Tournament Rules and Regulations
*This is not a complete list of soccer tournament rules. For a complete list, please contact the tournament administrators.
For Referees' Responsibilities, please click here.
-
A maximum of eighteen (18) players may be placed on each team’s roster. Changes to the roster must be made prior to registration.
-
All games consist of two (2) twenty-four (24) minute periods, separated by one 5 minute halftime period.
-
7 v 7 (6 field players + 1 goalkeeper) for ages U13 and below.
-
6 v 6 (5 field players + 1 goalkeeper) for ages U14 and above.
-
No cleated shoes allowed. Indoor soccer shoes or tennis shoes must be used.
-
Shin guards are mandatory.
-
No off-side rule in effect.
-
No three-line pass restrictions in effect.
-
No time-outs.
-
Substitutions will be made “on the fly”.
-
Penalty for an illegal substitution is a direct free kick.
-
Players must provide ten feet (10’) space on all direct free kicks.
-
Goal kicks require five feet (5’) space in any direction of the ball.
-
Players and goalkeepers are allowed five (5) seconds for goal kicks and restarts. Delays will be penalized by a turnover.
-
All restarts are three feet (3’) from the perimeter of the court.
-
All restarts are kick-ins.
-
Players may not play the ball back to the goalkeeper to be handled.
-
Players may not contact the goalkeeper inside the goal box.
-
Goals may be scored from anywhere on the court except by the offense from inside the defending team’s goal box.
-
Goals may be scored from the kickoff.
-
All players must keep on their feet at all times. No sliding except by the goalkeeper toblockshots.
-
All players must sign a medical release form to be eligible to play.
-
Do not bring practice balls to the facility. No running or kicking balls in the hallways.
-
The point system for determining team standings is as follows:
Win - 6 points
Tie - 3 points
Loss - 0 points
Shutout - 1 point
Red Card - (-1) point per card
Bonus points: 1 bonus point is awarded for each odd-numbered goal up to a maximum of three (3) bonus points per game. A team may earn a maximum of ten (10) points per game, including bonus points.
- Tie breakers: In pool play, ties will be broken by
- Head to head results.
- Most points (without bonus)
- Least goals allowed
- Most bonus points
- Goal difference (maximum of 6 differential)
- Most Shutouts
- Fewest Red Cards
- Coin Toss
- Tied games in finals: Teams will play a ten-minute (10) sudden-death overtime period. Only four (4) players per team allowed on the court. If the game is still tied at the end of ten minutes, game will end in FIFA-style penalty kicks.
-
A team not having the minimum number of players required at the start of the game will forfeit the match 3-0. There is no grace time and no exceptions. If a team forfeits at halftime or after, the official score, or 4-0, whichever is the greater, will stand as the recorded result.
- Players are not permitted to wear hats, necklaces, chains, earrings, bracelets, or rings during a game. Any cast worn by a player must be padded to the satisfaction of the referee,
- Teams are required to have matching jerseys and an alternate jersey. The team listed first on the schedule must change if there is a color conflict. Each player is required to have a number on the back of his or her jersey. No duplicate numbers allowed.
- The goalkeeper must wear colors that distinguish him or her from the field players and the referee. Goalkeepers may wear protective headgear if it is deemed acceptable by the referee (i.e. is not dangerous and does not interfere with other players).
Top of Rules Page
Fouls
General Fouls and Restrictions:
If a player commits any of the following fouls, the referee will penalize that player by awarding a direct free kick to the opposing team.
- Kicking or attempting to kick an opponent.
- Tripping an opponent.
- Jumping at an opponent.
- Charging an opponent.
- Charging an opponent in a violent or dangerous manner.
- Striking, elbowing, attempting to strike or elbow, or spitting at an opponent. Spitting calls for immediate ejection.
- Holding an opponent.
- Pushing an opponent.
- Handling the ball.
- Rough play (i.e. playing with the shoulder when the ball is not within playing distance of the players concerned.)
- Obstruction.
- Slide-tackling.
- Cursing an opponent, referee, spectator, or other use of foul language.
Penalties for foul language are at the discretion of the referee, and may include immediate ejection.
Please Note: Due to the widespread restrictions on slide-tackling and the potentially dangerous nature of the tactic in proximity to dasher boards, slide-tackling is not permitted at the St. Francis Indoor Invitational. Referees will use discretion for normal goalkeeper play within the penalty area.
Goalkeeping Restrictions:
If a goalkeeper commits any of the following fouls, play will be stopped and the opposing team will be awarded a direct free kick.
- The handling of an intentional back pass by a teammate’s feet.
- Failure to distribute the ball outside the penalty area (or to another player) within five seconds of gaining control of the ball.
- Handling or carrying the ball with the hands outside the penalty area.
- Illegal procedure – a goalkeeper who receives or carries the ball outside of the penalty area may not handle the ball within the penalty area until it is touched by another player or until play is stopped.
- Striking or throwing the ball at an opposing player, or pushing another player with the ball. If this foul is committed within the penalty area, a penalty kick will be awarded.
Please Note: Penalty kicks will be awarded for fouls committed within the penalty area, depending on their severity and impact upon the offended team.
Top of Rules Page
Yellow Card Penalties
Any player may be given a yellow card for committing any of the offenses listed above. Any severe, blatant, or tactical offense, or persistent infringement upon the rules may merit a yellow card penalty.
Yellow card penalties may also be administered for unsportsmanlike or misconduct by field players, players on the bench, or coaches and other team personnel. The penalty will be noted against a specific player, or the team in general, if the offense was committed by the coach, other bench personnel, or an unidentified team member.
All yellow card issuances will result in a direct free kick given to the opponent.
Red Card Penalties
Red cards will be issued for the following penalties:
- Violent conduct or serious foul play.
- Foul or abusive language or action (spitting).
- Fighting.
- Accumulation of two yellow card penalties.
All red card penalties will be punished by immediate ejection of the offending player(s) and a subtraction of one point (-1) per card from the team’s point total in the standings. The offending player may not be replaced for the remainder of the game and may not participate in his or her team’s next game. This rule applies to all players / coaches that receive a red card or 2 yellow cards penalties. An ejected coach may not, from the time of ejection until the conclusion of the game, have any communication with his or her team’s players in the arena. Two red card penalties will result in ejection of the receiving player from the tournament.
Please Note: Should a serious offense be committed at the conclusion of a game, the referee will display the appropriate card and notify the tournament officials for further action. If the issued card is red (ejection), then the offending player or team personnel will not be allowed to participate in the team’s next game in the competition.
Top of Rules Page
Local Facility Rules
Applicable to Show Me Center (SMC), Student Rec Center (SRC).
- No food or drink in restricted areas.
- No chewing gum.
- Spitting not permitted.
- Smoking not permitted.
- Consumption of alcohol not permitted.
- Filming/Recording/Picture taking in playing areas are not permitted.
- Warm-ups and practicing in the hallways is not permitted.
Areas and Dimensions
- Goals are 7' high by 11' wide.
- Penalty area is 15' wide by 18' deep.
- Goal box is 15' wide by 6' deep.
- Show Me Center courts are a minimum of 60' to a maximum of 87' wide by 156' long.
(These are just a few examples of house restrictions. Please check with facility management and comply with house rule structure.)
Top of Rules Page