Match Duration & Structure

• Game Clock: Each match consists of two 10-minute halves of continuous running time. The clock does not stop for out-of-bounds, goals, or fouls unless explicitly managed by the referee for a serious injury.
• Halftime: A strict 2-minute halftime interval will be enforced. Teams must quickly switch ends.
• Time-Outs: There are no time-outs permitted at any point during the match.
  
  

General Gameplay & Restarts

• IFAB Standard Governance: Except where local tournament rules differ, all matches will be played in accordance with standard IFAB Laws of the Game. This includes standard definitions of fouls, misconduct, yellow/red cards, and handballs.
• No Goalkeepers: There are no goalies. No player may handle the ball with their hands.
• Strict No-Slide Tackling Rule: Slide tackling is strictly prohibited.
  • Players must remain on their feet to challenge for the ball.
  • Any slide tackle will result in an immediate infraction (foul) and an indirect free kick for the opposing team. Severe or reckless slide tackles may result in a yellow card.
• The Goal Box Rule: To prevent defensive “camping” in front of the small nets, a small semi-circle or rectangular “Goal Box” is marked directly in front of the goal.
  • Players may run through the box, but no player may touch the ball while it is inside the goal box line.
  • If a defender touches the ball in the box: A penalty kick is awarded to the attacking team.
  • If an attacker touches the ball in the box: A goal kick is awarded to the defending team.
  • If the ball comes to a dead stop inside the box: A goal kick is awarded to the defending team.
• No Offsides: There is no offside rule in effect.
• Sideline Restarts (Kick-ins): When the ball goes out over the inflatable pitch wall, play restarts with a kick-in. The ball must be placed one foot in from the sideline wall.
• Indirect Restarts: All kick-ins, kick-offs, and free kicks are indirect (except for corner kicks and penalty kicks). A goal cannot be scored directly from an indirect kick without touching another player first.
• Defensive Distance: On all restarts, defending players must stand at least 2.5 meters away from the ball.

Round Robin Stage & Standings
During the group stage, matches can end in a draw. Points will be awarded as follows:

Win: 3 points
Draw: 1 point
Loss: 0 points

Tie-Breaker Protocols
If two or more teams are tied on points at the end of the round robin stage to determine who proceeds to the Final (top two teams), the following order of tie-breakers will apply strictly:

• Head-to-Head History: The team that won the match between the two tied teams proceeds.
• Goal Differential: Total Goals For minus Total Goals Against across all group games.
• Goals For: The team with the highest number of total goals scored proceeds.
• Goals Against: The team with the fewest number of total goals conceded proceeds.
• Coin Toss: If teams remain perfectly tied across all metrics, a coin toss overseen by the tournament director will decide the finalist.
  
  

Final Stage & 1v1 “Showdown” Shootout

If the final match ends in a draw at the end of regulation running time, the winner will be decided by a 1v1 Showdown Shootout.

Shootout Rules:

• The Opening Decider: Before the shootout begins, the team captains will meet at the center line for a Coin Toss or a single round of Rock-Paper-Scissors. The winner of the toss/game chooses whether their team will Attack first or Defend first in the opening round.
• The Setup: The ball is placed exactly at the centerline (half-field). One attacking player starts at the centerline with the ball, and one defending player starts on their own goal line.
• The Objective: On the referee’s whistle, a 30-second countdown begins. The attacker must attempt to dribble forward and score into the open net while the defender tries to stop them or clear the ball.
• Format:
  • Round 1: Each team selects a single player to take a 1v1 attempt.
    If Team A’s player scores and Team B’s player misses (or vice versa), the game is instantly over and the scoring team wins.
  • If both players score, or both players fail to score within their 30 seconds (or if the ball is legally cleared out of bounds/stolen by the defender), the shootout moves to Round 2.
  • Subsequent Rounds: A new player from each team’s roster takes the next attempt. This sudden-death structure continues round-by-round until the end of the roster has been met.
  • If no winner is identified then a final 1v1 round started with a drop ball and ending with the first goal will act as the ultimate outcome decider.
    
    

Coed Division Specifics:
For teams competing in the Coed divisions at the U12-13 category and older, the standard Rules of Play apply in full, with the following additions and modifications:

• On-Field Gender Ratio: Each team must maintain a minimum of one (1) player of each gender on the field at all times.
• Roster Requirements: To ensure compliance with the on-field ratio, coed team rosters must include at least one player of each gender.
• Playing Short-Handed: If a team cannot field at least one player of each gender at kick-off or during play due to a lack of available players, tardiness, or injury, they must play short-handed (e.g., playing with 2 players total if only players of one gender are available).
• Disciplinary Reductions: If a player is shown a red card (or two yellow cards) and the team is forced to play a player down, they must still maintain the one-player-of-each-gender minimum on the field if roster numbers allow. If a card creates a situation where the gender requirement cannot be met, the team must play with fewer than 3 players to satisfy the ratio.
• Forfeit Exception: If a team is completely unable to field at least one player of each gender at any point during the match (and has no eligible players remaining on the bench to correct it), the match will be deemed a forfeit (recorded as a 3-0 loss).