives the offense 40 to 45 yards to go for a touchdown. The offense has up to four downs to cross mid-field and another four downs to make a touchdown. If the offense does not reach the midfield or goal line in the required downs, possession changes to the other team. A person is “tackled” when a defensive player removes one of his flags. Officials will penalize a child if he grabs hold of or knocks down the ball carrier to get to the flag.

    Blocking Differences Between Flag Football and Tackle Football

    • All offensive blockers must keep their hands and arms in front of their torso. The defenders can use their hands and arms to push the blockers out of the way. Punching, shoulder blocking and stiff-arming--running with an arm extended and palms out to hit another player--are against the rules. These rules are in effect to keep the kids safe.

    Other Rule Differences

    • Most flag football leagues make defensive players count to five before crossing the goal line to “tackle” the quarterback. This is done to help promote throwing the ball. Once a quarterback hands off the ball, the defensive players can cross the goal line. Quarterbacks are not generally allowed to run with the ball.

    Rules in Place for Coaches

    • Coaches are supposed to make sure children play with good attitudes. Fun always comes first in little league flag football. The league also frowns upon coaches making objectionable demonstrations when he feels the game is not going his direction. The coach needs to remain a role model for the kids at all times.