Soccer Rules

General

1. Rules follow the FIFA 2016 Laws of the Game.
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 of either gender.

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 playoffs, overtime 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

1. It is not an offence in itself to be in an offside position.
2. A player is in an offside position if he is nearer to his opponents' goal line than both the ball and the second last opponent.
A player is not in an offside position if:
3. • they are in their own half
   • they are level with the second last opponent
   • they are level with the last 2 opponents
A player in an offside position is only penalized if, at the moment the ball touches, or is played by a member of their team, they are, in the opinion of the referee, involved in active play by:
4. • interfering with play
   • interfering with an opponent
   • gaining an advantage by being in that position
5. There is no offside offence if a player receives the ball directly from:
   • a goal kick
   • a throw in
   • a corner kick

Yellow Cards (warning)

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

Red Cards (ejection)

1. Guilty of serious foul play.
2. Guilty of violent conduct.
3. Spits at 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.

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.

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. 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. Handles the ball deliberately (except for the goalkeeper within his own penalty area).
11. A penalty kick is awarded if any of the above infractions occur inside their own penalty area, irrespective of the position of the ball, provided it is in play.

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. Playoff periods consist of 2, 5 minute Golden Goal halves. Teams will defend half of the field determined by a coin-toss. The team with the highest playoff seed calls the coin toss.
2. Teams switch sides after 5 minutes of play and the game begins immediately.
3. If no goals are scored during the overtime period a 5 player shootout will occur to determine the winner. Teams alternate shooters. If tied after 5 players, a sudden-death shootout will take place.