AMF i The BUCS American Football Championships shall be conducted in accordance with the following BUCS sport specific regulations, the BUCS general regulations, and the British American Football Association (BAFA) Rulebook (in force on 1 September of the current BUCS season).
AMF ii In the event that these regulations contradict the BUCS general regulations these BUCS sport specific regulations will supersede, unless specifically stated otherwise.
AMF iii In the event that these regulations contradict the British American Football Association (BAFA) Rulebook (in force on 1 September of the current BUCS season), these BUCS sport specific regulations will supersede, unless specifically stated otherwise.
AMF iv The gender eligibility criteria for the BUCS American Football Championships will be determined as per REG 4.3.
*Notification of changes to BAFA Rulebook for 2026-27 season and 2027-28 season*
See here for changes to the BAFA Rulebook for the 2026-27 season, including notice of a change for the 2027-28 season regarding helmets.
See here, here, and here for changes to the BAFA Rulebook for the 2025-26, 2024-25, and 2023-24 seasons, including notice of some changes for the 2026-27 season.
AMF 1 Open Championships There shall be an Open Team Championships. The programme shall include leagues and knockout competitions as per BUCS general regulations, Appendix 1 (‘BUCS Competition Offer and Associated BUCS Points’) and Appendix 10 (‘BUCS Promotion, Relegation and Knockout Information’).
AMF 2 Affiliations All institutions/Playing Entities, players, coaches and sideline personnel must be affiliated as per the requirements of the BUCS Sport Specific Affiliations Document. Failure to affiliate by the deadlines stated in the BUCS Sport Specific Affiliations Document will result in sanctions being imposed as outlined in the BUCS Sport Specific Affiliations Document and the possibility of further disciplinary action.
AMF 3 Playing surface All matches should be played on surfaces which meet the requirements of BAFA Rule 1-2-9. It is the responsibility of the first named (home) team when confirming the fixture (note REG 9.5) to advise the opposition team and all match officials of the playing surface and on any footwear restrictions (note REG 9.3.3).
AMF 4 Goalposts
AMF 4.1 Premier Tier leagues and National Championship and National Vase knockout competitions Matches shall be played with goalposts as a minimum standard.
AMF 4.2 All other leagues and knockout competitions Teams can agree to play without goalposts.
AMF 5 Duration of play BAFA Rule 3-2-1 is amended so that the maximum total playing time shall be 48 minutes, divided into four periods of 12 minutes each, with one-minute intermissions between the first and second periods (first half) and between the third and fourth periods (second half).
AMF 6 Ties in league matches A tie can occur in a league match and it shall be recorded as a draw.
AMF 7 Ties in knockout matches Ties are not permitted in knockout matches. If at the end of the fourth period the score is tied, then extra periods shall be played as per BAFA Rule 3-1-3.
AMF 8 Fixture confirmation REG 9.5 shall apply, however as well as communicating fixture confirmation information to the away team’s Athletic Union (or equivalent) in writing, via their own Athletic Union (or equivalent), home teams should also ensure that this is communicated to BAFRA/any appointed officials.
AMF 9 Match officials and officials' assistants
AMF 9.1 BAFRA (British American Football Referees Association) endeavours to appoint officials to as many BUCS American Football fixtures as possible. Appointments are based on the availability of officials geographically and teams are informed as soon as appointments are confirmed throughout the season by BAFRA. The minimum appointment is outlined in Appendix 5 (‘BUCS Match Officials Requirements’).
AMF 9.2 If a BAFRA Officials Crew assigned to a fixture do not turn up the game will be postponed unless both Head Coaches agree to the game taking place with interim officials as per AMF 9.4.
AMF 9.3 If BAFRA cannot provide officials for a fixture and the teams have been notified of this at least 48 hours (outside of weekends and bank holidays) before the fixture start time, then the teams must make provision for the game to take place with interim officials as per AMF 9.4.
AMF 9.4 Where interim officials are to be used:
AMF 9.4.1 Unless otherwise agreed in writing by both teams before the start of play, as a minimum, the home team must provide the Referee and a Line Judge, and the away team a Head Linesman. Under no circumstances may a game commence, nor proceed if suspended, if there are fewer than three interim officials. If a fourth interim official is available (from either team), they will act as Umpire.
AMF 9.4.2 All interim officials must be licensed (as defined in BAFA Rule 13-8-4/Rule 13-8-5), meet the minimum officiating requirement (as defined in BAFA Rule 13-8-6-e) and have undertaken the reading of the rules of the game as provided by BAFA and the BUCS sport specific regulations.
AMF 9.4.3 Interim officials should refer to the BAFA Guide to Self-Officiating including all appendices and complete the Game Day Audit/Checklist.
AMF 9.4.4 The name of each interim official, the club they are registered with and which team provided them shall be recorded on both teams' rosters (see AMF 12) which shall be submitted to both BAFRA and BUCS after the game.
AMF 9.4.5 Interim officials will have the same powers as appointed officials and must be treated with equal respect.
AMF 9.5 Officials provided by BAFRA must be paid in accordance with the BAFRA Terms and Conditions which are detailed in the BAFA Rulebook. Interim officials will be paid as per any agreement made between them and the home team.
AMF 9.6 In relation to BAFA rule 13-4-1, the home team must provide at least five people to act as officials' assistants (ball persons and chain crew). If a team does not have at least five people dedicated to act as officials' assistants, they must remove players from their playing squad to cover this. Playing squad members nominated to act as officials' assistants are interchangeable at appropriate times throughout the match but must be wearing clothing other than their playing uniform.
AMF 10 Minimum number of players for a fixture to start or continue In relation to BAFA regulation 5.1 and BAFA rule 13-8-6, the minimum number of players required for a fixture to start will be 22.
AMF 11 Coaches
AMF 11.1 In relation to BAFA rule 13-8-6 and BAFA regulation 5.1, for each match, each team must have, at the field, a minimum of three licensed (as defined in BAFA rule 13-8-4) coaches who all hold at least a current valid BAFCA level 1 qualification. One of the three coaches must hold a current valid BAFCA level 2 or higher qualification. This minimum needs to be met for the duration of the match.
AMF 11.2 Teams should show their opposition and the Referee a completed BUCS American Football Coaches and Sideline Personnel Roster listing all registered coaches obtained from the BAFA Just Go membership website. This can be viewed online or printed in hard copy as long as the date it was generated is shown.
AMF 12 Roster Before each match, in addition to completing BUCS Team Sheets as per REG 11.2, teams must supply their opposition and the Referee with a roster listing all players, coaches and other sideline personnel as per BAFA regulation 5. All individuals on this roster must meet the requirements of AMF 2. A BAFRA Roster Form should be used, but if a team does not have one available then an alternative form can be submitted as long as it captures the same required information.
AMF 13 Playing conditions Should the match officials (including interim officials) deem the game unplayable due to the conditions then the game must not take place on that field for the remainder of the day pending a favourable reinspection by said officials. Alternative fields can be sought and approved by the officials present.
AMF 14 League points
AMF 14.1 Two points will be awarded for a win, one point for a draw and no points for a loss.
AMF 14.2 Where a walkover has been awarded/conceded (REG 13), two points shall be given to the non-offending team and two points deducted from the offending team.
AMF 14.3 No points will be awarded to either team in the case of a void fixture.
AMF 15 Calculating final league positions
AMF 15.1 Final league positions will be primarily based on league points accumulated. However, should there be any ties on points within a league, they shall be split using the sequential system of tiebreaker steps detailed in AMF 15.2–AMF 15.8.
AMF 15.2 If after the application of a step the number of tied teams is reduced, but two or more teams remain tied, the tiebreaker criteria from that step shall be reapplied again to any remaining tied teams, before, if required, moving to the next step. For the avoidance of doubt, this will also apply where four or more teams are tied and may then split into two or more separate groupings of tied teams.
AMF 15.3 For any tiebreaker step where data from fixtures across the whole league is used, if the tie on league points has been effected by any walkovers conceded to the teams tied or any void fixtures involving these teams, any results against the team(s) which conceded the walkover(s) or the team(s) involved in the void fixtures (i.e. all the results between the teams tied on league points and the team(s) conceding the walkover(s)/void match(es)) will not be included in the calculation.
AMF 15.4 The teams tied will be ranked based on voluntary walkovers conceded (the lower the better).
AMF 15.5 The teams tied will be ranked based on average league points accumulated from fixtures between the tied teams (the higher the better).
AMF 15.6 The teams tied will be ranked based on average points conceded from fixtures fulfilled between the tied teams (the lower the better).
AMF 15.7 The teams tied will be ranked based on average points conceded from fixtures fulfilled across the whole league (the lower the better).
AMF 15.8 If a tie cannot be broken using the above system, then the final league positions of any teams still tied shall be determined by the BUCS Executive drawing lots.
AMF 16 Knockout competition draws
AMF 16.1 National Championship For the National Championship knockout competition, the Semi-Final draw, involving the top four teams from the Premier Tier National league, will be determined based on league positions. There will be no seeding, and teams will progress through a pre-determined bracket draw with the first named (home) teams hosting the Semi-Final matches.
AMF 16.2 National Vase For the National Vase knockout competition, the Quarter-Final draw, involving the top four teams from the Premier Tier North and South leagues, will be determined based on league positions. There will be no seeding, and teams will progress through a pre-determined bracket draw with the first named (home) teams hosting the Quarter-Final and Semi-Final matches.
AMF 16.3 National Trophy For the National Trophy knockout competition, the Round of 16 draw involves the top two teams from each Tier 1 league, plus the two best performing third placed teams from the three ‘North’ leagues and the two best performing third placed teams from the three ‘South’ leagues. The best performing teams shall be calculated through the application of AMF 16.5. Teams will progress through a pre-determined bracket draw, split ‘North’ and ‘South’, with the first named (home) team hosting the Round of 16, Quarter-Final and Semi-Final matches. Within these brackets, the initial draw will be based on ‘seedings’ calculated using the application of AMF 16.5 across first placed teams, then second placed teams and then third placed teams.
AMF 16.4 Conference Cups For the Conference Cup North and South knockout competitions, the Quarter-Final draws will involve the top two teams from each of the respective Tier 2 leagues, plus the two best performing third placed teams from these leagues. The best performing teams shall be calculated through the application of AMF 16.5. Teams will progress through a pre-determined bracket draw with the first named (home) team hosting the Quarter-Final and Semi-Final matches. The initial draw will be based on ‘seedings’ calculated using the application of AMF 16.5 across first placed teams, then second placed teams and then third placed teams.
AMF 16.5 When there is the requirement to establish the best performing team(s) across multiple leagues and 'seedings' for the National Trophy and Conference Cups, the following processes will be used:
AMF 16.5.1 Where the teams to be compared were all scheduled the same number of league fixtures, they will be primarily ranked based on league points accumulated. However, should there be any ties on points, they shall be split using the sequential system of tiebreaker steps detailed in AMF 16.5.1.1–AMF 16.5.1.3.
AMF 16.5.1.1 The teams tied will be ranked based on voluntary walkovers conceded (the lower the better).
AMF 16.5.1.2 The teams tied will be ranked based on average points conceded from fixtures fulfilled (the lower the better).
AMF 16.5.1.3 If a tie cannot be broken using the above system, then the rankings of any teams still tied shall be determined by the BUCS Executive drawing lots.
AMF 16.5.2 Where the teams to be compared were not all scheduled the same number of league fixtures, they will be primarily ranked based on average league points per match. However, should there be any ties on average league points per match, they shall be split using the sequential system of tiebreaker steps detailed in AMF 16.5.2.1–AMF 16.5.2.3.
AMF 16.5.2.1 The teams tied will be ranked based on voluntary walkovers conceded (the lower the better).
AMF 16.5.2.2 The teams tied will be ranked based on average points conceded from fixtures fulfilled (the lower the better).
AMF 16.5.2.3 If a tie cannot be broken using the above system, then the rankings of any teams still tied shall be determined by the BUCS Executive drawing lots.
AMF 17 Rearrangement of postponed and abandoned league matches and knockout competition matches (except for finals) REG 14.3 and REG 14.4 shall apply, however, as well as avoiding any prescheduled BUCS fixture on BUCS Play, any date offered must also adhere to BAFA rule 13-8-8.
AMF 18 Additional Premier (National)/National Championship specific requirements
AMF 18.1 Minimum Operating Standards Institutions/Playing Entities must conform to the BUCS American Football Premier (National) Minimum Operating Standards (MOS). These are outlined in a separate document and managed by the BUCS Executive directly with institutions/Playing Entities. The MOS document is to be observed in conjunction with the BUCS general regulations and American Football sport specific regulations, but teams cannot play under protest (REG 12) nor submit a Match Appeal (REG 15) in relation to breaches of the MOS as there is a separate sanctions process for dealing with these.
