Flag/Touch football is first categorized by two (2) major classifications: 1) Contact & 2) Non-Contact. "Contact" refers to the amount, if any, of blocking allowed. Northeast, Mid-West, and Western leagues have traditionally allowed some form of blocking. The Southwest and Southeast have traditionally allowed no blocking. Some leagues on the borders of these areas actually have hybrid blocking, "no blocking down field but blocking behind the line of scrimmage".

      The A.F.T.F.L. has always believed the middle ground to be best. From it's inception, blocking is what made "football" the ultimate "team" sport. However, with no equipment, you can't have guys chop-blocking, throwing elbows/forearms, etc. This only leads to injuries, fights, and a lack of emphasis on skill. The A.F.T.F.L. believes "open-hand" blocking (to the chest only) is the most sensible solution to the blocking question when it comes to "contact" forms of the game. Full contact leagues never attract large numbers of teams and therefore, never expand the sport.

      The A.F.T.F.L. recognizes six(6) styles of the sport, 4 with "Contact" and 2 with "No-Contact".

The four(4) "Contact" styles are:

      1) 9-Man Ineligible Lineman Flag
      2) 8-Man Eligible Lineman Flag
      3) 8-Man Ineligible Lineman Flag
      4) 7-Man Touch

The two (2) "Non-Contact" styles are:


      1) 7-Man Screen Flag
      2) 4-On-4 Flag

      The 2nd defining rule of Flag/Touch football is the classification of linemen as "eligible" or "ineligible". Eligible Linemen are allowed to catch passes like receivers. This is usually allowed in "8-Man Eligible Flag", "7-Man Touch", "7-Man Screen Flag", and "4-On-4 Flag". "Ineligible Linemen" are not allowed to catch passes, like the linemen in the N.F.L. "9-Man Ineligible" and "8-Man Ineligible" both feature three(3) ineligible linemen, a Center and two tackles.

      The 3rd defining rule of Flag/Touch football is field size. "9-Man Ineligible", "8-Man Eligible", and "7-Man Touch" all use a regulation 100 X 53 yard field. "8-Man Ineligible" and "7-Man Screen" both use a 80 X 40 yard field. All of the above feature twenty(20) yard "fixed" 1st downs with cones at the 20-40-40-20 yard lines or the 20-40-20 yard lines. "4-On-4 Flag" is played on a 25 X 50 yard field with only one(1) 1st down at the mid-field line.

Certain rules are generic in all of the above styles. they include:

• No fumble recoveries(ball is dead at spot).
• No pushing ballcarrier out of bounds.
• No flag shielding by ballcarrier.
• No diving to advance the ball.
• No ball-stripping.
• No on-sides kicks.
• No charging over a defender by the ballcarrier.
• Bad snaps are dead at the spot.
• Scoring- same points awarded as in NFL.