Official's Guide to Football Canada Tackle Rules 2026-27

The Referee takes primary charge of the game and guides and directs the other officials. The Referee applies the rules, assesses penalties and rules on disputes or situations not covered by the rules. The Referee's decision on any situation in the game is final, and the Referee may overrule any other official.

Other duties in the rule book:

• Remove any sideline official if necessary and require an immediate replacement.
• Test the game balls 30 minutes before the game; the Referee's decision on their suitability is final.
• Report irregularities in field markings or ground rules to the captains before the game and review them with the other officials.
• Keep the count of downs, subject to a check with the Down Judge.
• Take position behind Team A, and be responsible for determining whether the ball is put into play legally and for covering the passer and kicker and their opponents.
• Mark the out-of-bounds spot when a ball goes out of bounds in flight, and rule on lateral passes behind the line of scrimmage and the position of onside players on an onside kick.
• Indicate the end of each period by whistle and by signalling the timer, and have the captains warned when 3 minutes remain in the half-time interval.

All field officials are equally responsible for the orderly conduct of the game and the enforcement of the rules, and no agreement may prevent the calling of any foul by any official against either team.

Source: Canadian Amateur Rule Book for Tackle Football 2026-2027, Rule 2, Sections 2 and 3.

• Each field official carries a whistle and a red marker.
• Throwing the marker indicates an infraction, but play continues until a whistle sounds.
• A whistle while the ball is in play makes the ball dead and stops the game. In the event of injury, the whistle should not be sounded until the ball is dead.
• The nearest official marks the out-of-bounds spot, and the appropriate official marks the spot of forward progress, which is the point of the next play.
• The Referee whistles to show the ball is ready for play and signals "time is in" with a downward sweep of the arm from the overhead position.

Reporting a foul: the official reports it to the Referee immediately if the ball is dead, or as soon as it is dead if the ball is alive. The Referee gives a preliminary signal to show the nature of the foul, then gives the player's number, the penalty signal and the assessment, and signals that the ball is again ready for play. The Referee explains to the non-offending captain how the penalty applies, or any option available if the captain refuses it, and is the sole means of communication between officials and the team captains or coaches.

Any field official who sees a player showing signs, symptoms or behaviours consistent with a concussion (such as loss of consciousness, headache, dizziness, confusion or balance problems) reports their concerns through the Referee to the head coach or appropriate health-care professional.

Source: Canadian Amateur Rule Book for Tackle Football 2026-2027, Rule 2, Sections 2 and 3.

• Touchdown: 6 points
• Field goal: 3 points
• Safety touch: 2 points
• Rouge (single point): 1 point
• Convert: 1 or 2 points

After a touchdown, a team may attempt a convert by one scrimmage play, at any point on or between the hash marks or from any point on or outside the opponent's 5-yard line within the hash marks. A kicked field goal convert is worth 1 point and, if unsuccessful, the ball is dead immediately. The team with the majority of points wins.

Source: Canadian Amateur Rule Book for Tackle Football 2026-2027, Rule 3, Section 1 and Section 2, Article 5.

A rouge (1 point) is scored when the ball becomes dead in possession of a team in its own end zone, or goes out of bounds in its end zone, as a result of the ball having been kicked into the end zone by an opponent.

• If a player catches a kicked ball in the field of play while moving toward their goal line and, in the official's judgment, momentum carries them into their end zone, possession is deemed to have been gained in the end zone.
• On a kick-off, the ball must touch the ground, a player or an official, in bounds, after being kicked for the kicking team to score a rouge. If it is kicked directly out of bounds, in flight, in the end zone, no point is awarded and the receiving team scrimmages first down at its own 20-yard line, anywhere on or between the hash marks.
• A rouge can also be awarded because of a foul under Rule 8, Section 4, Article 1, provided the ball has been kicked into the end zone.

Restart: after a rouge, the team scored against scrimmages as first down at any point between the hash marks on its own 35-yard line. If the rouge came from an unsuccessful field goal attempt, that team may instead choose any point on or between the hash marks at the previous line of scrimmage.

Source: Canadian Amateur Rule Book for Tackle Football 2026-2027, Rule 3, Section 2, Article 4.

The rule book calls this the restraining zone foul (Rule 5, Section 4, Article 1). Officials signal it with signal 37, "No yards" (arms folded at shoulder height). It applies to a kick from scrimmage that crosses the line of scrimmage, a return kick or an open-field kick, when a player is offside in relation to the kicker. It does not apply to a dribbled ball or to a kick that does not cross the line of scrimmage. The benefit of any doubt goes to the receiver.

Such a player:

• shall not touch, or be touched by, the ball; and
• shall allow 5 yards to an opponent attempting to gain possession. The zone is a circle with a 5-yard radius centred on the ball at the instant it is first touched.

Interfering with a receiver attempting to gain possession, with or without contact, is also a foul. The kicker or an onside player may be the first to legally enter the zone to recover the ball, but may not contact the receiver except in a legitimate attempt to recover it.

Penalty in the field of play: L15 (loss of 15 yards) from the point the ball was touched, or L5 from the point the ball was dead (PBD); if the ball strikes the ground before being touched by the receiving team, L5. The rule book adds that, for levels lower than college or junior, league executives may reduce the 15-yard penalty to 10 yards, and field officials should be told in writing.

Source: Canadian Amateur Rule Book for Tackle Football 2026-2027, Rule 5 Section 4 and Officials' Signals.

Line players are Team A players whose head and shoulders are within 1 yard of the line of scrimmage, on their own side, in a single line at the snap. They include the 5 ineligible interior players and the two eligible receivers, one at each end (Rule 4, Section 1, Article 4; Section 3, Article 3).

Legal formation at the snap:

• At least seven Team A players must be within 1 yard of the line of scrimmage and on their own side, not counting the quarterback position.
• Team A needs at least 5 interior line players identified as ineligible receivers in a continuous, unbroken line, plus an identified eligible receiver at each end.
• No stationary Team A player may be in a position that creates doubt about whether they are on the line or in the backfield.

Motion:

• A player at either end of the line may be in motion while within 1 yard of the line of scrimmage, but must not be moving towards the opponent's goal line when the ball is put into play.
• Line players who have taken a three-point or four-point stance may not break it by lifting a hand, and may not move in any direction immediately before the snap. All Team A line players, including the centre, must be stationary and motionless for at least one second immediately before the snap.
• A Team A player in the backfield who is moving forward anywhere between the eligible end(s) and tackle(s) is also considered an eligible receiver while onside at the snap, including the quarterback position.

The penalty for these line and stance violations is printed in the rule book as "1.2D - L5 DR, 3D DG - L5 DR, 3D DNG - LB PBD", and the Summary of Penalties lists each one (for example, "Motion after 3 or 4 point stance" and "Wingline in motion prior to snap" under Illegal Scrimmage, Rule 4 Section 3 Article 4).

Source: Canadian Amateur Rule Book for Tackle Football 2026-2027, Rule 4 Sections 1 and 3.

Legal numbers are 0 to 99.

• Eligible pass receivers: numbers 0-49 and 80-99.
• Ineligible pass receivers: numbers 50-79, regardless of the position they take in the line or behind it, unless they have reported to the Referee as eligible (Rule 4, Section 3, Article 1).

On any play from scrimmage, any number of positions may be occupied by inappropriately numbered players who have reported to the Referee as eligible or ineligible. A player may report for a play, a series or the game, and must report again if the situation changes.

A Team A player wearing 0-49 or 80-99 is eligible if they are:

• at either end of the scrimmage line at the snap;
• clearly back of the scrimmage line at the snap; or
• in forward motion from a backfield position and within one yard of the line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped.

An ineligible receiver may not be the first Team A player to catch the ball or touch it in an attempt to catch it before an eligible receiver touches it. The printed penalty is "1.2D - L10 DR, 3D DG - L10 DR, DNG - LB PLS or PBD" (loss of 10 yards, down repeated, on 1st and 2nd down).

Ineligible receivers may not go downfield beyond the neutral zone unless they make contact with an opponent in the neutral zone and keep that contact as they move downfield.

Source: Canadian Amateur Rule Book for Tackle Football 2026-2027, Rule 4 Section 3 and Rule 6 Section 4.

Time outs: each team gets two time outs in each half, and each lasts 1 minute. Any player, the head coach or the designated head coach may request one from the time the ball becomes dead until it is put into play. Time outs cannot be carried from one half to the next. After a time out and any conference with the coaches, Team A players must return to their huddle or move clearly away from the team bench area, or be penalized for illegal procedure (L5 from the previous line of scrimmage, down repeated).

3-minute warning: the Down Judge or Line Judge notifies the Referee when 3 minutes of play remain in each half. The Referee notifies the captains, and the nearest official notifies the coaches of each team. The Down Judge also notifies the Referee when 1 minute remains in each period, after being told by the timekeeper.

After the 3-minute warning, time stops whenever the ball becomes dead (Rule 1, Section 5, Article 2).

Source: Canadian Amateur Rule Book for Tackle Football 2026-2027, Rule 1 Section 5 and Rule 2 Sections 3 and 7.

Mercy rule: any time after the first half, if the score difference reaches 35 points or more, the clock runs for the rest of the game, except for injuries, scores, time outs or any reason the Referee deems necessary to stop it. When the clock has been stopped, it restarts under the normal timing rule (Rule 1, Section 5, Article 1). The rule book notes the mercy rule does not apply at U Sports and CJFL levels (Rule 1, Section 5, Article 5).

Tie game: if the score is tied after the 4th period and a winner is needed, the governing football association decides the procedure, with the athlete's safety of prime importance. It must be communicated in writing to both teams and the Referee before the game. If none has been prepared, the rule book's default applies:

• Officials send both teams to their team areas, then hold a coin toss at centre field.
• The toss winner chooses offence or defence, or which end of the field is used. The loser takes the remaining option for the first extra period.
• Each team gets the ball on or between the hash marks at the opponent's 35-yard line and keeps it until it scores or fails to make a first down.
• Any touchdown must be followed by a two-point convert attempt.
• There are no team time outs in overtime.

Source: Canadian Amateur Rule Book for Tackle Football 2026-2027, Rule 1.