| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 19, 2025
Clarification of The New NFHS Arm Covering Standard for High School Football
The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Football Rules Committee, in collaboration with the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), has announced a new arm covering standard for high school football game play.
This standard will take effect during the 2027 football season. Arm coverings may meet the standard prior to the 2027 football season, but they are not required to.
Key Dates and Requirements:
- Testing Submission: Brands can submit their products to SFIA/Exponent for testing starting August 1, 2025.
- Certification Process: Companies wishing to participate in the certification program must sign an SFIA Licensing Agreement and meet specifications verified through third-party testing conducted by Exponent testing laboratory.
- Requesting Documentation: Interested parties can obtain the license agreement and standard specifications by contacting Gregg Hartley with SFIA. License agreements must be signed and returned to SFIA before testing can begin.
- Arm Coverings Without Silicone or Grip-Enhancing components are exempt from the certification process, however, Exponent offers visual testing at a significantly reduced cost for brands seeking confirmation that their arm coverings are legal for game play.
Similar to the existing standard for football gloves, the new arm covering standard applies to products with silicone or other grip-enhancing components. Brands producing grip-enhanced arm coverings must meet the certification requirements to ensure compliance with the standard. Certification will be by Exponent, Inc, an independent, third-party test facility, who also certifies football gloves to the SFIA standard. Coverings are defined as any material that covers the arm from the wrist to the shoulder.
The NFHS Football Rules Committee announced the requirement for this new standard in February 2025. It is important to note that this is a fairness standard, not a safety standard, aimed at maintaining fair competition in high school football.
For more information, or to request license agreements and standard specifications, please contact Greg Hartley (SFIA) at greggconsulting@icloud.com
NFHS Clarification Statement on Football Arm Coverings
| NFHS Football Rules Equipment Situations – September 2025
1. FOOTBALL ARM SLEEVES
Situation: Football game officials in some states have been requiring that the football arm sleeves players have been wearing during the game, needs to be removed because it does not have the new official SFIA seal on it.
Answer: All football arm sleeves do not have to have the official SFIA seal on it until the 2027 football season. A player can wear a football arm sleeve that does not have the official SFIA seal on it yet.
NFHS Football Rule 1-5-2d: d. Effective 2027, arm sleeves, whether attached to a shirt or unattached, manufactured to enhance contact with the football or opponent must meet the SFIA Specification at the time of manufacture. Arm sleeves must have a permanent exact replica of the SFIA arm sleeve seal (meets SFIA Specification) (Figure 1-5-2d), that must be visible and appear legibly on the exterior of the arm sleeve.
Similar to the existing standard for football gloves, the new arm covering standard applies to products with silicone or other grip-enhancing components. Brands producing grip-enhanced arm coverings must meet the certification requirements to ensure compliance with the standard. Certification will be by Exponent, Inc, an independent, third-party test facility, who also certifies football gloves to the SFIA standard. Coverings are defined as any material that covers the arm from the wrist to the shoulder.
2. FOOTBALL STREAMER TYPE TOWELS
Situation: States have been reporting that a lot of players are wearing a football streamer type towel on their pants and have been allowed to continue to play in the game wearing this particular type of towel.
Answer: Illegal Equipment and the football streamer type towel needs to be removed if it does not meet the minimum size specifications (no less than 4 inches in width and 12 inches in length) and the maximum size specifications (no greater than 18 inches in width and 36 inches in length).
NFHS Football Rule 1-5-3a(5)a:
(a) One moisture-absorbing solid-colored towel that:
(1) is not ball- or penalty flag-colored;
(2) is no less than 4 inches in width and 12 inches in length;
(3) is no greater than 18 inches in width and 36 inches in length;
(4) has no more than one visible manufacturer’s logo/trademark reference that does
not exceed 2¼ square inches and does not exceed 2¼ inches in any dimension; and
(5) has no more than one school logo/trademark reference that does not exceed 2¼
square inches and does not exceed 2¼ inches in any dimension.
2025 NFHS Football Rules Equipment Situations
2025 NFHS Football Rule Changes |
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