Unleashed Flag Foundation Gauntlet Series: Snatch Fest

SNATCH FEST — ZORTS EVENT DESCRIPTION

SNATCH FEST is the next stop on THE GAUNTLET — Unleashed Flag Foundation Event Series, coming to Redding, California, December 12–13, 2026.

This Christmas-themed tournament is an official Gauntlet Opening Event, giving teams another opportunity to enter the series, compete for championships, earn advancement benefits, and establish preferential seeding on the road to Qualifiers → Nationals → Worlds.

Every game matters. Every finish matters. Survive the Gauntlet.

EVENT DETAILS

Dates: December 12–13, 2026
Location: Redding, California
Format: 5v5 Flag Football
Entry Fee: $400 per team
Roster Maximum: 12 athletes
Game Guarantee: 4 games
Age Cutoff: August 1, 2026
Rules: Official Unleashed Gauntlet 5v5 Flag Football Rulebook + Official Gauntlet Series Rules

Girls and boys divisions may be intermixed throughout Saturday and Sunday based on the final tournament schedule. Divisions are not guaranteed to compete exclusively on one specific day.

GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISIONS

8U | 10U | 12U | 14U | 16U | High School

The Girls High School division is a TRUE ENROLLMENT DIVISION. Athletes participating in the High School division must be actively and academically enrolled in high school during the 2026–27 school year.

SELECT BOYS DIVISIONS

6U | 8U | 10U | 12U

TOURNAMENT FORMAT

All divisions compete in 5v5 flag football under the Official Unleashed Gauntlet Rulebook.

Each registered team is guaranteed a minimum of 4 games, barring circumstances covered by the Official Gauntlet weather and cancellation policy.

Standard tournament format:

3 Pool Play Games + Minimum 1 Bracket Game

Pool-play results determine bracket positioning, followed by single-elimination bracket play.

All athletes must satisfy the required registration, roster and player-verification requirements.

THE GAUNTLET ADVANCEMENT PATH

OPENERS → QUALIFIERS → NATIONALS → WORLDS

Snatch Fest is an official Gauntlet Opening Event.

The TOP 8 TEAMS IN EACH DIVISION automatically qualify for the Gauntlet Qualifier stage and receive preferential seeding consideration.

SNATCH FEST → QUALIFIERS

1st Place — PAID ENTRY to a Gauntlet Qualifier

2nd Place — PAID ENTRY to a Gauntlet Qualifier

3rd Place — 50% ENTRY BID to a Gauntlet Qualifier

4th Place — 50% ENTRY BID to a Gauntlet Qualifier

5th–8th Place — Automatic Qualification to a Gauntlet Qualifier

If a team has already earned an equal or greater advancement award at another Gauntlet Opening Event, duplicate paid or half bids will roll down to the next highest-finishing eligible team within that division.

YOU MUST ENTER THE GAUNTLET TO ADVANCE

Teams must actually participate in at least ONE official Gauntlet Opening Event during the 2026–27 series to be eligible to compete in a Gauntlet Qualifier.

Simply registering for an Opening Event without participating does not satisfy this requirement.

Teams that have already competed in another Gauntlet Opening Event may still compete at Snatch Fest to improve their finish, compete for championships, and strengthen their position within the series.

You cannot skip the journey and appear at the finish line.

SERIES PATHWAY

Opening Events establish the field.

The Top 8 advance to the Qualifier stage.

At the Qualifiers, up to the Top 12 teams per division, subject to available capacity, advance to Nationals.

At Nationals, the Top 8 teams per division advance to Worlds, with the Top 2 earning paid bids and the Top 4 receiving preferential Worlds seeding.

OPENERS → QUALIFIERS → NATIONALS → WORLDS

ROSTERS & ELIGIBILITY

Teams are permitted a maximum of 12 athletes per roster and a maximum of 2 coaches.

The official Gauntlet age cutoff is August 1, 2026.

Eligible athletes may participate in different age divisions; however:

THE GAUNTLET WILL NOT ALTER, DELAY OR REBUILD TOURNAMENT SCHEDULES TO ACCOMMODATE DUAL-ROSTERED ATHLETES.

If games overlap, the athlete and organization assume that scheduling risk.

An athlete may not compete for two different teams within the same division.

OFFICIAL RULES

Snatch Fest will follow the Official Unleashed Gauntlet 5v5 Flag Football Rulebook for gameplay.

The Official Gauntlet Series Rules govern eligibility, rosters, tournament format, seeding, advancement, bids, payments, refunds, conduct, protests, weather and series administration.

Coaches are responsible for reviewing both documents before tournament competition.

CHAMPIONSHIP AWARDS

Division champions will receive:

🏆 CHAMPIONSHIP RINGS
🚩 CHAMPIONSHIP FLAGS

Teams are also competing for their position within The Gauntlet and the opportunity to continue toward Qualifiers, Nationals and Worlds.

REGISTRATION & REFUND POLICY

Teams may secure their tournament spot by paying the required deposit or paying the registration fee in full.

14+ Days Before Tournament — 100% Refundable

9–13 Days Before Tournament — 50% Refundable

8 Days or Fewer Before Tournament — NON-REFUNDABLE

Refund eligibility is determined by the date a written withdrawal request is received by Unleashed Flag Foundation.

Beginning 8 calendar days before the tournament, deposits and registration payments become final and non-refundable.

Team-initiated withdrawals involving schedule conflicts, travel issues, roster availability, injuries, failure to attend or similar circumstances do not create an exception to the refund policy.

WEATHER & EVENT CANCELLATION

Player, coach, official and spectator safety takes priority.

Weather delays do not automatically cancel the tournament or create a refund. Tournament Administration may modify start times, game lengths, pools, brackets, field assignments or other operational details when necessary to safely continue competition.

If Unleashed Flag Foundation cancels the entire tournament before play begins and does not reschedule it, registered teams will be offered either a:

100% refund of tournament registration fees paid

OR

100% credit toward another Gauntlet event

Unleashed Flag Foundation is not responsible for third-party travel, lodging, transportation, meal or other expenses.

CHRISTMAS IN THE GAUNTLET

Snatch Fest brings a Christmas twist to The Gauntlet, but once the flags go on, it's competition time.

Come to Redding ready to represent your organization, compete for a championship, earn your position and continue your journey through the series.

$400 ENTRY • 5v5 • 4 GAMES GUARANTEED • GIRLS & BOYS

TOP 2 PAID ENTRY TO QUALIFIER
3RD & 4TH HALF BID TO QUALIFIER
TOP 8 ADVANCE

SURVIVE THE GAUNTLET. EARN YOUR BID. REACH WORLDS.

UNLEASHED FLAG FOUNDATION

Building athletes. Developing leaders. Strengthening communities.