Indoor Soccer Tournament Rules

ALL GENERAL RULES OF SOCCER WILL APPLY WITH THE FOLLOWING EXCEPTIONS AND MODIFICATIONS:

  1) LENGTH OF MATCHES: A match will consist of two 12 minute halves and a one minute 
   halftime break.

  2) FACILITIES: Will have adequate floor space for play.

a. Each facility shall have a timekeeper/scorekeeper who will assist in keeping penalty time .
b. Players/Coaches will not bring soccer ***** to the facilities.
c. Penalty Area: There will be 2 clearly marked rectangular penalty  areas. Penalty areas will
extend in width six feet from each goal post and in depth 12 feet from the goal line.
d. Penalty Kicks: Kick will be taken from a clearly marked spot 24 feet from the  center of the goal. All players not involved in the kick shall remain ten feet from and behind the ball.
e. Side walls will be in play for all age groups.

  3) GAME TIMES: Match game times will be strictly adhered to. Teams shall be at the court and 
  ready to play at the scheduled time. A team must have a minimum of four players to start. A 
  forfeit will be awarded if a team is not ready to start at the scheduled game time. Teams 
  are  encouraged to be ready to start early if the tournament is running ahead of schedule.

  4) ELIGIBILITY: All players must be NCYSA registered. A player may only play for one team.
  Teams must be registered one hour before their first scheduled match . NCYSA player pass 
  must be shown at registration. Players can only be added to a roster prior to the first match
  unless a team receives injuries or illness that would cause this team to play short at which
  time the tournament committee can allow a player to be added late. Added player must be
  registered, age appropriate, and not playing for another team. All players 18 and older must
  sign a Medical Waiver. Parent or Guardian must sign for players under 18.

  5) ROSTERS/NUMBER OF PLAYERS: Each team may have up to a maximum of ten players on the 
  roster.

a. U14 and younger will play 6 v 6. U15 and older will play 5 v 5. One of the players  must be clearly identified as the goalkeeper. 
b. Substitutions are permitted at any time during the match and will be conducted on the  fly. The player coming off must be within ten feet of the bench before the substitute  can enter. The goalkeeper may also be substituted on the fly providing the substitute is properly equipped prior to the exchange. If the goalkeeper is substituted because of an  injury the substitute will be allowed time to suit up. Infractions of this rule will result  in an indirect free kick from the spot where the ball was when the whistle was blown.

  6) FEES: In the event a team is not accepted, all fees will be returned. Upon acceptance to the 
  tournament, the team fees will be forfeited and no refunds will be made in the event of
  cancel lation or shortening of any matches due to inclement weather or a condition beyond
  the tourn ament committee's control.

  7) PROTESTS: No protest will be entertained concerning the interpretation of the Laws of the 
  Game by the referee. Any other protest will be ruled upon by the Tournament Directors, if any
  such protest is made it must be in writing no more than one hour after the match that is
  being  protested. The protest must be accompanied by $100.00 in cash, which will be returned
  if the  protest is upheld. The appeals committee will make protest decisions. The committee 
  will be  made up of the Tournament Directors onsite. A quorum will consist of at least three
  Tournament Directors. All decisions of the Appeals Committee will be considered final.

  8) NUMBER OF REFEREES: U11 and older will have two referees to officiate the match. U10  and
  younger will have one referee. All referees will be USSF certified officials.

  9) ADVANCEMENT: All matches will have a winner. In the case of a tie at the end of regulation
  play, the game shall be resolved in the following manner. 

a. A two minute sudden victory overtime period will be played without the use 
of goal keepers. 
b. If the match is still tied after the two minute period has expired one 
additional player from each team will be removed and another two minute sudden 
victory period will be  played. This procedure will continue until it becomes two on 
two. Once a two on two situation occurs play shall continue without the use of the 
clock until one team scores. Two minute penalties will not be awarded during two 
on two play. However, if a player commits an act that would normally result in a two 
minute penalty that player  must be substituted with another player before play can 
continue. If a player is ejected  during two on two play the game is immediately 
ended and the team with two players  remaining will be awarded the win. 
c. If a team is awarded a penalty kick during overtime the defending team may 
select a  player on the court to act as a goalkeeper for the taking of the penalty 
kick. The goalk eeper may use his/her hands for one attempt to block the kick. If the 
kick is blocked the acting goalkeeper immediately becomes a field player and cannot 
use his/her hands to deny any additional shots. 
d. At the conclusion of preliminary matches, teams will be ranked in their groups 
based  on wins and losses. Any situation in which two teams have the same number 
of wins  and losses the overall winner of a group will be determined by the following 
criteria  in order as follows: 

1. Head to head competition. 
2. Fewest goals allowed. 
3. Bonus points. (Goal differential up to 3) 

  In the event that more than a two way tie exists the overall winner will be determined by
the following criteria, in order as follows:

1. Fewest goals allowed. 
2. Bonus Points ( Goal differential up to 3 ) 
3. Play off consisting of a 3 vs 3, using the two minute overtime rules, with  matches determined by the drawing from a hat. The two higher
numbers will  play first.

  10) FORFEIT MATCH SCORE: In all matches, forfeited games will be recorded as a 3 - 0 win.

  11) PLAYER EQUIPMENT:

a. Shoes: All players must wear shoes that will not mark the gym floor. 
b. Uniforms: All field players shall have matching uniforms. In the event 
of a uniform color conflict the home team (Team listed first on the 
schedule) will change jerseys. 
c. Shinguards are mandatory and in the opinion of the referee must 
provide a reasonable degree of protection. Altered shinguards will not be 
permitted.

  12) BALL SIZE:

a. All age groups will play with a size 4 Futsal ball.

  13) BALL IN AND OUT OF PLAY:

a. If the ball is propelled out of play, such that the ball goes over the sidewalls or strikes the ceiling or ceiling fixtures, it shall be whistled dead
and an indirect free kick shall be awarded to the team that did not last
touch the ball. The free kick shall be taken from the spot closest to where the ball went out of play or struck the ceiling, unless the spot is in the
penalty area, in which case the ball shall be kicked from the closest spot outside the penalty area. 
b. If the ball goes out of play over the end wall play will be restarted with a goal kick or corner kick as appropriate. 
c. A goal kick shall not be propelled across the halfway line on the fly without either touching the floor, the sidewall, or another player. Penalty shall be an indirect free  kick taken anywhere along the halfway line. 
d. Corner kicks shall be taken from a designated spot. 
e. Dead space areas that the ball may become lodged or stuck will be whistled dead and the appropriate restart will be awarded. 
f. The kickoff will be indirect and may be played in any direction. 
g. If the goalkeeper takes possession of the ball by hand the ball must be put back into play by hand action only. The goalkeeper may not put the ball down and dribble with his/her feet as a field player. The goalkeeper may not punt or dropkick the ball into pl ay. The penalty shall be an indirect free kick taken outside the penalty area. 
h. On all free kicks the opposing team shall remain at least ten feet from the ball or on the go al line.

  14) FOULS AND MISCONDUCT:

a. The nine FIFA outdoor penal fouls (direct kicks ) shall be direct kick fouls. If the defending team commits one of these fouls in their own
penalty area a penalty kick will be awarded. 
b. All other fouls shall be indirect. 
c. There shall be NO SLIDE TACKLING by any player and no intentional sliding play of  the ball by any field player. The goalkeeper shall not slide outside of the penalty area.  All challenges made by the goalkeeper outside the penalty area must be upright. 
d. There shall be no charging of the goalkeeper, either fairly or otherwise. 
e. Delay by the goalkeeper with tactics designed to delay the game will not be tolerated.  The goalkeeper must release the ball into play within six seconds. Players are not  allowed to go to a corner or any other part of the playing field and try to hold the ball to intentionally kill remaining time. An indirect free kick will be awarded to the  opposing team if this is attempted. 
f. The goalkeeper shall not throw the ball past the halfway line on the fly unless the ball  has touched the floor, the sidewalls, or a player. The penalty shall be an indirect free  kick taken from anywhere along the halfway line. 
g. The goalkeeper can use his/her hands to control the ball outside the penalty area as  long as the goalkeeper maintains contact with the floor inside the penalty area. 
h. There shall be no offside. 
i. Restart after a goal is scored will be a kickoff from mid court.

  15) TWO MINUTE PENALTIES, CAUTIONS, and EJECTIONS:

a. A player receiving a yellow card will serve a two (2) minute penalty. During overtime  periods if a team has multiple players receiving 2 minute penalties the team will be  allowed to substitute in order to keep a minimum of 2 players on the court.
b. Time on two minute penalties must be served completely and shall be carried over to the next period. Regulation or overtime. It is solely the responsibility of the penalized  player to watch the match official, who is keeping time for the penalty, for the signal  to return to play.
c. EJECTIONS: Unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated in any degree. Any  player, coach, or spectator that is ejected will be out for the remainder of that match  and the next match their team actually plays. Any player ejected for fighting will be out for the remainder of the 
tournament. Any player, coach, or spectator receiving two e jections will be out for the remainder of the tournament.