2026 NNSFL 7v7 Rules
Official NNSFL 7v7 rules for Spring 2026. Built for structure, safety, and clean competition. This includes Rapid Fire and Tournament formats.
- Age Cutoff: August 1, 2025
- Divisions: 8U, 10U, 12U, 14U, High School (No Senior Boys)
- Age standard: age is determined on the cutoff date (if you’re older than the division on the cutoff date, you must play up)
- Verified rosters: required; proof of age must be available upon request
- No multi-team: no player may compete on multiple teams in the same division during an event
- Max roster: 15 players
- Minimum to start: 6 players
- 5 players: forfeit
- Mouthpiece: required
- Soft-shell helmet: optional (no hard shells)
- No metal cleats
- No exposed jewelry
- Visible jersey numbers: required
- Time: 20 minutes (running time)
- Start: ball at the 20-yard line
- Plays: 3 plays to score
- Score: offense stays on
- No score: possession switches
- No timeouts • No halftime
- Two halves: 20 minutes each
- Halftime: 3 minutes
- Clock: running
- Final 1 minute stops for: incomplete pass, out of bounds, score, timeout, or official stoppage
- Start: ball at the 40-yard line going in
- First down: at the 20-yard line
- Downs: 4 downs per series
- Play clock: 25 seconds (referee discretion)
- Pass clock: 4 seconds begins at the snap
- QB release: ball must be released before 4 seconds
- No designed QB runs
- No scrambling beyond the line of scrimmage
- 7 players on the field
- One forward pass per play
- One legal motion player (cannot be moving toward the LOS at snap)
- Catch: one foot in bounds
- No downfield blocking
- No stiff-arm and no lowering shoulder
- One offensive coach allowed on the field
- Must remain 10 yards behind the line of scrimmage
- Interference results in penalty (official discretion)
- One-hand touch = down
- No tackling or wrapping
- No diving at legs
- Legal contact: within 5 yards only
- Interceptions: dead at point of touch
- Blitzer must align 7 yards off the line of scrimmage
- Cannot cross the LOS before the snap
- Touchdown: 6
- Interception: 3 (dead ball)
- Safety: 2
- PAT: 1 (from 5-yard line)
A 21-point lead at the 1-minute mark of the second half triggers continuous running clock.
- Standard penalty: 5 yards unless otherwise specified
- Unsportsmanlike: 10 yards + possible ejection
- Pass interference: spot foul inside the 20-yard zone
- Authority: referee decisions are final
- Lightning: 30-minute delay from last strike
- Heat: hydration stoppages at referee discretion
- Unsafe field conditions: game may be suspended
- Fighting: immediate ejection
- Second fighting offense (season): league removal
- Bench-clearing: team ejected
- Abuse of officials: ejection
- Parent entering field: game forfeiture
Everything below is the official source of truth (no PDF downloads required).
- Rapid Fire: 20 minutes, ball at 20, 3 plays to score, stay on offense if you score
- Tournament: two 20-minute halves, ball at 40 in, first down at 20, 4 downs
- Clock rules: final minute stops for incompletion, OOB, score, timeout, official stoppage
- QB rules: 4-second pass clock, no designed QB runs, no scrambling beyond LOS
