Question 1

How many players are on the field in high school girls' flag football?

Accepted Answer

Seven per team. The NFHS Flag Football Rules are written for seven on seven. From 2026-27 every team must start the game with seven players; a team that runs out of substitutes because of injuries or disqualifications may continue with no fewer than five.

Question 2

How big is a high school flag football field?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the state. The NFHS rules give four options, each with 10-yard end zones: 300 by 120 feet, 360 by 120 feet, 360 by 160 feet (a regulation 11-player football field) and, new for 2026-27, 300 by 160 feet. Each state association adopts one.

Question 3

How long is a high school girls' flag football game?

Accepted Answer

Four 12-minute quarters, 48 minutes in all, under NFHS rules. In the last two minutes of each half the clock stops on dead balls as in tackle football. Each team has three charged time-outs per half from 2026-27, up from two. Halftime length is set by each state; Kansas, Maryland, North Carolina and Tennessee use 10 minutes.

Question 4

How does scoring work in girls' flag football?

Accepted Answer

A touchdown is worth 6 points and a safety 2. After a touchdown the scoring team tries for 1 point from the 3-yard line or 2 points from the 10. Field goals and kicked tries count only in states that adopt place kicking; Kansas, Maryland, North Carolina and Tennessee do not.

Question 5

Can you rush the quarterback in high school flag football?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Under the NFHS rules defenders line up behind a 1-yard neutral zone and may rush at the snap; rushers no longer have to start five yards off the ball. Only the snapper and the quarterback are restricted. A rusher who contacts the passer instead of going for the flag commits roughing the passer.

Question 6

Is there contact or blocking in girls' flag football?

Accepted Answer

Only screen blocking, and the blocker may never initiate contact. The NFHS says even minimal contact initiated by a blocker is illegal regardless of intent. Ball carriers may not guard their flags (a 10-yard penalty), hurdle opponents or have the ball stripped; defenders must always try to pull the flag rather than tackle.

Question 7

How do you get a first down in flag football?

Accepted Answer

By reaching the next zone to gain. The field is divided into zones instead of 10-yard segments, and a team earns a first down by advancing the ball into the next zone. At the start of each half and after every score, the offense starts at its own 14-yard line.

Question 8

Are there kickoffs or punts in high school flag football?

Accepted Answer

There are no kickoffs: each half and each possession after a score starts at the receiving team's 14-yard line. Punts exist but must be declared before the snap, and the ball must be kicked within five seconds of the snap; the defense may not rush a declared punt.

Question 9

How many flags are on a flag football belt?

Accepted Answer

Three under the 2026-27 NFHS rules: one on each hip and one on the tailbone, each at least 1.5 inches wide and 14 inches long, one solid color that contrasts with the shorts, with no logos. The style of flag is a state adoption, so some states still allow two-flag belts for now.

Question 10

Are mouthguards required in high school girls' flag football?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Mouth protectors are mandatory under the NFHS rules.

Question 11

Do girls flag football players have to wear helmets or headgear?

Accepted Answer

Not under the NFHS rules, which allow soft headwear that is not made of abrasive or hard material. Georgia is the exception: the GHSA requires protective soft-shell headgear from 2026, rated five stars by the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab.

Question 12

What ball is used in high school girls' flag football?

Accepted Answer

A tan ball weighing 12 to 14 ounces, usually called youth size. From 2028 the ball for high school girls' and boys' flag football must carry the NFHS Authenticating Mark. Each state may name an official postseason ball.

Question 13

How many officials work a high school flag football game?

Accepted Answer

The number is a state adoption. Kansas uses three; Tennessee and North Carolina use three in the regular season and four in the postseason; Maryland uses four-person crews from the state quarterfinals.

Question 14

Is there a mercy rule in girls' flag football?

Accepted Answer

There is no national mercy rule; the point differential is a state adoption. In Kansas, North Carolina and Tennessee the clock keeps running if a team leads by 19 or more at the two-minute timeout of the fourth quarter. Maryland changes clock stoppages once a team leads by 28 in the second half.

Question 15

What changed in the high school flag football rules for 2026-27?

Accepted Answer

Eight changes: a trailing team may keep the ball after scoring (fourth down at its own 20); the restart after a safety became a scrimmage kick from the 20; a fourth field size (300 by 160 feet); teams must start with seven players but may continue with five; time-outs rose from two to three per half; hurdling is now defined; stripping the ball is illegal; and states may use instant replay in state postseason games.

Question 16

What do states decide for themselves under the NFHS flag football rules?

Accepted Answer

About twenty rules. Tennessee's 2026-27 adoption table lists twenty, including field size, number of officials, the postseason ball, flag style, hash marks, overtime, the mercy rule, halftime length, instant replay and whether place kicking is allowed. Maryland counts twenty-one. Each association publishes its choices.

Girls' flag football rules: the high school FAQ