Sport & Social Clubs of the U.S
METRO SPORTS LEAGUES
FULL FIELD SOCCER LEAGUE
OFFICIAL RULES
OVERVIEW
11 PLAYERS ON THE FIELD (8 MALES/3 FEMALES)
TWO 35-MINUTE HALVES (30- Minute halves for weeknightleague)
RUNNING CLOCK
TIES DURING REGULAR SEASON STAY AS A TIE
COIN FLIP/BEGINNING OF GAME
The team that wins the coin toss at the start of the game will choose which goal to attack. The other team takes the kick off.
KICKOFF
Consists of the ball being placed at midfield. The ball may now move in any direction on a kickoff.
CO-ED RULES AND TEAM SIZE
Each team shall field no more than 11 players (at least 3 females) at any one time. MSL rules allow a team to play with 7 people (minimum 1 female). Anything less is up to the opposing captain and/or referees as to what will be allowable. There is no maximum limit to the amount of females which must be on the field.
ROSTERS
- A roster with a maximum of 25 players must be submitted prior to the third game.
- Players may be added to the rosters as late as the 3rd week of the season. After the 3rd week players can only be used as substitute players.
- Maximum roster is 25 players.
- Each team can bring a maximum of 4 non roster players to a regular season game. These should be players that are invited to the game prior to game time. A team is allowed to use players from the previous game but the opposing captain reserves the right to deny these players from playing if they were not previously invited. You CANNOT add players from the previous game if you already have 11 players unless they were invited.
- ONLY roster players can be used during playoffs.
- A player can be on more than one roster.
- Rosters will be randomly checked throughout the season and will be mandatory for playoffs. ID’s should be at the field. The league reserves the rights to deem a game a forfeit should players not have ID’s available. The league can also deem a game a forfeit if a team is found to be in violation of the number of substitute players. If a team is found in violation of the league rules on more than one occasion the league reserves the right to remove the team from the league with no refund.
SLIDE TACKLING is not permitted in MSL. A tackle is deemed to be a slide-tackle at the referee’s discretion however, as a general guidline, a player is deemed to have committed a slide tackle if they leave their feet during the course of a tackle. Sliding to prevent a ball leaving the field is permitted so long as no opposing player is within playing distance of the ball. Sliding is an indirect kick. However a direct kick can be called if the player is tripped or if the player slides in the box and keeps the offensive player from a legitimate attempt at scoring a goal. This is completely up to the referee’s discretion.
JERSEYS
If teams wear the same color shirts it is the HOME teams responsibility to change colors. The team listed first on the website is the home team. Have your team bring two sets of shirts to each game. However, the away team is required to wear the color indicated on the website. Also, teams must have the same color shirts. If a team is navy they should not have players with black shirts or sky blue shirts.
TIME
Play will be divided into (2) 35-minute halves separated by a brief halftime. There will be a running clock maintained by a referee. Any delay tactics, (kicking the ball far out of bounds) will allow the referee (at his/her discretion) to stop the clock.
THE GAMES/SCORING
Regular season games ending in a tie score will be recorded as tie games. Sudden death will be used in the playoffs. A sudden death play-off will occur for a golden goal five-minute overtime period. If no one scores after the five-minute overtime period, teams will go into a shootout.
SHOOTOUT SPECIFICS:1.Each team selects 5 players (3 males, 2 females)- players must be on the field at the end of regulation time. A coin toss will decide which team shoots first. The referee will decide which goal to shoot at.
2. Teams will alternate taking direct penalty shots from the penalty spot. (No guy/ girl shooting order is necessary)
3. If tied after the 1st round, the 2nd round will be SUDDEN DEATH i.e. 1st player from Team A scores & 1st player from Team B misses - Team A wins. Players who shot in the 1st shootout are not eligible to shoot again until all remaining players on the field have shot. If and when 1 team begins to utilize players for the second time, the other team may “recycle” players as well.
4. Early movment by the keeper will result in a caution by FIFA laws.
5. A player must take the kick in a continious motion and may not hesitate or stop during approach to take the kick.
SUBSTITUTIONS
Substitutions may occur during the following stoppage of play:
-Throw-ins
- Following the scoring of a goal
-Goal kicks
- Corners
Teams must make the referee aware of the substitution before sending players on the field. It is also strongly suggested that the players go to midfield so that the referees will know how many players are coming on to the field. If the team with possession subs the opposing team may also sub players.
INJURIES
Should an injury occur the referee will determine on a case-by-case basis if a stoppage of play is warranted. If a stoppage is deemed unnecessary the referee will allow play to continue and then delay the restart of play at the next stoppage to allow treatment. If a player is injured and needs to leave the field they may be substituted at any time in the course of play once the referee has been been alerted.
WEATHER / DANGEROUS CONDITIONS
Decisions regarding weather and field conditions will be made by the league as early as reasonbly possible. However, the referee has discretion to determine the safety of a field on the day of the match and may call a halt to a game at any point should he/she deem the field to have become unsafe. In case of severe weather conditions occuring suddenly the referee will call an immediate suspension of the match. A waiting period of 20 minutes will be observed and if at the end of that time the weather has not cleared, or the pitch has become denagerous, the game will be called off. If half time has been reached then the game will be considered a full game. We will almost always play in the rain on the turf fields. These are considered all-weather fields.
CARDS
Any player receiving a red card will be forced to leave that game and will be required to miss the game that follows. If a player receives two yellow cards rather then a red the decision to allow them to play in the next game is made at the discretion of the referee based upon the severity of the penalized infractions. The league has the option at any point to suspend or expel a player from the league who is deamed a liability to the league as well as those around them. Any player receiveing three yellow cards in a season (playoffs included) will be required to sit out the next scheduled game. Any player that receives two red cards in a season will sit out the remainder of the season.
DISSENT
The referees are to be treated with respect at all times. Insulting or degrading the referees by voice or action atany time immediately before, during or immediately after a match will not be tolerated and may result a caution, sending off, suspension or expulsion from the league. Please remember the referees are present for 3 reasons, to ensure safety, fairness and enjoyment for the players.
STANDINGS
Wins will count for 3 points, a tie 1 point and a loss 0 points. In the even teams have the same number of points at the end of the season the following criteria will take place…
Points
Head to Head
Goal Differential
Most Wins
Least Losses
Fewest Goals Allowed
Most Goals Scored
Record vs. the other playoff teams
Coin Toss
** It is a league rule that all players must wear shinguards.***
FIFA
Standard rules and penalties as mandated by Fifa apply unless exceptions have been specifically made herein.
The official Fifa laws of the game can be found at .