THE SPORTS RISE
Five-a-side flag football: follow a drive from the first snap
Use USA Football’s five-a-side framework to understand flag pulls, midfield, no-run zones and the defender who can rush the quarterback.
Speed. Space. A new perspective.
Flag Football
Follow flag football through the athletes, communities and different rulesets that give the game its identity.
01
From the Flag Football desk
Flag Football
Is Flag Football Worth It for My Kid? A Parent's Guide
A straight-talking parent's guide to whether flag football is worth it for your kid: real 2026 registration costs, the honest safety picture (fewer head hits, but not injury-free), the genuine benefits, and a sign-them-up-if checklist.
Flag Football
5v5 Flag Football Defense Plays: Formations & Coverages
A coach's guide to 5v5 flag football defense: the 2-2 box, 1-3-1, 3-1 center safety, Cover 1 and Cover 4, each mapped to the offense it beats, plus the 2026 rush rules and the center-as-receiver detail most playbooks skip.
Flag Football
Flag Football vs Tackle Football: Rules, Safety & Cost
Flag football vs tackle football, compared for parents: the real differences in contact, rules, team size, cost and safety (including what the head-impact studies actually show), plus a which-should-your-child-play guide and the 2028 Olympic debut.
THE SPORTS RISE
Flag football confirmed for the LA 2028 Olympic Games
THE SPORTS RISE
Flag Football — legacy rulebook
THE SPORTS RISE
Basic Strategy & Beginner Tips
THE SPORTS RISE
Key Rules & Fouls to Know
THE SPORTS RISE
How Scoring Works
THE SPORTS RISE
The Playing Area & Equipment
THE SPORTS RISE
What Is Flag Football & What's the Objective?
02
Start here
Go straight to the source.A different game. A fresh perspective.
01 / EXPLORE
Pickleball
Beyond the kitchen line.
02 / EXPLORE
Padel
Read the walls. Follow the story.
03 / EXPLORE
Flag Football
Speed. Space. A new perspective.
04 / EXPLORE
NHL
Look beyond the scoreboard.
05 / EXPLORE
USA Cricket
A wider view of American cricket.
Image credits
- Pickleball: Pickleball Players.jpg · TheVillagesFL · CC BY-SA 4.0 · License · Source: Photo source · Changes: Cropped to 16:9, resized and converted to WebP.
- Padel: Vigo Open 2019 de World Padel Tour - 38.jpg · Harpagornis · CC BY-SA 4.0 · License · Source: Photo source · Changes: Cropped to 16:9, resized and converted to WebP.
- Flag Football: Flag Football (4049605883).jpg · Tulane Public Relations · CC BY 2.0 · License · Source: Photo source · Changes: Cropped to 16:9, resized and converted to WebP.
- NHL: New Jersey Devils at Seattle Kraken - 2023-12-07 - Jordan Eberle and Luke Hughes (53384128046).jpg · Jenn G · CC BY-SA 2.0 · License · Source: Photo source · Changes: Resized and placed in a 16:9 canvas; entire frame and photographer watermark retained.
- USA Cricket: USA Squad Photo 2017.jpg · ShivnarineChanders · CC BY-SA 4.0 · License · Source: Photo source · Changes: Cropped to 16:9, resized and converted to WebP.