Soccer Rules

General

1. Rules follow the most current IFAB Laws of the Game. Unless otherwise modified by these Campus Recreation Rules.
2. All players must present their valid U of S student card to participate in any Campus Rec sports league.
3. Substitutes are allowed during the regular season and must have their valid U of S student card present.
4. There is a maximum of two staff/faculty allowed per team and they must pay a $75 recreation fee in order to play.
5. In order to be eligible to play in playoffs, players must have been present for at least 50% of games for the team they are registered on.
6. Treat all opponents and recreation staff with respect.
7. Jewelry such as watches and necklaces must be removed prior to game start for player safety.
8. CoRec teams must have 3 players of each gender on the field at all times.
9. Current U of S Huskie soccer players (roster or red-shirt) are not eligible to play in Campus Recreation soccer leagues. Any team who uses one of these players will default any/all games that this player played.
10. Designated home teams wear light colours and away teams wear dark colours.

Players

1. Each team has 9 players, including the goalie.
2. A match may not start if a team has fewer than 9 players (including goalie).
3. A match is defaulted if a team does not have 9 players, 10 minutes after the scheduled time for kickoff.
4. For CoRec soccer, there MUST be a minimum of 3 players of either gender, unless otherwise agreed upon by both team captains and the referee prior to the start of the match.

Substitution Procedure

1. The referee is informed of any substitution before it is made.
2. A substitute only enters the field of play after the player being replaced has left the field of play, and has been notified by the referee. 
3. A substitute only enters the field of play at the halfway line, and during a stoppage in play.
4. All substitutes are subject to the authority and jurisdiction of the referee, whether called upon to play or not.

Infringements/Sanctions

1. If a substitute enters the field of play without the permission of the referee, the following occurs:
   • play is stopped
   • the substitute is cautioned, shown the yellow card, and required to leave the field of play
   • play is restarted with a dropped ball at the point where the play was stopped

The Referee

1. The decisions of the referee regarding facts connected with play are final.
2. The referee may only change a decision, upon realizing that it is incorrect, if they have not yet restarted play.

Duration of the Match

1. The match consists of 2 equal halves of 25 minutes each. The half-time interval must not exceed 5 minutes.
2. Injury time will not occur. 
3. A coin is tossed to decide who will defend which end in a tie. During the playoffs, extra time is permitted to determine a winner.

Ball Out of Play

1. The ball must wholly cross either the goal line or touch line, either in the air or on the ground.
2. A throw in will occur if the ball moves outside of the touch line.
3. A corner or goal kick will occcur if the ball moves beyond the goal line.
4. If a referee has stopped play, then the ball is out of play. 

Goal Scored

1. A goal is scored when the whole ball passes over the goal line, between the goal posts, and under the crossbar, provided no infringement of the Laws of the Game have been committed by the team scoring the goal.

Offside

Updated. Cautionable Offences (Yellow Cards): Unsporting behaviour.

1. Shows dissent by word or action.
2. Persistently infringes the Laws of the Game.
3. Delays the restart of play.
4. Fails to respect the required distance when play is restarted with a corner kick, free kick or throw-in.
5. Enters, re-enters or deliberately leaves the field of play without the referee's permission.

Red Cards Dismissal (ejection)

1. Guilty of serious foul play.
2. Guilty of violent conduct.
3. Spits at or bites an opponent or official.
4. Denies the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball (this does not apply to a goalkeeper within hiw own penalty area).
5. Denies an obvious goal-scoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the player's goal by an offence punishable by a free kick or penalty kick.
6. Uses offensive, insulting, or abusive language and/or gestures. 
7. Receives a second yellow card in the same match.
8. Tackles which endangers the safety if an opponent. 
9. Red cards may result in disciplinary action and will be reviewed by the Suspension and Appeals Committee.

Slide tackling is an action not accepted in Campus Recreation sport and will result in immediate ejection from the game.

A player who has been sent off must immediately leave the vicinity of the field of play and the technical area. 

Throw In

1. Player must face the field of play.
2. Must have part of each foot touching on or behind the touch line.
3. Player must use both hands.
4. Player must deliver the ball from behind and over their head.
5. The throw-in must be taken within 8 seconds of the player having control of the ball. If not, the throw-in is awarded to the opposing team.

Corner Kick

1. Corner kicks occur within a meter of the corner flag.
2. The corner flag post may not be moved in order to take a corner kick.
3. The kick taker may not retouch the ball until it has been contacted by another player.
4. NEW LAW: Corner Kick – If a goalkeeper controls the ball with their hands for more than 8 seconds before releasing it, a corner kick is awarded to the opposing team. The referee will visibly count down the final five seconds before making a decision.

Direct Free Kick

The direct free kick is taken from where the offence occurred. It is awarded to an opposing team if a player commits any of the following infractions with careless, reckless, or excessive force:

1. 1. Kicks or attempts to kick an opponent.
   2. Trips or attempts to trip an opponent.
   3. Jumps at an opponent.
   4. Charges an opponent.
   5. Strikes or attempts to strike an opponent.
   6. Pushes an opponent.
   7. Tackles an opponent to gain possession of the ball.
   8. Holds an opponent.
   9. Spits at an opponent.
   10. Deliberately handles the ball (except for the goalkeeper within their own penalty area).
   11. Throws an object at the ball, an opponent or a match official, or makes contact with the ball using a held object.

Indirect Free Kick

The indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a goalkeeper, inside their own penalty area, commits any of the following offences:

1. Takes more than 6 seconds while controlling the ball with their hands before releasing it from their possession.
2. Touches the ball again with their hands after releasing it from their possession before another player on the field has touched it.
3. Touches the ball with their hands after it has been directly kicked to them by a teammate.
4. Touches the ball with their hands from a direct throw in by a teammate.

 An indirect kick is also awarded to an opposing team if a player:

1. Plays in a dangerous manner.
2. Impedes the progress of an opponent.
3. Prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from their hands.
4. Commits any other offence, for which play is stopped to caution or dismiss a player.

Overtime (Playoffs Only)

1. Extra Time (Playoffs Only). Playoff matches tied at the end of regulation will proceed to two 5-minute extra time periods.
2. Teams will defend the half of the field determined by a coin toss. The team with the higher playoff seed will call the coin toss.
3. Teams will switch sides after the first 5-minute period.
4. If the score remains tied after the completion of both extra time periods, kicks from the penalty mark will be used to determine the winner.

Penalty Shootout

1. Each team will select five eligible players to take one kick each.
2. Teams will alternate taking kicks.
3. The team that scores the most goals after five kicks each will be declared the winner.
4. If the score remains tied after five kicks each, the shootout will continue in a sudden-death format until one team scores and the other does not after taking the same number of kicks.
5. If one team has more eligible players than the other at the end of the match, it must reduce its number of eligible players to match the opposing team before the shootout begins.
6. No player may take a second kick until all eligible players from their team have taken a kick.