NFL FLAG Canada

Q: What is NFL FLAG Canada? (General) 

A: NFL FLAG Canada operated by RCX Sports allows boys and girls ages 9-13 to enjoy America’s favorite sport in the largest flag football program in the nation.  Players benefit by being active through non-contact, non-stop action while being able to learn lessons in teamwork and sportsmanship as well as learning the fundamentals of football. To protect the integrity of the sport, all coaches and league operators have passed background checks. At this time, our Regional tournaments include the following age divisions: 10u, 12u. We are actively working to expand within Canada and grow our tournaments, we look forward to seeing you there! 

Q: What are the costs and requirements to be an NFL FLAG League? (General) 

A: There are ZERO start up fees to become an official NFL FLAG league. You must be in an area where there isn’t an existing NFL FLAG league in order to start a new league. NFL FLAG requires your league to hold a $1 million general liability policy, https://nflflag.com/league-insurance. You must submit an application and then be approved to officially become an NFL FLAG Program. 

Q: What are the rules for NFL FLAG? 

A: Visit NFLFLAG.com for the NFL FLAG Rulebook 

Q: Are there multi team discounts for NFL FLAG Tournaments? 

A: There are NO multi team discounts. 

Q: Is there any financial assistance from NFL FLAG for team traveling to NFL FLAG Tournaments? 

A: All teams are responsible for their own financials to and from Regional Events. 

Q: What if an NFL FLAG Tournament is canceled due to weather, do I get a refund? 

A: There are no refunds. However, if the event is not able to be rescheduled, RCX Sports will provide options to the teams. 

Q: Can my team get a refund? 

A: No. After your team registers, there are NO REFUNDS and NO TRANSFERS to different tournaments. All sales are final. 

Q: Is there a cap on the number of teams that can participate in the Age Division? 

A: Yes, each event could be capped depending on the amount of field space, so don’t miss out and register early! 

Q: Will players be age verified at NFL FLAG Tournaments?  

A: Yes, participants must be age verified through the NSID Website. Onsite age verification will not take place under any circumstances. 

Q: Where will the NFL FLAG Canadian Championships be in 2023? 

A: The NFL FLAG Canadian Championships will be held in Toronto in October 2023. 12u teams who won their Regional will earn a paid bid to the NFL FLAG Canadian Championships. 

Q: Where will the NFL FLAG National Championships be in 2024? 

A: Once the NFL announces the location of the 2024 Pro Bowl Games, we will provide more details around the Championships. 

Q: Can a roster be altered once the team qualifies for the NFL FLAG Championships? 

A: No, once your team wins at Regionals, all rosters are locked, and no adjustments can be made unless approved by NFL FLAG.  

Q: Can my team wear their own jerseys at a Regional Tournament? 

A: No, teams must wear the Regional Tournament provided jerseys. 

Q: What is age verification? Do I have to complete this step?  

A: Age verification confirms the appropriate age of each athlete ensuring that no documents are being altered or falsified. Every player is required to do age verification.  

Q: How do I get my athlete “age verified”? 

A: Once the coach of a team has sent the player an invite from NSID, the player will receive an email and allow for them to “join the team”. They will then begin uploading the needed information for their age verification process to begin. There is a $11.99 USD cost to be age verified. 

Q: What documents do I need to get my athlete age verified?  

A: A birth certificate or passport or state id may be used. All participants are required to upload school documents, like a report card or progress report, as well as a photo head shot.  

Q: Does getting my athlete age verified cost money?  

A: Yes, the age verification process costs $11.99 USD. Once your child is age verified, they will not need to be re-verified for another tournament this year.  

Q: My athlete is playing in more than one tournament. Do I need to pay for age verification each time?  

A: No. You will only need to pay for the age verification process once and your athlete is eligible to participate in any NFL FLAG tournament this year. When you register for another tournament, be sure to log into NSID with the same log in email to make sure you are using the correct ID number for your athlete. If you have any questions regarding payment, please reach out to NSID directly at billing@nationalsportsid.com 

Q: My athlete is not showing as age verified. What do I do?  

A: There are a few reasons why your athlete may not be shown as eligible, or age verified on their team roster.  

1) Your player(s) NSID may be in the pending review status and in this case, it will be orange when you log in. Please allow up to 24 hours for the review to take place. 

2) Your player(s) NSID may have been rejected and is awaiting a change or more information. If so, the NSID will be red, and you can view the reason on your Dashboard or on the player’s NSID. 

In either case, we encourage you to check your athlete’s status with NSID by reaching out to customer service at admin@nationalsportsid.com 

Q-How do I invite players to my roster?  

A: Once you have created a team in NSID, you will be directed to your team view page. Once there, you will see a “invite player” button at the top of the page. You will enter each player/player’s parents email address. This will send an email to the player/parent of the player for them to accept. This will place the athlete on your roster.  

Q: How do I know my team is fully validated? 

A: The team page will turn green and state “Team Verified” with the division the team is eligible for. 

Q: Do head coaches and assistant coaches need to be background checked? 

A: Yes, all coaches will need to complete their background check through Checkr: https://identity.checkr.com/login 

Q: How much does it cost to register my team for a tournament? 

A: Team Registration is $200 CAD per team. 

Q: What is the structure of an NFL FLAG Regional Tournament? 

A: Each team is guaranteed three games. If the schedule permits, all teams advance to single elimination playoffs. Larger Regional tournaments might only allow the top 50% of teams to advance to a single elimination playoff. The winners of the 12u age division in each Regional tournament qualify for the NFL FLAG Canadian Championship. The 10u age division does not advance to the NFL FLAG Canadian Championship, winners will be named the 10u Champions for that region. 

Q: Which Regionals will offer the 10u division? 

A: As part of a pilot program, we will offer the 10u division only in Regina, Montreal, Hamilton, and Edmonton. 10u Winners will not advance to the NFL FLAG Canadian Championship or NFL FLAG Championships at Pro Bowl Games. 

Q: What happens if there are only two teams, three teams, or another odd number of teams in my age division? 

A: If there are only two teams, you will play a best of three (first team to win two games). If there are three teams in your division, you will play each other teams once. From there, all three teams will go directly into bracket play. If there are an odd number of teams higher than 3, one team in that division will be randomly selected to play a fourth pool play game. The fourth pool play game does count towards overall standings. 

Q: Can I attend a US Regional tournament? 

A: Only US Teams, with their entire roster residing in the US, are eligible to play in US Regional Tournaments. NFL FLAG Leagues from Canada are not eligible for US Regionals. Please see the 2023 Canadian Regional Schedule HERE. 

Q: What are the Age Divisions and age cutoffs for NFL FLAG Regionals? 

A: January 1st Age Cutoff 

• 10u  

• Birthyear 2012 or younger 

• 12u 

• Birthyear 2010 or younger 

Q: Can you attend more than one Regional Tournament? 

A: Yes, but once you win a Regional, your team is unable to attend another.  

Q: Can an individual player attend more than one Regional Tournament? 

A: Yes, but any player on a Regional winning roster is ineligible to compete in another Regional tournament. 

Q: How many players and coaches can be on a roster at a Regional Tournament? 

A: A roster must consist of a minimum of 6 players and a maximum of 10 players. A maximum of 2 coaches are permitted.  

Q: Can a player play for more than one roster at NFL FLAG Regional Tournaments? 

A: NO, at Regional tournaments players are restricted to only one roster in one age division. 

Q: Can you be a head coach for more than one roster at NFL FLAG Regional Tournaments?  

A: Yes, however, Coaches will not be eligible to coach in the same age division in the same tournament. Schedule requests will NOT be taken. 

Q: If a team wins a Regional Tournament, will I receive a free paid bid to NFL FLAG Championships at the Pro Bowl? 

A: Winners from the 12u age division at a Regional Tournament earn a Full Bid (registration cost only) to the NFL FLAG Canadian Championships. 

 Q: Who advances to the NFL FLAG Championships at Pro Bowl Games? 

A: The winner of the NFL FLAG Canadian Championship will earn a Full Bid (registration cost only) to the NFL FLAG Championships at Pro Bowl Games to represent Team Canada in the International Division. 

Q: How old do you have to be to be a coach for a team? 

A: You have to be 16 years old