Tournament Rules:
TAAF – WINTER GAMES OF TEXAS 4 v4 RULES OF PLAY - 2019
The Players
PLAYER REGISTRATION: All players must be registered on their team’s roster. Roster changes, substitutions and additions, must be made before the start of a team’s first game. Any team determined by the tournament director to have falsified any player’s age is subject to be dismissed from the tournament. All players must provide an identification card to verify age upon request. Every player (or guardian of a player if the participant is under 18) must complete and sign a waiver. No player will be allowed to participate without a signed waiver.
AGE GROUPS:
U8, U13-U14, U15-U16, Adult
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: The maximum number of players on a team is seven: four field players and three substitutes. Only four players are on the field at a time. The minimum number of players a team can field is three. There are no goalkeepers. A player can only play for one team. Any team who is found to have fielded an ineligible player may be dismissed from the tournament, subject to the decision of the tournament director.
PLAYER SUBSTITUTIONS: Substitutions may be made at any dead-ball situation, regardless of possession. Teams must get the referee’s permission before making the substitution and players are to enter and exit at midfield. There are no substitutions on the fly.
PLAYER EQUIPMENT: All players must wear shin guards. Any player without shin guards will not be allowed to play. No jewelry of any kind.
PLAYER “KITS”: All players must wear jerseys/shirts during play and each team must bring both a light and dark colored jersey/shirt. If both teams are wearing the same color, a coin flip will determine the team to change uniforms. Numbers on jerseys are not required.
PLAYER EJECTION (RED CARD): Referees have the right to eject a player from the game for continual disobedience or as a result of an incident that warrants sending the player off. The player receiving a red card must sit out the rest of the game. The team may then continue with their remaining players, however if the player receiving the red card was in the field of play, the team must complete the game with one fewer player on the field. The tournament director has the right to determine if the player’s dismissal warrants the suspension of additional matches or the ejection of the player’s team from the tournament.
The Field of Play
FIELD DIMENSIONS: The playing field is thirty (30) yards long by twenty (20) yards wide for U8; and thirty (40) yards long by twenty (30) yards wide for all others. Goals are four (4) feet high and six (6) feet wide. The goal box is an arc with a radius of six (6) feet. Field dimensions are subject to change by the tournament director.
PENALTY BOX: Arc Rule: There is no ball contact allowed within the goal box. However, any player may pass through the goal box. If the ball comes to rest in 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 is considered in the goal box and is an extension of such. If a defender touches the ball in the goal box, a penalty kick is awarded to the offensive team. If an offensive player touches the ball within the goal box, a goal kick is awarded to the defensive team.
BALL SIZE: Regulation game balls (size 5) will be issued by the tournament staff. Youth age groups (U8-U12) will use a size 4 ball. Each team will provide a game ball.
GOAL SCORING: A goal may be scored from a touch on the offensive half of the field only. The ball changes possession after a goal is scored, and is restarted from midfield.
RESTARTS: All restarts are indirect kicks (including the kickoff to start each half). This does not include penalty kicks, which are direct.
KICKOFF: All kickoffs are indirect kicks taken from midfield, and may be taken in any direction.
THREE (3) YARD RULE: In all dead ball situations, restarts, including game start and halftime start, defending players must stand at least three (3) yards away from the ball. If the defensive player’s goal area is closer than three (3) yards, the ball shall be placed three (3) yards from the goal area in line with the place of the penalty.
THROW-INS: There are no throw-ins. All out of bounds balls will be taken as “kick-ins.”
KICK-INS: The ball shall be kicked into play from the sideline instead of thrown in. The defending player must be at least three (3) yards from ball on all kick-ins. All kick-ins are indirect.
GOAL KICKS: May be taken from any point on the defensive touchline and not in the goal box area. Goal kicks are indirect.
INDIRECT KICKS: On an indirect kick, a goal can be scored only if the ball subsequently touches another player before it enters the goal. If the kick directly enters the opponents’ goal, a goal kick is awarded. If the kick directly enters the team’s own goal, a corner kick is awarded to the opposing team.
PENALTY KICKS: A penalty kick will be taken from midfield in front of an open goal. Per the Arc Rule, there will be no defending player/goalie contesting the penalty kick. All non-kicking players must be behind midfield. A penalty kick shall be awarded if, in the referee’s opinion, a scoring opportunity was nullified by an infraction (the infraction does not automatically result in a red card). This is a dead-ball kick. If a goal is not scored, the defense obtains possession with a goal kick.
The Tournament
COMPETITION FORMAT: Group Play. Teams are guaranteed three matches. Semifinal and final will be played for age champion. The format is subject to change by the tournament director.
GAME DURATION: The game consists of two 15-minute halves separated by 3-minute half-time period. Games tied after regulation play shall end in a tie except in the playoffs. There are no time-outs, stoppage time in 4V4 soccer. Clock continues to run at all times. The match length may be shortened at the discretion of the tournament director.
PLAYOFFS (SEMI-FINAL, FINAL MATCH): Single elimination. If there is a tie after regulation there will be a three (3) person penalty kick shootout. If the game is still tied, each team will take alternate penalty kicks until one (1) team wins with one (1) shot per player until the entire team has shot.
SCORING (IN GROUP PLAY): Games will be scored according to the following: three (3) points for a win; one (1) point for a tie; and zero (0) points for a loss.
TIEBREAKERS: If (2) teams are tied in group play: 1) Head to head. 2) Goal differential (goals for – goals against. 3) Total goal score.
THERE ARE NO OFFSIDES IN 4V4 SOCCER
THERE IS NO SLIDE TACKLING IN 4V4 SOCCER
5 MINUTE GRACE PERIOD: Teams must have three (3) players with full uniform and equipment on the scheduled field to begin the match. Teams are given a five (5) minute grace period before a forfeit is declared, subject to the discretion of the tournament director.
FORFEITS: A forfeit shall be scared as 4-0.
TOURNAMENT FAIR PLAY: Players, coaches, and spectators are expected to act in the nature of “Fair Play” at all times. Abuse of the referees will not be tolerated and will result in a red card. Abuse of opponents will result in a red card. At the discretion of the tournament director, teams can be removed from the tournament for abusive conduct by players, coaches, or spectators.
Players, coaches, and spectators are not allowed in the Scoring/Referee area, and must direct all questions to the tournament headquarters. Teams in violation of this rule may be removed from the tournament by the tournament director.
SITUATIONS THAT THESE RULES DO NOT ADDRESS ARE THE DECISION OF THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR.
The Players
PLAYER REGISTRATION: All players must be registered on their team’s roster. Roster changes, substitutions and additions, must be made before the start of a team’s first game. Any team determined by the tournament director to have falsified any player’s age is subject to be dismissed from the tournament. All players must provide an identification card to verify age upon request. Every player (or guardian of a player if the participant is under 18) must complete and sign a waiver. No player will be allowed to participate without a signed waiver.
AGE GROUPS:
U8, U13-U14, U15-U16, Adult
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: The maximum number of players on a team is seven: four field players and three substitutes. Only four players are on the field at a time. The minimum number of players a team can field is three. There are no goalkeepers. A player can only play for one team. Any team who is found to have fielded an ineligible player may be dismissed from the tournament, subject to the decision of the tournament director.
PLAYER SUBSTITUTIONS: Substitutions may be made at any dead-ball situation, regardless of possession. Teams must get the referee’s permission before making the substitution and players are to enter and exit at midfield. There are no substitutions on the fly.
PLAYER EQUIPMENT: All players must wear shin guards. Any player without shin guards will not be allowed to play. No jewelry of any kind.
PLAYER “KITS”: All players must wear jerseys/shirts during play and each team must bring both a light and dark colored jersey/shirt. If both teams are wearing the same color, a coin flip will determine the team to change uniforms. Numbers on jerseys are not required.
PLAYER EJECTION (RED CARD): Referees have the right to eject a player from the game for continual disobedience or as a result of an incident that warrants sending the player off. The player receiving a red card must sit out the rest of the game. The team may then continue with their remaining players, however if the player receiving the red card was in the field of play, the team must complete the game with one fewer player on the field. The tournament director has the right to determine if the player’s dismissal warrants the suspension of additional matches or the ejection of the player’s team from the tournament.
The Field of Play
FIELD DIMENSIONS: The playing field is thirty (30) yards long by twenty (20) yards wide for U8; and thirty (40) yards long by twenty (30) yards wide for all others. Goals are four (4) feet high and six (6) feet wide. The goal box is an arc with a radius of six (6) feet. Field dimensions are subject to change by the tournament director.
PENALTY BOX: Arc Rule: There is no ball contact allowed within the goal box. However, any player may pass through the goal box. If the ball comes to rest in 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 is considered in the goal box and is an extension of such. If a defender touches the ball in the goal box, a penalty kick is awarded to the offensive team. If an offensive player touches the ball within the goal box, a goal kick is awarded to the defensive team.
BALL SIZE: Regulation game balls (size 5) will be issued by the tournament staff. Youth age groups (U8-U12) will use a size 4 ball. Each team will provide a game ball.
GOAL SCORING: A goal may be scored from a touch on the offensive half of the field only. The ball changes possession after a goal is scored, and is restarted from midfield.
RESTARTS: All restarts are indirect kicks (including the kickoff to start each half). This does not include penalty kicks, which are direct.
KICKOFF: All kickoffs are indirect kicks taken from midfield, and may be taken in any direction.
THREE (3) YARD RULE: In all dead ball situations, restarts, including game start and halftime start, defending players must stand at least three (3) yards away from the ball. If the defensive player’s goal area is closer than three (3) yards, the ball shall be placed three (3) yards from the goal area in line with the place of the penalty.
THROW-INS: There are no throw-ins. All out of bounds balls will be taken as “kick-ins.”
KICK-INS: The ball shall be kicked into play from the sideline instead of thrown in. The defending player must be at least three (3) yards from ball on all kick-ins. All kick-ins are indirect.
GOAL KICKS: May be taken from any point on the defensive touchline and not in the goal box area. Goal kicks are indirect.
INDIRECT KICKS: On an indirect kick, a goal can be scored only if the ball subsequently touches another player before it enters the goal. If the kick directly enters the opponents’ goal, a goal kick is awarded. If the kick directly enters the team’s own goal, a corner kick is awarded to the opposing team.
PENALTY KICKS: A penalty kick will be taken from midfield in front of an open goal. Per the Arc Rule, there will be no defending player/goalie contesting the penalty kick. All non-kicking players must be behind midfield. A penalty kick shall be awarded if, in the referee’s opinion, a scoring opportunity was nullified by an infraction (the infraction does not automatically result in a red card). This is a dead-ball kick. If a goal is not scored, the defense obtains possession with a goal kick.
The Tournament
COMPETITION FORMAT: Group Play. Teams are guaranteed three matches. Semifinal and final will be played for age champion. The format is subject to change by the tournament director.
GAME DURATION: The game consists of two 15-minute halves separated by 3-minute half-time period. Games tied after regulation play shall end in a tie except in the playoffs. There are no time-outs, stoppage time in 4V4 soccer. Clock continues to run at all times. The match length may be shortened at the discretion of the tournament director.
PLAYOFFS (SEMI-FINAL, FINAL MATCH): Single elimination. If there is a tie after regulation there will be a three (3) person penalty kick shootout. If the game is still tied, each team will take alternate penalty kicks until one (1) team wins with one (1) shot per player until the entire team has shot.
SCORING (IN GROUP PLAY): Games will be scored according to the following: three (3) points for a win; one (1) point for a tie; and zero (0) points for a loss.
TIEBREAKERS: If (2) teams are tied in group play: 1) Head to head. 2) Goal differential (goals for – goals against. 3) Total goal score.
THERE ARE NO OFFSIDES IN 4V4 SOCCER
THERE IS NO SLIDE TACKLING IN 4V4 SOCCER
5 MINUTE GRACE PERIOD: Teams must have three (3) players with full uniform and equipment on the scheduled field to begin the match. Teams are given a five (5) minute grace period before a forfeit is declared, subject to the discretion of the tournament director.
FORFEITS: A forfeit shall be scared as 4-0.
TOURNAMENT FAIR PLAY: Players, coaches, and spectators are expected to act in the nature of “Fair Play” at all times. Abuse of the referees will not be tolerated and will result in a red card. Abuse of opponents will result in a red card. At the discretion of the tournament director, teams can be removed from the tournament for abusive conduct by players, coaches, or spectators.
Players, coaches, and spectators are not allowed in the Scoring/Referee area, and must direct all questions to the tournament headquarters. Teams in violation of this rule may be removed from the tournament by the tournament director.
SITUATIONS THAT THESE RULES DO NOT ADDRESS ARE THE DECISION OF THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR.
