Everything you need to know about Flag Football

Flag Football was first played in the United States during the 1930s. Ever since the sport has spread throughout the world and is now played in every continent of the world. Some people even suggest Flag Football become an official Olympic sport within the next few years. This article will tell you about what Flag Football exactly is and how it is played. 

How is Flag Football played?

Flag Football is just like American Football. The only difference between the two is the lack of physical contact. In American Football, tackling has a huge impact on the game. In Flag Football, tackling down players is not allowed. Instead of tackling, flags are attached to the ball carrier’s belt. One flag on each side of the waist. When someone manages to pull off the flag from the opponent, the game stops and the next play begins. It is just like how in American Football when a player tackles another player down. The only main difference between the two sports is the lack of physical contact in Flag Football.

The International Federation of American Football or IFAF controls the regulation of Flag Football in Europe. As mentioned earlier, the game is very similar to American Football, except for a few differences. The objective of both sports remains the same. In both of these sports, you have to score a touchdown. 

Different types of Flag Football:

There is no definitive way of playing Flag Football. Even in Flag football, you can choose from different ways on how to play the sport. The United Kingdom version of Flag Football is a little bit different than the United States one. In the United Kingdom, only 2 flags are worn unlike the United States, where 3 flags per person are worn. Moreover, Flag Football in the United Kingdom is played with 5 players aside. In the United States, Flag Football is usually played with 8,9, or even 11 players aside.

A lot of people prefer the United Kingdom version of Flag Football. It is much easier to play and you can sometimes even play the game indoors with 5 side teams. This way even more teams could be made and a relatively new sport could be recognized by even more people. Further, men and women can both play together in Flag Football tournaments, unlike many other sports.

How was Flag Football found?

The origin story of Flag Football tracks back over 80-90 years ago. Flag Football gained popularity during the 1940s when a lot of American military soldiers could not risk getting injured, so they found a replacement for American Tackle Football.

The amount of children playing Flag Football has been growing extensively in the past few years. Last year in the United States alone, Flag Football’s popularity increased by 38% among children. A big reason for this is because parents don’t want their children to get any injuries while playing Tackle Football.  Most children now play Flag Football instead of Tackle Football. 

Benefits of playing Flag Football:

• Requires fewer players. Unlike American Football, where it requires at least more than 11 players to go competitive, you can make a team with only 7 players. 
• Flag Football is more affordable than American Tackle Football. In a normal tackle football, you would have to buy a helmet worth over $300 to $600. Whereas, in Flag Football you only need a belt and some Flags. 
• Flag Football is much safer than American Tackle Football. According to a study done on the brain of deceased Tackle Football players, they had developed a condition by the name of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). This caused other disorders such as dementia and depression. In Flag Football, injuries are much rarer. Therefore, Flag Football must be the go-to sport for Children instead of Tackle Football.