Rules and FAQ

Purpose:

The league aims to build a community by playing sports that bring people together. All of our sports are no contact, and overly competitive behaviour will not be tolerated. We currently only offer recreational-level soccer. Community building is the central part of our league. To do so, we encourage teams to focus on inclusion and fun aspects of soccer over competitiveness. If you notice a new player with a lower skill level, please respect their space and encourage their participation. Therefore, the games are not ranked.

Game Details:

The soccer games are on Sunday evenings (7:30 PM-8:30). The Games will be 2x 25 minutes long with a 7v7 co-ed format. A minimum of 2 genders must be present on the field at all times, with a maximum of 5 players of the same gender, if possible.

Please arrive 15-30 minutes before your game to warm-up. We encourage warming-up with players from the opposing team to build friendships and reduce competitive tension.

Cost:

$10 per game or $50 for the season. 

Teams:

There are no teams this season :)

Players:

Players must be 17+ years of age to play. All skill levels are welcome.

Location:

See Registration

Rules:

At the discretion of the staff, additional rules may be implemented throughout the season. We will send emails once the rules are updated or changed.

Format:

6-on-6 plus a goalie. A full starting lineup must include at least 2 genders with a maximum of 5 players from one gender, if possible.

Sliding/Slide Tackling: Absolutely no sliding or slide tackling is permitted, this rule applies to the goalies as well. This includes accidental slides, bicycle kicks, etc. Sliding players will be pulled out of the game for a minimum of 15 minutes or more at the discretion of the staff. Other actions that can result in serious injury or risk of injury will also result in being pulled out of the game. Repeated offences or bad behaviour will not be tolerated and can result in permanent bans. Teams that do not take this rule seriously may be banned without a refund.

Intentional slide tackling: If a player intentionally slide tackles, they will be pulled out of the game for a minimum of 15 minutes or more at the staff's discretion. And the team is not allowed to substitute this player.

Accidental slides will still be pulled out, but these players can be substituted.

Team Size: Each team may have at most seven players, including one goalkeeper and six outfield players at any given time.

Field Size: Half of a soccer field.

Duration of the Game:

The match includes two halves of 25 minutes each, with a short halftime break in between.

Offside Rule:

While offside is an important rule in soccer, to reduce tension and competitiveness, close-offside calls are not necessary. We do not have VAR or other technology to ensure everyone is onside at all times. However, we encourage players to do their best to not be offside. Players are considered offside if they are considerably closer to the opponent's goal line than the ball and the second-last defender at the moment the ball is played to them. That is, no cherry-picking allowed. If a player is only a few feet closer to the opponent’s goal line than the ball and the second-last defender, this will not be considered offside in this league. Repeated patterns of close-offside plays will also not be tolerated and can result in the goals not counting. Players should not take advantage of this rule, and must still do their best not to be off-side.

To help illustrate, consider the following examples:

What is considered a goal even if off-side:

• If a player is offside but only by a few feet it will be considered a goal.

What is not considered a goal:

• A repeated pattern of a player being offside by a few feet:
  • The first time a player is offside by only a few feet it will be a goal, but if this is repeated it will not be considered a goal.
• Staying by the opponent’s goal line the majority of the game to take advantage of this rule

If conflict arises and the captains and players can’t agree on a goal, the staff will decide whether an offside goal counts or not.

Substitutions:

Substitutions are allowed. Teams are allowed to substitute players as many times as they’d like. A minimum of 2 genders must be present on the field at all times, with a maximum of 5 players of the same gender.

Whistles from the staff:

It is the responsibility of the players to pause as soon as they hear a whistle from the staff. The staff might whistle for fouls or to ensure the safety of participants, even if this means losing advantage on the ball. The staff may use the common whistle patterns as indicated below. The staff may use the following whistle pattern:

• A single short whistle - Start of the game
• A single short or long whistle - Foul or halftime/End of the game
• Two short whistles followed by a long whistle - Halftime/End of the game

In Law 5: The Referee section of IFAB Laws of the Game there is no mention of the number of whistles by referees. Please note that the staff are not referees and are NOT required to whistle more than once. The above whistling patterns are provided only as a guide to reduce confusion. Players must pause the game as soon as they hear any whistle from the staff regardless of the pattern. The staff will direct the action required by the players.

Fouls and Misconduct:

Common fouls include tripping, pushing, and handling the ball with the hands (except for the goalkeeper within their penalty area). PLAYERS MUST CALL THEIR FOULS. The staff present are not referees but are there to facilitate the games. In case of disagreement between players from opposing teams, the staff may award free kicks, or penalty kicks, or ask players to step outside of the game for serious fouls or misconduct.

Freekicks:

The opposing team must be at least 5 yards away from the ball when the free kick is taken.

Except for a penalty kick, no direct shots to the goal are allowed. No direct shot includes: lightly touching (tapping) the ball so another player can kick into the goal. The player must make a clear pass before a shot to the goal.

No-contact:

Players can come in contact occasionally but must avoid pushing one another to possess the ball. You can shield the ball with your arm or body and lean into another player to protect the ball. However, you may never push, pull, or elbow anyone to keep or take possession of the ball. Pushing or pulling other players will not be tolerated and players will be asked to sit out for a portion of the game. If a player is aggressive and repeatedly fouls, they may be asked to leave the game and or the league.

Handballs:

Handball is a foul by which a player intentionally uses their hand or arm to touch the ball to gain an advantage. This area of the hand/arm is from under the shoulder to the tip of the finger. It’s legal to use the upper part of the shoulder to touch the ball. Accidental handballs that provide no advantage to the player are not fouls. Calling unnecessary fouls that prevent players from keeping possession of the ball may lead to disciplinary action from the staff.

Responsibility to avoid collisions on 50/50 balls:

If the 50/50 ball is INSIDE the designated goalie box:

- Any player who is running towards the opposing keeper inside the designated goalie box has the primary responsibility to avoid making any contact with the keeper and should ease up on the play. If an oncoming player makes contact with the keeper, this will result in a foul being called against this player, and the player will be removed for a minimum of 15 minutes.

- The keeper should maintain a predictable trajectory so the oncoming player(s) can adequately avoid contact.

Despite not having the primary responsibility to do so, the keeper should also attempt to avoid contact when possible. Should the keeper intentionally run into an oncoming player in the box when the contact could have been avoided, the foul may be levied against the keeper.

If the 50/50 ball is OUTSIDE the designated goalie box:

- Any keeper who is attempting to challenge a player outside the goalie box has the primary responsibility to avoid making any contact with an oncoming player(s). If the keeper makes contact with an oncoming player outside the goalie box, this will result in a direct penalty kick for the opposing team.

- The oncoming player(s) must not change their trajectory to ensure predictability. Despite not having the primary responsibility to do so, they should attempt to avoid contact when possible.

Should the oncoming player intentionally run into the keeper outside the box when the contact could have been avoided, the foul may be levied against the oncoming player, and no penalty kick will be awarded.

Responsibility to avoid collisions on NON-50/50 balls:

If Player A clearly has the chance to gain possession of the ball before the opposing Player B, then it is Player B’s responsibility to avoid initiating contact (regardless of where the ball is on the field). This includes goalkeepers as well as regular players. If contact is initiated by Player B, this is a foul and Player A’s team will receive either a direct or indirect kick depending on where the foul occurred.

Throw-ins:

When the ball goes out of play over the touchline, the opposing team is awarded a throw-in. Players must use their hands to throw the ball back into play from the point where it exited the field.

Corner Kicks:

When the defending team plays the ball over their goal line, the attacking team is awarded a corner kick. The ball is placed inside the corner arc, and a player from the attacking team takes the kick.

Penalties:

When a player concedes a foul inside their penalty box, the opposing team will be awarded with a penalty kick.

Goalie Rules:

Goalies, like the rest of the players, must ensure the safety of all participants. No slide tackling allowed. Goalies are allowed to dive to the ball, but can’t slide. Avoid using knees or elbows near other participants to reduce the chances of a serious harm.

Goal Kicks

When the ball goes out of bounds over the end line and is last touched by an attacking player, a goal kick is awarded to the defending team. The ball is placed in the goal area and kicked by a member of the defending team. All attacking players must remain outside the penalty area until the ball is kicked.

General Goalie rules

Unlike the rest of the outfield players, the goalkeeper can use any part of their body to prevent the ball from going into the back of the net.

But they only have this privilege when they’re in the penalty box.

In this area of the pitch, they can punch the ball away from crosses, parry shots, and even pick up the ball if they want to throw it to a teammate. If they do decide to pick the ball up, they’re only allowed to keep it in their hands for a maximum of ~6 seconds. This is to prevent time-wasting and keep the game running smoothly.

If the keeper does hold on to the ball for too long, at the discretion of the staff, the opposing team may award a penalty if the keeper is wasting time.

The goalkeeper may pick up the ball whenever they want in the penalty box after an opponent last touches it. If a teammate uses their head or chest to send the ball back, then the keeper is allowed to handle the ball.

But if a teammate kicks the ball back, goalkeepers aren’t allowed to pick it up.

A goalkeeper is allowed to pick up the ball from a kick if the staff deems that the ball was not originally intended for the keeper. Or the keeper is new/inexperienced. It’s usually called in favour of the goalkeeper unless the pass is blatantly directed at them and used to take clear advantage away from the opposing team.

Goalkeepers may not pick up the ball if it is thrown to them directly from a throw-in.

Outside of the penalty area, the goalie needs to abide by the same rules as the rest of the outfield players.

Player Responsibilities:

• No littering is allowed, and players must clean up after themselves
• Keep a positive and encouraging attitude; Soccer can be exciting but aggression, violence, offensive shouting, etc. will not be tolerated
• Come prepared:
  • Shinguards and soccer cleats are recommended
  • Bring water bottles to stay hydrated
  • Warm-up to avoid injuries

Other basic soccer rules:

At the beginning of each half and after a goal is scored, the game is started with a kick-off. The kick-off is taken from the center of the field and all players must be on their own half of the field.

The ball must be kicked forward, and the player taking the kick-off cannot touch the ball again until another player has touched it.