Official Rules of Ultimate · 2026-2027
6. Game Structure
Quiz me on this section →6.A.
Start of the game:
6.A.1.
Representatives of the two teams fairly determine which team chooses to
6.A.1.a.
receive or throw the initial pull; or
6.A.1.b.
which end zone they wish to initially defend.
6.A.2.
The other team gets the remaining choice.
6.A.3.
The second half begins with a reversal of the initial choices.
6.A.4.
If only one team fails to signal readiness for the start of a scheduled game, the opposing team may be awarded goals by the event organizer at a rate of one goal for every five minutes elapsed after the posted start time.
6.B.
The game total is the predetermined number of goals to win the game. A game is played until one team first reaches the game total.
6.B.1.
A standard game has a game total of 15.
6.C.
The halftime target is the minimum number of goals necessary to reach or exceed half of the game total. Halftime begins when one team’s score first reaches the halftime target.
6.D.
Time Caps
6.D.1.
The soft cap occurs once a predetermined time of play has elapsed. At the soft cap, play continues until the current scoring attempt is completed. If, after the current scoring attempt is completed, the game total has not yet been reached by one team, one is added to the higher score and the resulting number is the new game total.
6.D.1.a.
If the soft cap occurs during the halftime break, the new game total is one more than the higher score.
6.D.2.
The hard cap is the ending of the game once a predetermined time of play has elapsed. At the hard cap, play continues until the current scoring attempt is completed. If, after the current scoring attempt is completed, the score is tied, play continues until one additional goal is scored. Otherwise, the game ends. The team with the most goals at the end of the game is the winner.
6.D.2.a.
If the hard cap occurs during the halftime break, the game is over and the team with the higher score is the winner.
6.D.3.
The halftime cap occurs once a predetermined time of play has elapsed. At the halftime cap, play continues until the current scoring attempt is completed. If, after the current scoring attempt is completed, the halftime target has not yet been reached by one team, one is added to the higher score and the resulting number is the new halftime target.
6.D.4.
If there is a call or dispute surrounding the goal-scoring play and the resolution results in a goal being awarded, the current scoring attempt is considered to be completed at the time of the goal-scoring catch, not after the discussion.