4v4 Rules 6v6 Rules

A. The Basics

1. Each player and team is advised to sign in at least 30-45 minutes before their first scheduled game. Especially for the teams starting during the earlier times, it is vital that we have organization and clarity for each player, coach, parent, and staff member.

2. Each player will receive a wristband. In order for you to compete in game play, you must be wearing a wristband. If you happen to misplace or break your wristband, check back to the registration tent in order to replace it.

3. Each player and team is advised to check the master scoreboard occasionally throughout the day for all schedules, times, fields, and revisions that may be made. Do not hesitate to ask a SoccerFest staff member for clarification on anything.

B. The Time

1. Game Duration: Each team will play two 12-minute halves, with a one-minute half-time break.

2. Sudden Death: There will be no sudden death in pool play. In the playoff round, there will be one 5-minute sudden death. First team to score wins the game. In the event of no scoring, there will be penalty kicks. Each team will pick 3 players to kick the penalty kicks (alternately rotation kicks.) If the game is still tied, a sudden death shootout will determine the winner. The original 3 players are ineligible.

3. Before each game, both teams are advised to be warmed up and ready to play. Depending on times and scheduling, there may possibly be a two or three minute window to warm up on the playing field they are assigned to. There is one reserve field, which will be used in case an emergency or an extra field is needed, but if the field is not in use, teams have the opportunity to warm up on the reserve field.

5. Injury does not subject time to stop. In the case of a serious injury, the two teams will be moved to the reserve field, or other alternate open field, where the remainder of the game will be played.

C. The Play

1. The winner of the coin toss at the beginning of the game will choose whether to start on offense or defense, or which goal to defend. Teams will switch sides at half time. Outside of pool play, in playoff play, a coin flip will determine who starts with the ball in sudden death.

2. SCORING: Each goal is worth one point. In order to score a goal, the ball must be kicked from the offensive side of the field. The ball must completely cross the goall ine. During pool play there will be no sudden death. Sudden death will only be relevant outside of pool play, when advancing to the next round is necessary.

D. Fouls

2. The referee officials will determine fouls. If a player happens to be anything less than cooperative, the referee has the authoirty to suspend that player for the rest of that game, and possibly the rest of the tournament (depending on the severity.)

3. Any player involved in fighting or continuous disruptive behavior will be disqualified for the remainder of the tournament.

4. In the event of a foul, the ball will be placed at the spot of the foul and kicked off by a player on the team that was fouled. The opposing team must stand at least 5 yards away from the spot of the kickoff.

5. Hand Ball: Any player that uses their hand(s) (unless it is a goalie in 6v6 games) will be called for a foul and the ball will be placed at the spot of the hand ball and kicked off by the other team.

E. Specific 4 v 4 rules

3. Substitutions are allowed with the acknowledgement of a referee at any dead ball situation.

4. Forfeits: In the event of a 3-minute forfeit rule, the opposing team wins 1-0. If both teams happen to forfeit, it will be recorded as a 0-0 game, with both teams receiving a loss.

5. Pool Play: A win is worth 2 points, a tie is worth 1 point, and a loss is worth 0 points.

6. Tiebreakers in Pool Play: In the event of more than one team having the same record within the same pool, the team to advance will be determined by tthe following procedures: 1) Head to head records, 2) Goal differential, 3) Goals against, 4) Goals for, 5) Coin flip.

7. Kick Off: The ball will be placed in the exact middle of the field and can be kicked off in any direction.

8. Penalty Kicks: If an official believes that a scoring chance was nullified by a foul, the team fouled will be awarded a penalty kick. A penalty kick is a direct kick, where the ball is placed 10 yards in front of the goal. All other players must stand behind the player kicking the ball. In the event of a missed penalty kick, the ball will be ruled dead, and kicked off by the defensive team.

10. Indirect Kicks: For which the other team receives an "indirect free kick." A goal cannot be scored from an indirect kick, unless touched by another player first.
- Fouls Include:
- a. "Dangerous Play:" Consists of other fouls that a referee would consider "dangerous," such as heading a low ball that could be kicked, or bringing your feet up high to kick a ball when another player is within playing distance of the ball.
- b. "Stopping the progress of an opponent:" This includes setting picks on players without the ball, or stopping some one's movement towards the ball.
- c. Preventing the goaltender from releasing the ball: Players must allow the goalkeeper to put the ball in play.

11. Goal Kicks: Any goal kick can be placed anywhere within the goal box. Ball kicked off must be touched by any player or hit the ground before going over the mid-field line.

12. Throw Ins: When a ball goes completely out of bounds on the east and west side of the field, a ball will be thrown back in, with two hands on the ball, placed at 3 and 9 o' clock.

13. Corner Kicks: If a ball happens to fully go past the end line (not goal line,) the ball will be placed and kicked in at the arc of the field (depending on what side of the goal it went out on.) Ther person kicking the corner CAN score.

14. There are no goal keepers in 4v4 play. Any player using their hand(s) will be called for a foul, and the ball will be placed at the spot of the foul.

15. Goal Arc: In the 4v4 division, there will be a goal arc, 4 feet in diameter from goal-line to goal-line around the goal. No player, offense or defense, is allowed in this arc. If a ball lies dead within the arc, the defensive team will kick off from just outside the arc.

F. The Field