International American Football Officials Association

Manual of Football Officiating (20th, 2026 edition)

Jim Briggs

See the copyright notice for details of how you may use these pages.

Status

This is the 20th (2026) edition.

Changes from the previous (19th) edition are highlighted in beige in the HTML version and in blue text in the PDF version. (This currently shows even minor changes.)

These changes come from the following sources:

issues discussed at recent BAFRA/IFAF clinics
issues discussed at recent IFAF tournaments
recent NCAA/CFO pronouncements on rule interpretation
corrections/amendments proposed by various people
comments received from reviewers

Errata list

Chapters


HTML format	PDF
FOREWORD & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS	PDF
CONTENTS	PDF
Chapter 1 - INTRODUCTION	PDF
Chapter 2 - CHANGES TO MECHANICS	PDF
Chapter 3 - RULES APPLICATION	PDF
Chapter 4 - PRE-GAME CHECKLISTS	PDF
Chapter 5 - GENERAL PRINCIPLES	PDF
Chapter 6 - GENERAL MECHANICS	PDF
Chapter 7 - PRE-GAME CONFERENCE	PDF
Chapter 8 - BEFORE THE KICKOFF	PDF
Chapter 9 - REFEREE AND CENTRE JUDGE	PDF
Chapter 10 - UMPIRE	PDF
Chapter 11 - DOWN JUDGE AND LINE JUDGE (CREW OF 4/5/6C)	PDF
Chapter 12 - BACK JUDGE (CREW OF 5/6C)	PDF
Chapter 13 - DOWN JUDGE AND LINE JUDGE (CREW OF 6D/7/8)	PDF
Chapter 14 - FIELD JUDGE AND SIDE JUDGE (CREW OF 6D/7/8)	PDF
Chapter 15 - BACK JUDGE (CREW OF 7/8)	PDF
Chapter 16 - PASS PLAY COVERAGE	PDF
Chapter 17 - TIMEOUTS	PDF
Chapter 18 - MEASUREMENTS	PDF
Chapter 19 - CALLING FOULS	PDF
Chapter 20 - TIMING AND THE END OF PERIODS	PDF
Chapter 21 - USE OF BEAN BAGS	PDF
Chapter 22 - CHAIN CREW AND BALL PERSONS	PDF
Chapter 23 - MECHANICS FOR CREW OF 3	PDF
Chapter 24 - VIDEO REVIEW	PDF
Chapter 25 - RADIO COMMUNICATIONS	PDF
Chapter 26 - AREAS OF COVERAGE	PDF
Chapter 27 - SUPPLEMENTARY SIGNALS	PDF
Chapter 28 - PENALTY CODES	PDF
Chapter 29 - INDEX	PDF

Entire book	PDF