British American Football Association BAFA Rules Committee

BAFA Rules Committee

Uniforms: helmets and facemasks

As a general principle, any facemask with five or more horizontal bars below the eyes is not permissible. The exception is the facemask below - because of the larger gap between bars 2 and 3 and between 4 and 5, it is permissible.

 

Frequently asked questions

Why are tinted and reflective eye shields banned?

There are two reasons for this:

  1. If a player is possibly unconscious, medical personnel must be able to see their eyes.
  2. It is unfair if your opponent can't see which direction you are looking in.