Rules


Matches will be played in accordance with FIFA Laws of the Game, except as modified. 

Tournament Cancellation 

If the tournament is cancelled for any reason before the event begins and before any matches are played, teams are guaranteed a refund of an amount to be determined by the host organization(s) once all invoices are paid and final budgets are approved. 

 

REGISTRATION FEES 

All Entry Fees must be postmarked by the registration deadline to guarantee consideration. All late applications will be put on a wait list for review. Upon acceptance, the fee is non-refundable. If your team is accepted and later withdraws, the entry fee is non- refundable. Registration fees not received or postmarked by the registration deadline will incur a $50 late fee. 

 

Credit Card Payments 

All Credit Cards entries will be charged upon acceptance and refunded immediately upon non-acceptance. Email confirmation of entry will follow completed application. 

 

Check or Money Order Payments 

All check or Money Order entries must be postmarked by the registration deadline and should be made payable to the host organization. All entry fees received through check or money order are deposited immediately and refunded within two weeks of non-acceptance. Teams must include a copy of e-mail entry confirmation with their payment. 

 

ONLINE TEAM CHECK-IN REQUIREMENTS AND ROSTER INFORMATION 

  • Original Player Passes, current to seasonal year of event; either USYS State Association or US Club Soccer passes 
  • Two Copies of Official Roster 
  • Guest Players identified: Written on front or back of COPIES of Rosters 
  • Player Passes for Guest Player 
  • Individual Player Medical Release Forms 
  • Approved Permission to Travel forms must be received for all teams traveling from outside the state of
  • No player may play for more than one team during the tournament 

For USYSA Registered Teams: Teams must have the proper USYSA state rosters, plus two copies for the tournament, permission to travel forms, player pass cards and medical release forms for each player at registration. 

 

Region 1 Policy Regarding Application To Host A Tournament 

Region I established the following policy concerning permission to travel when attending USYS sanctioned tournaments in Region I. The purpose of this policy is to make it as simple as possible for the US Youth Soccer Region I teams to travel to tournaments within Region I. The new policy states that any USYS State Association teams within Region I that is accepted into a tournament in Region I do not need permission to travel papers. The list of invited National States Associations in Region I are the following: 

  • Connecticut Jr Soccer Assn
  • Delaware Youth Soccer Assn
  • Eastern New York Youth Soccer Assn
  • Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Assn
  • Soccer Maine
  • Maryland Youth Soccer Assn
  • Massachusetts Youth Soccer Assn
  • New Hampshire Soccer Assn
  • New Jersey Youth Soccer Assn
  • New York State West Youth Soccer Assn
  • Pennsylvania West State Soccer Assn
  • Soccer Rhode Island
  • Vermont Soccer Assn
  • Virginia Youth Soccer Assn
  • West Virginia Soccer Assn 

Roster Sizes 

 

  • U10-U12 - 9v9 teams are limited to 16 players identified at Registration 
  • U13-U15 - 11v11 teams are limited to 18 players identified at Registration 
  • U16-U19 - 11v11 teams may have 22 players identified at Registration 
    • Only 18 players may dress for each game and must be identified to the referees prior to kickoff of each match. No player not identified prior to kickoff may participate in that specific match. 
  • Five guest players per team will be permitted for all age groups 

MODIFIED TOURNAMENT RULES 

The event will be played in accordance with FIFA Laws of the Game and/or as modified below. 

 

Protest 

All officiating and administrative decisions are final, and no protests will be considered. 

 

Ball Size (Home Team provides a game ball) 

  • U10-U12: Size 4 (9v9 play) 
  • U13-U19: Size 5 (11v11 play)

Match Duration (no stoppage time)

 

  • U10-U12: 60 minute matches, 5 minute halftime
  • U13-U19: 70 minute matches, 5 minute halftime

Substitutions 

Unlimited/Free substitutions with permission of referee: 

  • After a goal has been made 
  • At the beginning of the second half of play or prior to the beginning of an overtime period 
  • At a goal kick by either team 
  • At a throw-in by the team in possession 
  • Injury (any number of players from both teams may be substituted whenever an injury has occurred after being beckoned onto the pitch by the Referee) Limited substitutions may be made, with the referee's permission: 
    • In case of stoppage of play for an injury 
    • Cautioned player (cautioned player only)
      Under no circumstances may substitutions be made (1) on corner kicks or (2) after the game has ended in a tie and FIFA penalty kicks will be required to determine a winner. All substitutes shall inform the assistant referee on their side of the field that they wish to enter the game prior to the time they are entitled to enter the game as a substitute. The assistant referee will signal the referee that substitutes wish to enter the game at the first opportunity that the substitute is allowed to enter the game. The substitutes must wait until the referee signals that it is okay for them to enter the field. 

Uniform Conflicts 

Team listed first is the designated Home Team, 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 as 5 – 0. Teams forfeiting games will not be able to advance to the playoff rounds. 

 

Officiating Systems 

  1. U10-12 - 1 or 3 referees per match
  2. U13-U19 – 3 referees per match
  3. Offsides will be called
  4. The Tournament Director reserves to right to alter officiating systems as needed throughout the event. Some fees may be returned in the event of altered officiating systems. 

Inclement Weather 

The Tournament Rules Committee reserves the right to make the following changes in the event of inclement weather: 

  1. Relocate and/or reschedule a match. 
  2. Change a division structure. 
  3. Reduce scheduled duration of a match 
  4. Cancel a match. 

In the event 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. The tournament director will have the final decision on field closure. 

 

Player Equipment 

All players must wear shin-guards. No 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 1⁄2 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:

  • Three (3) points for each Win
  • One (1) point for each Tie
  • Zero (0) points for each Loss 

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: 

  1. The winner in head to head competition (If there is a 3 team tie, the team that registered earliest is the first tie breaker) 
  2. Goal differential, max of +/-5 per game. Ex. Team wins 7-1, only gets +5, losing team gets -5 
  3. Goals Against (no maximum) 
  4. Most Shutouts 
  5. Goals Scored (no maximum)
  6. Penalty Shoot-Outs* 

If two teams are tied, the criteria is as follows using rules 1 through 6. 

If multiple teams (3 or more) are tied then start at Rule #2 and proceed with rules 2 through 6 until only one team remains. If 3 teams are still tied after applying rules 2 through 5, the criteria to get down to one team will be determined by the team that registered earliest. 

 

All tie breaking Shoot-Outs will be Sunday morning at a field location and time determined by the Tournament Director. 

 

Resolving Ties in Semi-Final and Final Matches 

If the semi-final or final match is tied at the end of regulation time: 

  • Game will 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 at the end of extra time. 

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 from the coaches and players and are limited to being in the designated area from penalty box to penalty box. No spectators are allowed behind the goal areas. Harassment of the officials from coaches, spectators or players will not be tolerated. 

 

Suspensions and Discipline 

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 tournament match. Players serving red card suspensions are allowed to sit on the bench during their teams next game but are not allowed to be in uniform. Any 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. 

Alcoholic Beverages
 

NO alcoholic beverages are allowed at the event or the parking lot of any of the game sites. If found with alcohol, the team of the offending person will be subject to forfeiting 1 game and the offender will be banned from returning to any tournament site for the remainder of the event. The Tournament Director will have final say on all aspects related to this policy. 

 

Game Balls 

Game balls will be used at the discretion of the referees. All game balls will be inspected by match officials prior to use, and only balls that have been approved by the referees will be permitted for use. The tournament will supply game balls when available. 

 

Heading Rule at U12, 9v9 and younger Age Groups 

Whenever the ball strikes a player in the head, play is to be 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. 

 

Team Withdrawal 

All Entry Fees must be postmarked by the registration deadline to guarantee consideration. All late applications will be put on a wait list for review. Upon acceptance, the fee is non-refundable. If your team is accepted and later withdraws, the entry fee is non-refundable, and sanctions will be placed against your team/club for future participation in events sponsored by the host organization(s). 


 

© 2024 SincSports    |    Privacy Policy    |    Cookie Policy