7v7 football is a touch passing game: seven players a side, no linemen, no pads, and the quarterback gets about four seconds to throw. High school skill players play it on off-season club teams.
Your club holds tryouts in November and the first tournament is in February. Before you pick a jersey, you need to know which game you are signing up for, because “7v7” means two different things. This Hamco Sports guide covers the rules, the gear and when the season runs.
What is 7 on 7 football?
7 on 7 football is the passing half of football played without tackling. Each offense has a quarterback, a center who snaps the ball and five receivers. The seven defenders all play in pass coverage. There are no linemen, no blocking and no running plays, so every snap is a throw (USA Football 7on7 rules sheet, 2016, read October 30, 2026).
High school coaches use it to keep quarterbacks, receivers and defensive backs sharp between seasons. A team needs only seven players on the field, so a club can field a full roster with 10 to 14 athletes. If your team plays the 7v7 flag version, which adds a pass rusher, our flag football positions guide covers each role.
How a 7v7 game works
A 7v7 game is short, and every rule keeps the ball in the air. Under USA Football’s 7on7 rules sheet (2016), each drive starts at the 40-yard line, and first downs come at the 25 and the 10. The main rules look like this:
- The quarterback has 4 seconds from the snap to throw, and a ball not thrown in time counts as a sack.
- A one-hand touch anywhere ends the play instead of a tackle.
- There are no running plays.
- A touchdown is worth 6 points.
- After a touchdown, the offense tries for 1 point from the 5-yard line, or in tournament games it may go for 2 points from the 10.
- The defense scores too: 3 points for an interception and 2 for a stop on downs.
Events set their own clock and field size, so read the rules sheet for each tournament. The 7v7 flag format plays on a bigger field, and the full layout is in our flag football field dimensions guide.
7v7 vs flag football vs tackle football
7v7 touch football, flag football and tackle football share a ball and a goal line, but the way a play ends changes everything else. Here is how the three compare, as of October 2026.
| 7v7 (touch passing) | Flag football (NFL FLAG 5v5) | Tackle football (high school) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Players a side | 7 | 5 | 11 |
| Field | set by each event; drives start at the 40 | 30 × 70 yd, incl. 10-yd end zones | 100 yd between goal lines, plus end zones |
| How a play ends | touch | flag pull | tackle |
| Running plays | none | yes, outside the no-run zones | yes |
| Pass rush | none: a 4-second throw clock instead | one or two rushers from 7 yards back | full rush |
| Protective gear | no pads; helmets or soft-shell headgear at some events | mouthguard | helmet and pads |
Sources: USA Football 7on7 rules sheet (2016, read October 30, 2026); NFL FLAG “How to Play Flag Football” (checked October 30, 2026); NFHS football rules.
Watch for one trap. “7v7” also names a flag format, played in some adult and high school leagues with seven a side, flag belts, a rusher and running plays. Check whether your event means touch 7v7 or 7v7 flag before you plan practices, and our flag football rules guide covers the flag version.
Do you wear pads or headgear in 7v7?
Players in 7v7 football don’t wear shoulder pads, but headgear depends on who runs the event. USA Football’s 7on7 rules sheet says “All players must wear helmets.” Texas State 7on7 began requiring soft-shell helmets, padded caps that soften head contact, at its 2019 state tournament (Sports Destination Management, 2019).
You may read that 7v7 is played with no helmets at all. Some local leagues do play that way, but events that follow USA Football’s sheet call for helmets. Plan for headgear if your circuit asks for it. A mouthguard and cleats complete the list for most events.
Who plays 7v7, and when is the season?
7v7 is played mostly by high school and middle school skill players: quarterbacks, receivers, linebackers and defensive backs. Club teams are grouped by age. One club, Spirit Elite 7v7, fields teams from 10U to 18U and runs its competitive season from December to May, with tryouts in November and December (checked October 30, 2026).
Some school teams also play 7-on-7 in the summer. Check your state association’s out-of-season rules before you schedule one.
What a 7v7 team wears
A 7v7 team wears matching numbered jerseys, shorts, cleats and a mouthguard, plus headgear where the event requires it. The jerseys are what the club orders together.
How Hamco Sports does it:
- A separate 7v7 jersey cut, priced the same as our flag football jersey: from $46.99 a player for 1 to 24 jerseys.
- Men’s, women’s and youth sizes, all at the same price.
- Sublimated names and numbers included; tackle twill is $5 per name and $5 per number.
- The whole order is made in the same dye batch, so colors match.
- Ready 2 to 3 weeks after design approval, then 3 to 5 days to reach you.
Frequently asked questions
How many players are on a 7v7 team?
Seven players are on the field for each side: a quarterback, a center and five receivers on offense, and seven pass defenders. Most clubs carry 10 to 14 players, so there are fresh legs for a full tournament day and cover when someone can’t travel. Hamco Sports has no minimum order, so a roster of any size can order matching jerseys.
Can the QB run in 7on7?
Usually not. Under USA Football’s 7on7 rules sheet, the quarterback must throw, and there are no running plays at all. A 4-second throw clock takes the place of a pass rush, and a ball not thrown in time counts as a sack. Some events change these rules, so read the tournament’s rules sheet. In 7v7 flag, which is a different format, runs are often allowed.
How old do you have to be to play 7 on 7?
At clubs like Spirit Elite 7v7, teams run from 10U (under 10) up to 18U, so players from about fourth grade through high school can find a team. Each club sets its own age cut-off date, so check it before tryouts.
Is 7v7 football the same as flag football?
No. 7v7 football is a touch passing game with no rusher and no running plays, while flag football ends a play with a flag pull and allows runs. Confusingly, some flag leagues also play a 7v7 flag format. The comparison table in the section “7v7 vs flag football vs tackle football” above shows the differences side by side.
When does the 7v7 season start?
Each club sets its own season. Spirit Elite 7v7, for example, holds tryouts in November and December and plays its competitive season from December to May. Some school teams play in the summer instead, so check your state association’s rules first.
Get your 7v7 jerseys started
Send us your roster, your colors and your first tournament date, and we plan the order back from that date. Your free mockup comes back within 12 hours, and nothing is made until you approve it.
How we made this guide: written by the Hamco Sports team from USA Football’s 7on7 rules sheet (2016), NFL FLAG’s rules page, the NFHS football rules, Sports Destination Management’s 2019 report on Texas State 7on7 headgear and Spirit Elite 7v7’s club page, plus our own price list and order rules (as of October 2026). Facts checked October 30, 2026.
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