CFL Rules & Regulations

Christian Fellowship League Rules & Regulations

Revised: SEPT 7th, 2026

OBJECTIVE SUMMARY

The Christian Fellowship League (CFL) was formed in 1980 to create fellowship among Christians in all areas of sports. Since 1980 the CFL has continually progressed in growth, spiritual fellowship, church closeness, and in its effort to create sports programs that build fellowship among brothers in the body of Christ.

A. The by-laws, rules and regulations, and formats of the CFL

must be followed at all times to provide consistent and accurate programs.

B. The teams that participate in the CFL must at all times keep the fellowship

of the body of Christ in focus for the understanding and development of the CFL.

1. AUTHORITY, CONDUCT & GAME ADMINISTRATION

· The CFL Board and game officials have final authority over game administration, player conduct, safety, and application of CFL rules.

· Objective: The CFL exists to provide organized, competitive, safe flag football while maintaining sportsmanship, accountability, and respect for officials.

· Respect / Challenge Flag: Each team has one Challenge Flag per game. A challenge may dispute the application or interpretation of a CFL rule. A challenge costs one timeout unless the ruling is overturned. If video evidence is available a team my present it to officials. A non-playing League Director may resolve a rule-application dispute, but may not overturn an official's judgment call the Director did not personally see.

· Gavel Rule — Arguing/Fighting With a Referee: The Gavel Rule stops continued verbal confrontation with a referee and game delays. If a team does not use its Challenge Flag and continues arguing, the referee may impose: Gavel #1 — offending player sits 6 plays and cannot be replaced; Gavel #2 — team plays one player short for 6 plays; Final Gavel — game forfeit. Gavel decisions are final and have no appeal.

· Physical fighting: first offense = minimum 7-game league suspension; second offense = suspension from the league. Self-defense is at referee discretion. Playoff games count toward suspensions; reinstatement is handled by the CFL Board.

· Under the influence: anyone clearly under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance at the field is suspended 7 games; a second offense is subject to CFL Board review.

· Smoking/vaping at the field is prohibited. Bleeding injuries must be treated before a player may continue. Players not on the field must remain behind the 10-yard line.

2. GAME FORMAT, TIMING & OVERTIME

· All CFL games: two 20-minute halves with a 5-minute halftime. Running clock except for the Pro Clock. Each team receives two 30-second timeouts per half.

· Pro Clock — Final Minute: During the final 1 minute of every game, the clock stops when the offensive ball carrier goes out of bounds or a forward pass is incomplete. The clock resumes according to CFL Pro Clock procedure.

· Game ends when time expires; team with the most points wins. A tie goes to overtime. The game cannot end on a defensive penalty. The referee may stop a game for injury risk or unsportsmanlike conduct.

· Overtime: no timeouts. The team that won the regulation coin toss starts at the opponent's 10-yard line. Each team gets one play per possession. Regular-season ties after three possessions each are declared ties; playoff overtime continues until a winner. A returned interception touchdown ends the game.

3. SCORING

· Touchdown = 6 points. Ball must cross the goal line; diving into the end zone is prohibited.

· 1-point conversion = 5-yard line. 2-point conversion = 10-yard line.

· Safety = 2 points. After a safety, the scoring team receives the ball at its own 5-yard line.

4. OFFENSE, QB & CENTER

· Offense consists of 6 players. At least 2 players, including the center and a receiver, must be on the line of scrimmage. All players are eligible to receive and/or throw passes.

· Offense retrieves the ball and brings it to the line of scrimmage. Once the referee establishes the line of scrimmage, the offense has 25 seconds to set and snap; warning at 10 seconds.

· First player to touch the ball after the snap = QB. QB cannot cross the line of scrimmage with the ball.

· Second player to touch the ball after the snap = designated RB. RB may run past the line of scrimmage and may throw a forward pass only while behind the line of scrimmage.

· Multiple forward passes are permitted while the ball and passer remain behind the line of scrimmage. Once the ball crosses the line of scrimmage, no additional forward pass is permitted.

· Original QB has 7 seconds from the snap to release the ball or complete a handoff/pitch. Once the original QB releases the ball, the 7-second clock stops.

· After a full exchange to another player behind the line of scrimmage, that player may run or pass with unlimited time. No tip-backs.

· QB crossing LOS: Dead Ball — 5-yard penalty. Intentional grounding: Dead Ball — 10 yards from the spot where the QB initiated the penalty; safety if in the end zone.

5. RECEIVERS, RUNNING & FLAG/RUNNER RULES

· Receivers may line up in any fashion as long as at least one receiver has one foot between the center's self-made line of scrimmage. One receiver may go in motion but may not head upfield until the snap; penalty = 5 yards.

· Receivers must be at least 3 yards from the out-of-bounds line. A receiver may not voluntarily leave the field and return to complete a catch. A completed reception requires at least one foot inbounds; an unintentionally forced-out receiver is not complete.

· Stationary defenders must be avoided by receivers; moving defenders must allow the pattern without contact. Stationary non-moving picks are allowed; moving/check picks using arms or hands are prohibited.

· Option/pitch player must be beside or behind the player creating the option. A forward lateral stops the play at the infraction spot. The option runner must stop when creating the option.

· Runners must avoid contact and may not hurdle or dive with the ball. Side-to-side/backward jumping is permitted when not harmful; forward jumping to avoid a defender is prohibited.

· One flag must be pulled to stop a play; ball is spotted where the flag was pulled. If a flag is lost, the runner is down when touched. Flag guarding is prohibited. Flags must start on each side of the hips; a loose/improper belt results in the runner being down when touched after the catch.

· Offensive runners should carry the ball above the waist unless running in the open field. Players should return pulled flags to opponents.

6. PLAY STOPS, FUMBLES, PUNTS & ONSIDE

· Play is generally over when a team scores, a flag is pulled, a knee touches the ground, or any part of the ball contacts the ground.

· Fumble behind LOS: dead ball, offense retains possession, next play at fumble spot. Fumble past LOS: turnover, next play at fumble spot. A lateral after the ball has passed LOS that hits the ground is a turnover.

· Punt may be attempted on any down and must be kicked. Center hikes to kicker. Muffed ball is spotted at drop spot. Punt out before 50 = spot where it went out; beyond 50 = spot at 50; out back of end zone = spot at 5. Up to two punt returners.

· Onside play: second half only and only while trailing. Ball starts at own 5; one play to reach midfield. If successful, possession continues; if unsuccessful, possession changes at furthest completion point. May be declared repeatedly while trailing. Defensive penalty gives another attempt.

7. DEFENSE & RUSH

· Defense consists of 6 players and may use any formation and rush as many players as desired. Defenders must give offensive pass patterns right-of-way unless stationary.

· Defenders being picked must play under control. Moving picks may cause the official to stop the play. Prohibited contact includes coming across the arm, hitting the body, or coming across the back. Defenders may not induce false starts or interfere with offensive signals.

· Rushers must be start before the LOS and choose one side of the ball 3yards to one side. Rusher must wait for Referee’s 2.5 second whistle. If Rusher crosses the LOS before the Whistle that constitutes a Blitz. Each team has 5 Blitz’s. If a team uses more than 5 the opposite team may accept the result of the play or replay the down.

· Rusher must go immediately, quickly, and directly toward the QB's snap point to retain right-of-way. Late, slow, redirected, or non-QB rush loses right-of-way.

· No defender may cross LOS before the ball is put into play. Rusher must pull QB's flag; if QB is already releasing the ball before the pull, QB is not down. Throwing motion is given to Quarterbacks.

· Defensive backs may not bump off the line or go through a receiver. No contact is allowed while defending patterns. Defensive backs may not strip the ball.

8. PENALTIES

GENERAL PENALTY ACCEPTANCE RULE: For any penalty, the team receiving the benefit of the penalty has the option to accept either the result of the play or the penalty, but not both unless the penalty is determined to be a spot foul. Example Defense Pass Interference.

LOSS OF DOWN ENFORCEMENT: Play occurred → flag thrown → down complete → If it was 2nd down, it goes to 4th down → if penalty occurred on 3rd or 4th down, result is turnover on downs.

SEE TABLE BELOW

s

Flagrant Contact Without Intent: offense = 15 yards + Loss of Down; defense = 15 yards + Automatic 1st Down. Flagrant Contact With Intent is removed as a separate penalty article; physical fighting is handled under Conduct & Discipline.

Foul Language = 6-play removal; player cannot be replaced during those 6 plays. Spiking = 10-yard penalty. Receiver illegal motion = 5 yards.

GENERAL PENALTY ACCEPTANCE RULE (repeated): For any penalty, the team receiving the benefit of the penalty has the option to accept either the result of the play or the penalty, but not both.

9. COED RULES

· All Coed Rules are in addition to the standard CFL rules.

· No more than 3 men may be on the field for a coed team.

· Touchdowns = 6 points. Conversions use the standard CFL locations: 1 point from 5 yards and 2 points from 10 yards.

· A defensive conversion return may be worth 2 points. A coed safety is 2 points, with possession at the scoring team's own 5-yard line.

10. ROSTERS, ATTENDANCE & POSTSEASON

· Team rosters are limited to 12 players. Each player must sign in at the beginning of every regular-season game. If any addition to the 12 man roster signs in and is carried on a team an additional $70 fee will be applied. This will be determined by the sign in sheets.

· Playoff eligibility requires a player to be signed in for at least 3 games. The prior 51% attendance requirement is removed.

· If injury leaves a team with 5 or fewer players, it may add player(s) not already on another roster, up to 6 total. A returning injured player does not remove the replacement from regular-season play; the replacement must also be signed in for 3 games to qualify for playoffs.

· Once a player signs a roster, that player cannot change teams for the rest of the season. Illegal players sit if discovered before the game; discovery during or after the game results in a forfeit.

· No player may play for another team. A player who does so serves a 2-game suspension, including playoffs, before returning to the original team; the recruiting team forfeits that game. Exception: forfeit situations.

· Postseason structure is set by the number of registered teams and may be adjusted by the Board. Playoff structure is posted by the third week. Tournament qualification/structure is determined before the tournament. CFL may photograph/record players and teams for recognition and marketing.

11. EQUIPMENT, UNIFORMS & FIELD QUICK REFERENCE

· Flags: popper-style only, 12 inches. Velcro, Triple Threat, and other types are not allowed.

· Uniforms: same-color jerseys, tucked in; no half jerseys. Board may disallow offensive jerseys. Shorts/pants may not have open pockets; pockets must be sewn shut or bound.

· Team names: league play uses NFL team names only. Tournament names must be appropriate/non-controversial; Board may disallow any name.

· Ball: NFL or collegiate-size leather or synthetic-leather footballs only; no junior/pee-wee sizes.

· Field reference: rush line = LOS; onside = own 5; overtime = opponent 10; off-field players = behind 10-yard line.

12. SUBSTITUTIONS, FORFEITS & INTERRUPTIONS

· Unlimited substitutions are allowed.

· A team must have at least 4 players. If not, a 5-minute delay is granted; if still below 4, the game is a forfeit.

· Officials may interrupt for inclement weather. If play resumes and a team has left, that team forfeits even if leading. Half a game completed is an official game.

· Team fees are established at registration. $100 minimum deposit due by registration deadline; teams must pay in full by the second game. No refunds except where specifically provided for canceled one-day tournaments.

13. REFEREE QUICK REFERENCE

· Game: 2 × 20 minutes • Halftime: 5 minutes • Timeouts: 2 × 30 seconds/team/half

· Final minute: Pro Clock • Snap clock: 25 seconds • QB clock: 7 seconds and stops when original QB releases

· TD: 6 • 1-point try: 5-yard line • 2-point try: 10-yard line • Safety: 2

· Offense: 6 • Roster: 12 • Playoff eligibility: 3 signed-in games • Rush: 7 yards

· Gavel: #1 player out 6 plays; #2 team short 6 plays; Final = forfeit

· Challenge: 1 per team • Penalty benefit: play result OR penalty, not both

1 Corinthians 9:24-25 (NIV)

Do you know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.