Registration procedures will be determined prior to the competition, will be communicated to the accepted teams, and posted to the tournament website.  At tournament registration, teams will be required to provide a completed official tournament roster and a medical release form for each player identified on the roster.  Each team must possess proof of birthdate for each player, but this will not be checked during registration.

The maximum number of players on a given team’s roster is limited to six.  A maximum of three players per team will be allowed on the field at a time, with a minimum of two players allowed.  If a team cannot field two players at any given time, the team will forfeit the match.

Tournament Rules

 

FIFA laws apply except where modified here

The age level of a given team will be determined by the age of the oldest player on the team’s roster.  Each team must be prepared to present proof of birthdate (current passcards, birth certificate/passport, etc.) when determined by the Tournament Director.  No player may be registered for more than one team in any given age group/competitive level.

Player Eligibility           

Number of Players

Registration     

Substitutions may be made at any time (subs on the fly).  Please use good judgment, the entering player should wait until the exiting player is near the touchline to enter.

Substitutions

Uniforms and Equipment

All players on a team must wear matching jerseys/shirts and these jerseys/shirts must have a visible number to differentiate individuals.  In the case of a clash between teams, the referee will flip a coin to determine the team that has to change.  Scrimmage vests that allow the number to remain recognizable can be used in place of alternate jerseys/shirts.  The Tournament Director, Athletic trainer and/or referee assignor must approve players wearing protective casts.  Hard casts will not be allowed.  No jewelry will be allowed, including earrings of any type, rope necklaces and bracelets.  The only exception will be players wearing medical bracelets.  All players must wear shinguards.

The Ball

U8 - U12, Size 4

U13 +, Size 5

Each team must have a suitable game ball or balls available for use in the game.

The Field/Dimensions

The playing field size will be set by the tournament director.  Pugg Goals will be utilized.

The Goal Box

The goal box is ten feet wide by six feet long, located directly in front of the goal.  There is no ball contact allowed within the goal box, however, all players may pass through the goal box as long as they do not touch the ball while in the box.  If the ball comes to a rest on the goal box, a goal kick is awarded regardless of who touched the ball last.  Any part of the ball or player’s body on the line or inside the plane of the box is considered in the goal box and an extension of such.  If a defensive player touches the ball after it has entered the plane, a goal will be awarded to the offensive team.  If an offensive player touches the ball after it has entered the plane, a goal kick will be awarded to the defensive team.  The plane of the goal box extends upward.

Scoring a Goal

A goal may only be scored from a touch (offensive or defensive) within the team’s offensive half of the field.  The ball must be completely on the offensive half of the field, and cannot be touching the mid-line (Example:  kick-off).  If a player in their defensive half kicks the ball across the midline and the ball hits another player (offensive or defensive) and the ball goes in the goal, a goal will be awarded.  If a ball is kicked from the defensive half and is not touched before the ball rests in the goal, a goal kick is awarded to the defensive team.  

Game Duration

The game shall consist of two 12-minute halves separated by a two minute halftime period OR the first team to reach 12 goals, whichever comes first.  A coin toss will determine direction and possession before the start of the game.  Games tied after regulation play shall end in a tie, except the playoffs.  There are no timeouts and the Game Clock does not stop in 3v3 games.  The referee has the official time on the field and holds the right to take necessary action if he/she feels that a team is delaying the game.

Game Duration

Teams are given five minutes before a forfeit is issued by the referee.  All forfeits must be approved by the Tournament Director before the game is considered an official forfeit.  The Tournament Director has the option to replay a forfeited game is deemed necessary.  Any team forfeiting two games in a tournament will be removed from the tournament.

Delay of Game

Any player may be cautioned with a yellow card if it is deemed by the referee that the player is intentionally wasting time, e.g. if a player intentionally kicks the ball long distances away from the playing field in order to waste time.

Playoff Extra Time

Shall consist of a 3-minute ‘golden goal’ overtime period with a coin toss to decide kick-off/direction.  The first team to score in overtime is the winner.  If no team has scored in the 3-minute overtime, the winner shall be decided in a shootout with a coin toss to decide team kicking order.  The three players from each team remaining on the field at the end of the overtime period will be the only players to kick for their team.  The remaining three players after overtime regulation will rotate, alternating teams with each kick.  The first round of shootouts will consist of each player kicking once (round of 3 players shooting per team).  The team with the most goals after the first round will be considered the winner.  If the score remains tied after the first round of penalty kicks, the same 3 players will alternate in the same order in a sudden death penalty kick format until one team scores unanswered.  If one team has received a red card during the game and finishes with 2 players on the field, a remaining roster player (other than the red carded player) must be chosen to kick in the rotation of penalty kicks.  If the red-carded player is the last remaining roster player, one of the two field players must kick twice.

Offside

The offside law will not apply.

No Slide Tackling

If a player is sliding, no contact is allowed.  If a player slides and contact is initiated, a free kick shall be awarded.  This does not prevent players from  sliding to stop/intercept a ball where contact is not initiated during the slide.  Example:  a player may slide to save a ball from going out-of-bounds.

Cautioned Players

Players that receive two yellow cards in one game will result in a red card.  (Please see red card rule).  Any player accumulating three yellow cards during a tournament will automatically be suspended for their next game (no exceptions).

Player Ejection

Referee’s have the right to eject a player or coach from the game for continual disobedience or as a result of an incident that warrants sending off.  The team may then continue with their remaining two, three or four players, however, if the player receiving the red card was on the field of play, the team must complete the entire game a player short.  The player receiving the red card will automatically be suspended for their next game (no exceptions).  Players or coaches that are red carded must leave the immediate playing area, including the fan and team areas.  If the player delays or refuses to leave, the game will be forfeited in favor of the opposing team (regardless of the score at the time of the incident).

**If players are red carded for fighting, they will be ejected form the tournament and are subject to removal from the facility for the duration of the event.

Coach/Parent Ejection

Referees have the right to eject a coach or parent from any game for continual disobedience or as a result of an incident that warrants ejection.  Coaches or parents whom are ejected by the referee or tournament official must leave the field and area around the field before play will continue.  If a coach or parent refuses to leave, the game will be forfeited in favor of the opposing team.

Kickoff

May be taken in any direction.  You cannot score directly from a kick off (ball must be 100% over the mid-line to be considered on the offensive half of the field).

Kick-ins