I make a big rectangular field of cones and use 2 taller cones to divide it in half.

The ball carriers have a goal to run from one end zone to another with a ball tucked in without getting their flag pulled or running out of bounds.

All kids are wearing football belts and I do assign 2 colors. Anyone can win a football from anyone. On the whistle, the ball carrier "X's" take off. I'll randomly pick a few kids to get footballs. In my diagram, you can see that the kids who get to chase them down first...the yellow belted kids. If ball carriers make it past the tall cones in the middle of the field, the yellow belted kids can't get them anymore and the blue belted kids can to try to chase and pull a belt. If the ball carrier makes it past the blue kids, they get to play another round and keep their ball. If their belt is pulled or run out of bounds, they give the ball to the person who caught them. The new owner of the football will hold it in the air and walk it to the other end of the field for the next round. The child who lost the football puts their belt back on and becomes a defender with the goal of winning a football back!

Next round: the ball carriers will start on the other end of the field so the blue belted kids will get to chase the ball carrier's first, then if the ball runners get past the tall cones then the yellow belted kids can try to pull a belt.

Keeping the belted kids separated because it spreads them by preventing 20+ defenders from standing almost on top of the ball carriers and the second they step onto the field, their belt is pulled because the ball carrier doesn't even have a chance!

You will have children who are very good. They will run back and forth for MANY rounds without a belt being pulled. So I make a general rule that if you have kept your football for three rounds in a row, you should give it to another classmate so they can have a chance!

I also have large classes of kids so I will let the kids sub divide themselves into a more competitive and less competitive group so the kids can play against people who are like minded which makes things more fun.