Flag football is a version of American football that is popular across the Unite States. The basic rules of the game are similar to those of the professional game, but instead of tackling players to the ground, the defensive team must remove a flag or flag belt from the ball carrier ("deflagging") to end a down. In most organized play, players wear a belt. Flag football was designed in an effort to minimize injuries that playing tackle football could bring. Over the years, however, contact leagues have emerged, where offensive and defensive players can block in certain zones or downfield, adding to the myriad styles of the game.