Since 2017, the NFL and Special Olympics have had an official partnership together that provides opportunities for athletes of all ages and abilities to “PLAY 60” through Unified flag football. NFL PLAY 60 is the League’s national youth health and wellness platform.

The Official Special Olympics Sports Rules for flag football shall govern all Special Olympics competitions. Special Olympics has created these rules based upon rules from a national flag football organization.

Flag Football is one of the sports available to our athletes in Special Olympics of Arizona. Look up your local program today to see if it is offered!

May 29, 2024 · More than 38,000 athletes and Unified partners train and compete in flag football each year. At the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games, we anticipate to host traditional and Unified 5v5 competitions. How It’s Played: Flag football is a dynamic team sport played on a rectangular field outdoors.

Special Olympics Washington Unified Flag Football consists of two teams of 5 and compete in twenty-minute halves. In one of the Seahawks 2016 Pre-Season Games, athletes from Special Olympics Washington got to play an exhibition Flag Football game during halftime!

As an international sports program, Special Olympics Wisconsin has developed these rules based upon Special Olympics International and Special Olympics North America’s rules utilized during National and World level competitions for Flag Football.

SPECIAL OLYMPICS FLAG FOOTBALL COACHES GUIDE • Coaching Techniques • Preparation for Training • Clothing, Equipment and Playing Field • Rules • Officials • “You Make the Call!”

The Chicago Bears hosted 180 Special Olympics athletes from 12 Special Olympics Illinois teams in a flag football tournament held in Halas Hall.

In all aspects of Special Olympics flag football, rulings by officials will be made with player safety as the primary consideration. Rosters must have a minimum of 6 participants, with a minimum of 3 Unified partners. The maximum roster size is 16 participants.

Derived from the popular sport of American Football, Special Olympics Wisconsin flag football is non-contact. Games are played between two teams of five players who pass or run the ball down the field to score touchdowns.