Coed 8-a-side Soccer Mondays -(Full Field) Rules

Urban Rec Coed 8 a Side Soccer Rules

Match Format

1. Teams are to play with 8 players on the field (7 players and a goalie) – At least 2 of either gender must be on the field at all times to play a full roster. The goalie doesn’t count towards the gender count on the field.

2. If a team has only one of a specific gender player they may still field a team but would play with a maximum of 7 players (ie 6 males & 1 female). The missing position cannot be replaced by another gender. The lone player also may not play in net. The opposing team can still field 8 players as long as 2 minimum per gender. If during the course of the game the lonegender is injured and cannot continue to play the team may continue but will be have to play 7 against 8.

3. If a team shows up and has only one gender onsite they have 10 minutes of grace before the team will be considered a forfeit and play for fun. NO Players equals a default but as long as there are players onsite for a fun game, that is all we require.

4. Teams will play until the end of time (an Event Coordinator will blow the whistle). In the event of a tie score in a regular season match, the game will go into the standings as a tie.

5. Tie game in playoffs – teams will play an immediate best-of-5 shootout with the players on the field. Teams must rotate gender each shot. If still tied after 5 shooters, the shootout will be head-to-head.

6. Substitutions can be made “on-the-fly” – EXCEPT for the goalie, who can only be substituted for at a stoppage in play.

7. All matches are self-officiated – Team Captains are required to self-police their own teams and call their own fouls.

Equipment

1. Urban Rec will provide regulation balls, goals and nets (where not already provided) and an on- site event coordinator (EC).

  1. Teams/players are required to come to each match with both a light and dark coloured shirt- the home team is always light-coloured. Goalkeepers must wear a different coloured jersey than the rest of their team as well as being different from the opposing team’s jerseys.
  1. Metal cleats ARE NOT ALLOWED.
  1. Shin pads are not required, but strongly recommended. If worn, shin pads must be totally covered by socks.

EASILY CONFUSED RULES

  1. The player starting the play (kick or throw-in) is not allowed to touch the ball again until it has been played by another player.
  1. Opposing players from the team that is kicking the ball must stay ten yards away from ball until it is in play.
  1. Substitutes must enter the field at the same location the substituting player comes off the field.
  1. Players are responsible for calling all their own fouls; Team Captains are responsible for informing their team of the rules and also for enforcing them if their team is negligent in this regard.
  1. The goalkeeper is not allowed to pick up the ball if it has been passed or thrown (via throw-in) to him from a person on his team.
  1. All free kicks are to be indirect (except penalty shots), meaning the ball must touch at least two people before going into net.
  1. Fouls: kicking, tripping, jumping at, charging, holding, pushing, yelling at, slide tackling, striking or spitting at an opponent, or ‘handling' the ball; all result in An indirect free kick to the opposing team from where infringement occurred.
  1. Handballs: to eliminate any debate on whether a player’s arm was in a natural position or not, the rule has been amended so that any time a player’s arm or hand from the shoulder to the fingertips contacts the ball, it is considered a handball. If the opposing team has the clear advantage after a handball, than play shall continue without stopping (please see the Advantage rule in the soccer rules online). 

Match/Game Play

  1. The game will start with a kick-off at the centre spot, with the home team kicking off to begin the game.
  1. Teams will change ends at halftime and the away team will kick-off the second half.
  1. A kick off will also restart the game after a goal is scored.
  1. Kick offs must have the ball going in a forward direction at least one full rotation and may not be touched by the kicker again until the ball has been contacted by another player.
  1. A goal cannot be scored directly from a kick off.
  1. The opposing team must be at least 8 yards away from the ball in any direction on a kick off, until the ball has been put into play per rule # 4.
  1. Balls that are out of play when the ball has crossed the side line will result in a throw-in. A throw-in must be done with both hands, with both feet on the ground and from behind the head; the thrower cannot play the ball again until it has been touched by another player. A goal cannot be scored directly from a throw-in.
  1. Balls that are out of play when the ball has crossed the goal line (but not into the net) will result in a corner kick if a defending player was last to touch the ball, or a goal kick if an offensive player was the last to touch the ball.
  1. Goalies are not allowed to handle the ball with the hands when the ball is thrown or kicked to them by their own team. They ARE allowed to use their hands inside the accepted goal crease when the opposing team throws or kicks the ball towards the goalie. If a goalie uses his/her hands to play the ball in when it was thrown/passed by his/her own team then the opposing team is awarded an indirect free kick at the spot of the handling – see below for description.

FOULS listed below will result in an indirect free kick

    1. Players may not jump to play a ball with their feet.
    2. Any player who kicks or attempts to kick a ball that is above their own waist while standing on the floor will have a foul called on them. Two high kicking fouls in one game will result in the expulsion of the offending player from the game.
    3. No bicycle kicks
    4. Kicking or attempting to kick an opponent
    5. Tripping or attempting to trip an opponent
    6. Jumping at an opponent
    7. Charging an opponent in a violent, reckless or dangerous manner
    8. Holding or pushing an opponent
    9. Handballs: A handball occurs when the balls touches any part of your arm from top of shoulders to fingertips (except a goalkeeper within their own crease). ALL handballs are to be called a foul and the opposing team gets an indirect free-kick. The ‘Advantage’ rule is not applicable in indoor soccer.
    10. Obstructing an opponent
    11. Slide tackling – see description below
    12. Using your body to advance

Slide tackling includes any player, including the goalie, who leaves the ground in a foot or feet-forward motion. The goalie may dive head-forward or on his/her side to make a save, but may not dive feet-forward. This is regardless of if there is an opposing player in the area or not. There is to be NO sliding to prevent a ball from going out of play, or to make any play on the ball regardless of whether another player is in the vicinity or not.

All players are to ‘stay on their feet’, period. Any player who slides for any reason will have a foul called for the slide either by themselves or by an opposing player on the field. As you are all aware, participants are required to call their own fouls. If a player “forgets”, then it is the responsibility of his/her team captain to call the foul. In the event that there is a disagreement, then the team captains of the respective teams should maturely discuss the situation and come to a resolution.

An indirect free-kick is defined as:

  • The ball must touch at least 2 players before it can be a goal (the kicker and 1 other).
  • All opposing players (defence) of the team taking the free kick must be at least ten yards away from the ball, except when the ball is being kicked from a point closer than ten yards from the goal mouth - in which case the defending players may stand on their goal line.
  • All free kicks are to be indirect (except for penalty kicks) in this league, meaning that a goal cannot be scored unless the ball has been touched by a player other than the kicker before passing between the posts.

ALL indirect free-kicks are to be taken from the ‘SPOT OF THE FOUL’. - This includes when the goalkeeper illegally plays the ball with their hands.

3. CORNER-KICKS

When the ball passes over the goal line (but not a goal) and was last touched by a member of the defending team, a member of the attacking team will take a corner-kick; the ball is placed within a one yard radius from the corner closest to where the ball went out of play; a goal may be scored from such a kick; the defending team must stand at least ten yards away from the ball until it is in play; the kicker shall not play the ball a second time until it has been touched by another player

4. GOAL-KICK

When the ball passes over the goal line (but not a goal) and was last touched by a member of the attacking team, a member of the defending team will take a goal-kick; the ball is placed approx. six yards from the goal line on the side of the goal opening which is closest to where the ball went out of play; it must be touched by any player outside a further six yards on for it to be in play again; a goalkeeper shall not receive the ball into his/her hands from a goal-kick; the kicker shall not play the ball a second time until it has been touched by another player.

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