FAQS

No experience needed! Our recreational NFL FLAG leagues welcome players of all skill levels, including those trying football for the first time.

Volunteer coaches are welcome too, even if they have never coached before. We provide rules, practice resources and league support to help coaches prepare and lead their teams.

All coaches and on field volunteers must complete the required registration and background screening before participating in those roles.

Families may submit buddy and coach requests during registration. To improve the chances of being placed together, both players should register for the same location and division, enter each other’s names in the buddy-request field, and register before the regular registration deadline. We work hard to honor requests, but placement is not guaranteed. Team size, division balance, available coaches and registration timing may affect placement.

Expect team information during the final one to two weeks before the season begins.

As registration wraps up, we organize players by location and age division, review friend and coach requests, confirm volunteer coaches and finalize rosters. Families are then notified through TeamSnap.

Team assignments may be released at different times by location and division, so don’t worry if another family hears before you. Watch your registration email, including your spam folder, for updates and your TeamSnap invitation.

Your registration helps get your athlete equipped and ready to play! Most recreational NFL FLAG registrations include:

An officially licensed NFL FLAG jersey

An NFL FLAG belt and flags

Regular season games and the applicable end of season tournament or playoff

Field and facility costs, trained officials and league administration

TeamSnap access for schedules, updates and team communication

Players provide their own mouthguard, water bottle, approved athletic shoes or molded cleats, and pocketless shorts or pants.

Inclusions vary by program. Some 7v7 programs do not include a jersey. Review your location’s registration description for the exact equipment, season format and fees before registering.

Uniforms and flags are distributed locally, usually during Season Kickoff or the first scheduled team session. They are not normally shipped to individual homes.

Pickup details will be shared before the season begins. If your child cannot attend the scheduled distribution, please coordinate with your coach or league staff to arrange another pickup.

Schedules are released after teams, fields, officials and division matchups have been finalized. Families should expect the schedule close to the start of the season rather than immediately after registration. Once released, schedules will be posted on the league website and added to TeamSnap. Please check TeamSnap throughout the season because weather, field availability and other circumstances may require changes.

Registering your child does not automatically create a team or TeamSnap roster. Before access can be activated, league staff must close or substantially complete registration, confirm coaches, review age divisions and player requests, build and balance teams, finalize each roster, create or activate the team in TeamSnap, and assign registered players to the correct team. Once your child is assigned, the parent account used during registration should receive access to the team. Other family members may need to be invited separately.

Plan ahead to find your preferred location and division! Registration dates vary, but generally open during these windows:

Winter: Early fall

Spring: Late fall or early winter

Summer: Spring

Fall: Late spring or early summer

These are estimated windows. Visit your program’s registration page for current opening dates, deadlines and availability.

Join our email list for registration announcements and reminders. Popular locations and divisions may fill before the posted deadline.

Coaches receive their rosters after teams are finalized and complete the preseason coaches meeting. Families should typically hear from their coach about 5–7 days before Week 1. Because our coaches are volunteers and team formation timelines vary, the exact timing may differ slightly by location. If Week 1 is approaching and you have not received team communication, contact the league for assistance.

Yes, provided the league has not yet submitted the uniform order. Contact the league as soon as possible if a size needs to be changed. After the order has been submitted, jersey sizes cannot be changed or exchanged. Please consult the sizing chart and select carefully during registration.

Contact the league as soon as possible. A replacement may be available for purchase, depending on the NFL team, size and current inventory. Replacement jerseys are not guaranteed, and the family is responsible for the replacement cost. Because the official NFL FLAG jersey is part of the required game uniform, players should not substitute an unrelated jersey without league approval.

Limited financial assistance may be available based on demonstrated need and available funding. Assistance is not automatic and should be requested before completing payment or before the registration deadline. Families may also qualify for assistance through organizations such as Every Kid Sports or RCX. Please visit the financial-aid section of your local league website or contact the league office for current requirements, deadlines and available programs.

Parents must provide an accurate birth date and grade during registration. Players are placed according to the division requirements and cutoff date listed for that season. League staff review registrations and rosters and may request a birth certificate, passport or another acceptable age-verification document. Providing an incorrect birth date or grade may result in reassignment or removal from the roster. If your child’s age and grade fall into different divisions, contact the league before registering rather than selecting a division without approval.

Standard NFL FLAG games are played five-on-five: five offensive players against five defensive players. Team rosters normally include additional players so that teams can substitute and continue playing when someone is absent.

The official rulebook and additional playing resources are available through the NFL FLAG rules page and the Resources section of your local league website. Coaches and parents should review the local league information as well, since certain divisions or programs may use approved modifications.

Optional merchandise generally cannot be added to an existing registration order after checkout. Families may still purchase apparel and gear through the applicable program store, including the NFL FLAG Fan Shop. Store purchases are separate from league registration, and product availability, pricing, shipping and returns are handled by the individual store.

We cannot provide a reliable game-time estimate based only on a child’s age. Sunday games are not necessarily scheduled from youngest to oldest. Schedules are built around field availability, officials, division matchups, team conflicts and the total number of games at each location. Families should plan for games to fall anywhere within the location’s published operating window until the official schedule is released. While we try to provide consistency when possible, the same weekly game time is not guaranteed.

Rain or snow does not automatically mean games are canceled. Flag football may continue when fields remain open and conditions are safe.

Lightning, dangerous temperatures, poor air quality, unsafe surfaces or facility closures may require games to be delayed, shortened, relocated or canceled. Decisions may be made close to game time because conditions can change quickly.

Check official league updates before heading out. Changes will be shared through your program’s website, field status page, email and/or TeamSnap. Unless a change is announced, plan to attend as scheduled.

Never enter a closed field or resume play during a weather suspension until authorized league staff give the all clear. If thunder is heard or lightning is seen, stop outdoor activity and seek safe shelter immediately.

Games are staffed by part-time, trained officials. Coaches and team managers are volunteers. Officials are responsible for enforcing the rules, managing the game and protecting player safety. Families, spectators and coaches are expected to treat every official respectfully.

No. Missing an optional weekday practice must not result in reduced playing time, and there is no need to withdraw for that reason.

Our standard recreational program includes a team practice connected to game day. Coaches may offer additional practices, but they must be free, open to the entire team and optional.

Keep your coach informed if your child cannot attend. If you believe your athlete is being penalized for missing an optional practice, contact your program coordinator.

No. Please do not withdraw solely because your child cannot attend an extra weekday practice. The standard recreational program includes a team practice connected to game day. A coach may offer an additional weekday practice, but it must be free, open to the entire team and optional. A player may not be penalized with reduced playing time for missing an additional optional practice. Please keep the coach informed about absences.

The GameDay Series is a developmental training program—not a traditional in-season league.

Regular NFL FLAG league play is the best choice for families seeking a traditional team experience. Players are assigned to a team and coach for the season. The program generally includes a consistent team roster, a scheduled practice and game each week, games against other teams, scores and standings, an end-of-season division tournament or consolation game, and the opportunity for qualifying teams to advance to playoffs or a championship. When registering, select the program labeled NFL FLAG 5v5 League and choose the desired league location.

The GameDay Series is a game-first, developmental experience designed to give players maximum repetitions in a lower-pressure environment. It generally includes randomized or flexible teams rather than one permanent team, continuous game play, an emphasis on learning, confidence and participation, no regular-season standings, and no traditional team-based playoff structure. The GameDay Series should not be selected if your family is looking for a regular Saturday team and league schedule. If you accidentally register for the wrong program, contact the league immediately. Transfers are based on available space and are not guaranteed. Additionally, if a division does not receive enough registrations to form balanced teams, the league may adjust its format to 4v4 or the GameDay Series. Families will be notified if such a change is necessary.

In our program, 8U and Shula refer to the same division: 8U is the age-division designation, and Shula is the name used for that division. “8U” does not necessarily mean that every player will remain eight years old or younger for the entire season. Placement is determined by the player’s age on the league’s published cutoff date—not their age on the first game day or at the end of the season.

The current cutoff date is August 1. The Shula/8U Division is for players who are under age nine on that date. A child who turns nine on August 2 or later remains eligible for 8U for the entire season. A player who turns nine on July 20 will be placed in 10U/Madden Rookie. A player who turns nine on August 15 remains in 8U/Shula. A seven-year-old who has aged out of 6U/Lombardi will also play in 8U/Shula.

The standard division structure is:

6U — Lombardi — Under age 7 on August 1

8U — Shula — Under age 9 on August 1

10U — Madden Rookie — Under age 11 on August 1

12U — Madden Pro — Under age 13 on August 1

14U — Madden All Pro — Under age 15 on August 1

High School — Madden All Madden — Current or incoming high-school students

Players may be permitted to play up in an older division, but they may not play down into a younger division. Divisions may also be combined when registration numbers do not support separate, balanced groups. Please use your child’s complete date of birth when registering. If you believe the system is showing the wrong division, contact the league before completing registration.

Players in the same division can look very different in size and physical development. A taller or more physically developed athlete is not necessarily older or ineligible.

Youth division placement is based on the athlete’s age on August 1. Parents must provide accurate birth date, grade and school information during registration. The league may request supporting documentation at any time; documentation is not necessarily reviewed for every player during initial registration.

Providing false information or failing to provide requested documentation may result in removal without a refund or credit.

If you have an eligibility concern, speak privately with the field coordinator or contact the league. Please do not confront a player, family, coach or official. League staff will review the concern and request documentation when appropriate. Children’s personal records remain private and cannot be shared with other families.

Game times depend on team registrations, field availability, officials and each facility’s permitted hours. We also account for pregame practices, transitions between games, division matchups and teams traveling between nearby locations.

Games may be scheduled throughout your location’s published operating window, including evening hours. Younger divisions are not guaranteed early games, and your team’s start time may vary from week to week.

Please review your location’s operating hours before registering. Once schedules are released, changes are generally limited to operational needs and cannot normally accommodate individual family conflicts.

A player or team may appear to be playing up for several reasons:

Age cutoff: Eligibility is based on age on August 1, rather than age on game day.

Playing up by choice: A player may register or receive approval to compete in an older division.

Combined divisions: Nearby age groups may be combined when registration numbers are too low to form balanced divisions.

Scheduling needs: Teams from nearby divisions may be matched to provide a complete, competitive schedule.

When combining divisions or arranging matchups, league staff consider roster numbers, age, experience and overall competitiveness.

Players may play up into an older division, but they may not play down into a younger division. If you have questions about your child’s placement or team’s schedule, contact your program coordinator.

Officials receive training and are expected to enforce NFL FLAG rules and the league’s approved local modifications. Rules may vary by age division, including quarterback rushing, no run zones and where coaches may stand. Tournament rules may also differ from regular season rules.

Officials can occasionally miss a call or make an incorrect ruling. A judgment call involves what an official observed, while a rule interpretation involves how a rule is applied. Only the head coach should respectfully approach an official for clarification at an appropriate break in play. Parents and spectators must remain off the field and may not confront officials.

For ongoing concerns, contact the field coordinator or league after the game. Include the location, field number, game time, teams involved and a brief, factual description so the league can review the concern and address any training needs.

Bring your required jersey, flag belt and flags, a mouthguard for every practice and game, water and appropriate athletic footwear.

Players must wear pocketless shorts that provide full coverage throughout movement. Butterfly shorts, loose or flowy shorts, split sides, side openings or slits, and overlapping side panels are not permitted.

For additional equipment guidance, review the NFL FLAG Equipment Checklist. Follow your division’s requirements and facility footwear rules.

When jersey lettering is offered, it is generally available until the registration deadline. After that date, lettering may no longer be available because uniforms must be completed and delivered before the season begins.

Families using Jersey Lettering Guy can visit jerseyletteringguy.com, select the appropriate season, state and league, and use their registration email address to locate their player.