THERE ARE 17 LAWS OF THE GAME

Law 1 – The Field of Play

Fields will be set up for you – but basically a field must be longer than it is wide.

Law 2 – The Ball

Number 4 – but 5 is OK if there’s no Number 4 ball

Law 3 – The Number of Players

We play 4v4, but 5v5 if both coaches agree – 6v6 in the upper age group

Law 4 – The Players' Equipment

Shirt, socks, shoes, shorts and SHIN GUARDS

Each player must be wearing the proper jersey

Law 5 – The Referee

Refs, wear your black shirt so we'll know you're the ref

Law 6 – The Assistant Referees

We don’t use them

Law 7 – The Duration of the Match

Two 20 minute halves.

Listen for beep, put players on the field, do coin toss

• a coin is tossed and the team that wins the toss decides which goal it will attack in the first half

• the other team takes the kick-off to start the match.

• the team that wins the toss takes the kick-off to start the second half of the match.

• in the second half of the match, the teams change ends and attack the opposite goals.

Kick off when you hear long blast

Law 8 – The Start and Restart of Play

See the attached list

Law 9 – The Ball In and Out of Play

The ball is out of play when:

• The entire ball is completely across the line

• You blow your whistle to stop play

Law 10 – The Method of Scoring

The entire ball must be completely across the goal line and inside the goal

Law 11 – Offside

We don’t use offside for these games

Law 12 – Fouls and Misconduct

See the attached list

Law 13 – Free Kicks

In these games, we only use direct free kicks except with the oldest group

See the attached sheet

Law 14 – The Penalty Kick

In these games, we don’t do penalty kicks except with the oldest group

See the attached sheet

Law 15 – The Throw-in

• Both feet on the ground outside the field

• Both hands on the ball, centered over the head

• Somebody on the field must touch the ball before a goal can be scored

Law 16 – The Goal Kick

Taken from the goal area line when an attacker kicks the ball off the end of the field

Must leave the penalty area

Law 17 – The Corner Kick

Taken from the corner when the defending team kicks the ball off the end of the field

HOW TO START OR RESTART PLAY

Kick-off is taken

• at the start of the match

• after a goal has been scored

• at the start of the second half of the match

A goal may be scored directly from the kick-off.

The ball must be stationary on the center mark

• the referee gives a signal

• the ball is in play when it is kicked and moves forward

• the kicker must not touch the ball again until it has touched another player

Dropped ball is taken when you have to stop play but nobody did anything wrong.

The referee drops the ball at the place where it was located when play was  stopped, unless play was stopped inside the goal area, in which case the  referee drops the ball on the goal area line.

Play restarts when the ball touches the ground.

Direct kick is taken when a foul on the list from the next page is committed. The ref signals by pointing his arm at the goal. A goal can be scored from a direct kick.

In our games, all fouls result in a direct kick – except in the Under-12/14 group

Indirect kick is taken when a foul on the list from the next page is committed. The ref signals by pointing his arm straight up at the sky. A goal can only be scored from an indirect kick after it has been touched by a second player.

In our games, all fouls result in a direct kick – except in the Under-12/14 group

No indirect kicks for younger kids

Penalty kick is taken when a direct kick foul occurs inside the penalty area.

In our games, all fouls result in a direct kick – except in the Under-12/14 group

No penalty kicks for younger kids

Throw-in is taken by an opponent when the ball is kicked off the side of the field

• Both feet on the ground outside the field

• both hands on the ball, centered over the head

• Somebody on the field must touch the ball before a goal can be scored

Goal Kick is taken when an attacker kicks the ball off the end of the field

• Taken from the goal area line

• Must leave the penalty area

Corner Kick is taken when the defending team kicks the ball off the end of the field

• Taken from the corner

FOULS AND MISCONDUCT ARE PENALIZED AS FOLLOWS:

Direct free kick fouls

A direct free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any of the following seven offences in a manner considered by the referee to be careless, reckless or using excessive force:

• kicks or attempts to kick an opponent

• trips or attempts to trip an opponent

• jumps at an opponent

• charges an opponent

• strikes or attempts to strike an opponent

• pushes an opponent

• tackles an opponent

A direct free kick is also awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any of the following three offences:

• holds an opponent

• spits at an opponent

• handles the ball deliberately (except for the goalkeeper within his own penalty area)

A direct free kick is taken from the place where the offence occurred 

Penalty kick fouls

A penalty kick is awarded if any of the above ten offences is committed by  a player inside his own penalty area, irrespective of the position of the ball,  provided it is in play.

Indirect free kick fouls

An indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team if:

a goalkeeper, inside his  own penalty area, commits any of the following four offences:

• controls the ball with his hands for more than six seconds before releasing it from his possession

• touches the ball again with his hands after he has released it from his possession and before it has

touched another player

• touches the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a team-mate

• touches the ball with his hands after he has received it directly from a throw-in taken by a team-mate

in the opinion of  the referee, a player:

• plays in a dangerous manner

• impedes the progress of an opponent

• prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from his hands

• commits any other offence for which play is stopped to caution or send off a player

The indirect free kick is taken from the place where the offence occurred

CARDS

We don’t give players yellow or red cards.

However, the referee can warn a player to behave. If the player does not behave, the ref can tell the coach that he is being sent off, but that the coach can send him back in after he sits out a few minutes.