Northern Nevada Spring Football League

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.

Eligibility
  • 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
Rosters & Start Minimums
  • Max roster: 15 players
  • Minimum to start: 6 players
  • 5 players: forfeit
Equipment Standards
  • Mouthpiece: required
  • Soft-shell helmet: optional (no hard shells)
  • No metal cleats
  • No exposed jewelry
  • Visible jersey numbers: required
Rapid Fire Format
  • 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 timeoutsNo halftime
Tournament Format
  • 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
Ball Placement & Downs
  • Start: ball at the 40-yard line going in
  • First down: at the 20-yard line
  • Downs: 4 downs per series
Play Clock & Pass Clock
  • 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
Offense Standards
  • 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
Coach on Field (Offense)
  • One offensive coach allowed on the field
  • Must remain 10 yards behind the line of scrimmage
  • Interference results in penalty (official discretion)
Defense Standards
  • One-hand touch = down
  • No tackling or wrapping
  • No diving at legs
  • Legal contact: within 5 yards only
  • Interceptions: dead at point of touch
Blitzing
  • Blitzer must align 7 yards off the line of scrimmage
  • Cannot cross the LOS before the snap
Scoring & Overtime
  • Touchdown: 6
  • Interception: 3 (dead ball)
  • Safety: 2
  • PAT: 1 (from 5-yard line)
Overtime (Tournament Only): Ball at the 20-yard line • each team gets one possession • 2-point conversion required after a TD • interception ends possession • repeat until winner.
Mercy Rule

A 21-point lead at the 1-minute mark of the second half triggers continuous running clock.

Penalties & Authority
  • 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
Weather & Safety
  • Lightning: 30-minute delay from last strike
  • Heat: hydration stoppages at referee discretion
  • Unsafe field conditions: game may be suspended
Zero Tolerance
  • Fighting: immediate ejection
  • Second fighting offense (season): league removal
  • Bench-clearing: team ejected
  • Abuse of officials: ejection
  • Parent entering field: game forfeiture
Standard: Referee report is primary authority. NNSFL has final discretion on discipline and disputes.
Links to Official Pages

Everything below is the official source of truth (no PDF downloads required).

© NNSFL • Spring 2026 • 7v7 Rules
Format Summary
  • 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
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