Independence Cup Tournament Rules
Rules
A reminder to all teams, parents, and spectators –
- Drones and Arial video and photography are NOT permitted at any time.
- Alcoholic Beverages & Smoking are Prohibited.
- Firearms are prohibited at all venues during the event.
- No artificial noise makers
Tournament Headquarters
- Richard Barry Park - 13707 Beatties Ford Rd, Huntersville, NC 28078
- Tournament Director: Tom Ammann: toma@independencesoccer.club
Registration
Team Check-in for the 2024 Independence Cup will be via online check-in only. There is a $20 fee associated with online check-in.
Registration Requirements
US Teams:
· Original 2024/2025 Player Passes; either USYS State Association or US Club Soccer passes
· Original 2024/2025 Official Roster; either USYS State Association or US Club Soccer
· Official Roster
· Guest Players identified: Written on front or back of COPIES of Rosters
· Player Passes for Guest Player and Player Loan forms for all guest players from a different club
· Individual Player Medical Release Forms
· Permission to Travel Paperwork: Not Required for US Club Soccer Teams. All out of state USYS teams need Permission to Travel Paperwork.
Tournament fees are required to complete registrations and are non-refundable unless a team is not accepted into the event. See below for our tournament cancellation policy.
Roster Sizes
· (U11 to U12) 9v9 teams are limited to 16 players identified at Check-In.
· (U13 to U19) Teams can have 22 players on their rosters turned in at Check-In.
Three guest players per team will be permitted for all age groups. US Club Soccer teams may only take guest players registered under US Club Soccer, and USYSA teams may only take guest players registered with properly stamped USYSA player pass cards.
*Players playing with a different team within the same club in which the player is registered (i.e. playing up an age group), will not count towards the guest player maximums.
**Players can only play for 1 team throughout the tournament.
Ball Size
Size 5 (U19 - U13)
Size 4 (U12 - U9)
Laws of the Game
Unless otherwise specified below, all FIFA Laws of the Game shall be used.
Game Duration (Same for both Boys and Girls Weekend)
70 min, (U19/U18, U17) Halftime - 5 min
70 min, (U16, U15) Halftime - 5 min
70 min. (U14, U13) Halftime - 5 min
60 min. (U12, U11) (9v9) Halftime - 5 min
*All games have a running clock. Extended time due to injuries or other stoppages will not occur unless decided by the tournament director or site coordinator.
Substitutions
Substitutions shall be unlimited, but made only at the following times:
a) Goal kick, after a goal, half time, at the beginning of an overtime period, throw in – by the team in possession and by the team not in possession (only if the team in possession has a substitute), after a yellow card – for carded player.
b) An injured player may be substituted for at the discretion of the referee. If a substitution is made for the injured player, the opposing team may also make one substitution (with the referee’s acknowledgement).
Home Team
Team listed first is the designated Home Team and must change jerseys when the referee determines a conflict to exist.
Forfeits
Teams not at the field ready to play with a minimum of 7 eligible players at the scheduled game time will forfeit the match at the discretion of the tournament director. Forfeited scores will be counted 3 – 0. Teams forfeiting games will not be able to advance to the playoff rounds.
9-a-side
2013-2012 (U11, U12) Three referee system. Offsides will be called.
Heading Rule at Age Group Divisions U12 & Younger
Whenever the ball strikes a player in the head, play is stopped. The proper restart depends upon whether the player deliberately played the ball with his or her head. If deliberate, the proper restart is an indirect free kick to the opposing team. If this occurs within the goal area, the indirect free kick should be taken on the goal area line parallel to the goal line at the point nearest to where the infringement occurred. If the play by the head is deemed in advertent, then the proper restart is a dropped ball.
Inclement Weather
Regardless of weather conditions, coaches and their teams must appear at their respective field site, ready to play as scheduled, unless notified by the tournament that the match has been moved or postponed.. Failure to appear will result in forfeiture of the match. Only the Tournament Director(s) may cancel or postpone a match. Referees may suspend a match only in case of severe weather, in his/her discretion. The Tournament Director reserves the right to make the following changes in the event of inclement weather:
· Relocate and/or reschedule a match.
· Change a division structure.
· Reduce scheduled duration of a match.
· Cancel a match.
In the evet of inclement weather, forcing play to be halted and preventing the match from completing during the scheduled time, the score shall stand if at least one-half of the match has been completed.
Player’s Equipment
All players must wear shin guards. No metal-rimmed glasses or jewelry of any kind will be allowed. Casts, splints or body braces made of a hard substance in its final form such as leather, rubber, plastic, plaster or fiberglass must be covered on all exterior surfaces with no less than ½ inch thick, high-density polyurethane, or an alternate material of the same thickness and similar physical properties to protect the injury. A medical release for the injured player signed by a licensed physician must be available at the game site. Players may not play with these casts without the approval of the Referee.
Rules for Advancement
Teams will be awarded points on the following basis:
· Six (6) points for each Win
· Three (3) points for each Tie
· Zero (0) points for each Loss
· One (1) point for each goal scored up to a max of three (3) per game. Losing teams receive points also.
· One (1) point for each shutout
· Examples:
A 0-0 tie will be scored as 4 points for each team (3 for tie, 1 for shutout)
A 4-2 game will be scored as 9 points for the winning team (6 for win, 3 for goals) and 2 points to the losing team (2 for goals).
In the event of a tie in points at the end of bracket play; the winner for advancement to Semi-Final or Finals will be determined as follows:
· The winner in head-to-head competition. (If there is a 3-team tie, proceed to the next tie breaker)
· Goal differential, max of +/-3 per game (Team wins 4-0, only gets +3 GD, losing team gets -3)
· Goals For (max 5 goals per game)
· Goals Against (max 5 goals per game)
· Shoot-Outs*
When the tiebreaker system is used, the criteria are followed from 1 through 4 until one team is eliminated and then the criteria start over again at Rule #1. Rules are repeated until one team remains.
Resolving Ties in Semi-Final and Final Match
If the semi-final or finals match are tied at the end of regulation time, the teams will be given a five-minute rest. The match will then be decided by FIFA, Kicks from the Penalty Spot Procedure as outlined in the Laws of the Game, using only the players remaining on the field. There will be no overtime.
Protest
There will be no protests. All officiating decisions are final.
Sideline Behavior
Both teams will sit on the same side of the field. Only coaches and trainers may stay on the player’s sideline. Spectators are only allowed on the opposite side of the field opposite of their team bench. No spectators are allowed on the coaches and players sidelines. Coaches and players and are limited to being in the designated area from penalty box to penalty box on their sideline. No spectators are allowed behind the goal areas. Harassment of the officials from coaches, spectators or players will not be tolerated.
Send-offs
Players
· If a player receives a red card or two yellow cards during a match, that player will sit out the rest of that match and their next match. Players serving red card suspensions are allowed to sit on the bench during their team’s game but are not allowed to be in uniform.
Coaches
· Coach or other authorized bench personnel sent off during a match must leave the field immediately upon being sent off and must remain away from the field during the team’s next match. Referees will not restart the match until the coach has left the field.
Spectators
· A spectator or any other non-player, non-coach, non-bench personnel sent off during a match must leave the field immediately upon being sent off. The Independence Soccer Club and the Tournament Director(s) reserve the right to suspend spectators from all future games.
NO alcoholic beverages are allowed in the park or the parking lot of any of the game sites. Your team will be subject to forfeiting 1 game. Smoking or use of tobacco products on or near playing fields is prohibited at all times.
Outdoor Grilling is prohibited at all tournament venues.
*The tournament will be played in accordance with FIFA Laws of the Game except as modified by these rules above.
Tournament Cancellation
The Independence Soccer Club and the Tournament Director(s) reserve the right to decide all matters pertaining to the tournament – and may, in their sole discretion, delay, postpone, or cancel the tournament, or otherwise alter the tournament structure (such as the duration of and/or number of games for teams), The decision of the Independence Soccer Club and the Tournament Director(s) on these matters shall be final, and shall not entitle any team to a refund or other return of entry fees paid, except as provided below (subject to any exception set out below, entry fees are nonrefundable).
If the tournament is cancelled for any reason before any tournament matches are played, teams will receive a refund of 80% of fees paid or 100% credit towards another Independence event that occurs within the subsequent calendar year. Teams will have the option to choose between these options.
Outside of complete tournament cancellation, other circumstances may arise in which the Independence Soccer Club, based on the totality of circumstances, decide to provide a refund of some or all of team entry fees. Any such decision to alter the no-refund policy is in the sole and absolute discretion of the Independence Soccer Club, and any such decision shall not constitute a binding commitment with respect to future similar circumstances or other teams.
Tournament Director(s) and Independence Soccer Club will not be responsible for any costs or expenses incurred by tournament participants (including, without limitation, for travel, lodging, or meals) if the tournament is delayed, postponed, cancelled, or otherwise altered for any reason.
Hotel Services
T2C Sports has partnered with Charlotte Independence to offer teams great hotel options at discounted rates. In order to provide the best value for all families attending this event the Charlotte Independence Soccer Cub has designated this a Stay to Play tournament. All teams from out of town are required to book their hotels rooms with T2C Sports in the designated hotel blocks.
Please email Lauren.Fine@T2Csports.com or call 704-281-5445 to discuss hotel options. Or visit the T2C Sports website HERE.