Community Cup and Claire’s Cup Rules

FORMAT:  4v4 with a max of 6 players per team.

FIELD SIZE:  All fields will be 25 yards wide by 35 yards in length.

GOALS:  All goals will be no larger than 4ft by 6ft, and no smaller than 3ft by 5ft.

GAME LENGTH:  All matches are one 20 minute period.

BALL SIZE:  U8 thru U12 rec/recplus teams and U9 - U12 travel teams will use a size 4 ball; U14 thru U19 rec teams and U13 thru U19 travel teams will use a size 5 ball. All Claire’s Cup Adult teams will use a size 5 ball.  All game balls will be provided by the tournament.

Claire's Cup teams (Adult teams): MUST have one female on the field at all times, or play short one player. Max 6 on the roster. Must be 18 or older on the day of the tournament – NO EXCEPTIONS.   

OUT OF PLAY:  Any ball going over the end line (past the goal) will be put back in play by placing the ball on the closest corner and kicking it back in play (Indirect Kick).  Any ball going out over either sideline will be placed at the point it went out and kicked back into play (Indirect Kick).  Defensive player must be 3 yards from the ball.  There will be NO throw-ins.  

KICKOFFS:  At the beginning of the game or after any goal, the ball will be put in play at the center point of the halfway line of the field.  The ball may go any direction and be touched by another player before the original player can touch the ball again.  You cannot score directly from a kickoff.

FREE KICKS:  Both DIRECT and INDIRECT kicks will be awarded in compliance with the FIFA Laws of the Game. 

PENALTY KICKS: Penalty kicks will be awarded if a player, in the judgement of the referee, knowingly attempts to stop a goal by using their hands.  The ball will be placed at the center circle of the field.

OFFSIDES:  There is NO offsides.

SLIDE TACKLING:  There is NO Slide Tackling.

SCORING:  A player can only score after touching the ball on their own offensive side of the field.  A player cannot score from their defensive half of the field.

GOAL ARCH:  There will be a 6ft goal arch in front of each goal.  No player will be allowed to “camp” in that arch to defend the goal.  When a player is determined to be camping out in the arc, an INDIRECT Free Kick will be awarded to the other team at the center of the field.  However, a player, offensive or defensive, can enter the arch while playing the ball, but an offensive player cannot score while inside the arch.  The determination of whether a player is legally in the arch will be made by the referee.

SUBSTITUTIONS:  Each team will have unlimited substitutions and may substitute at any stoppage of play.

DIVISION STANDINGS:   Division standings will be decided by the following point system: Win or forfeit = 3 points;   Tie = 1 point;   Loss = 0 points.

TIE BREAKERS:  (Determination of wild cards first and second place winners) Total points ties within divisions and/or brackets will be broken by the following tiebreakers in order:
1. Head to head competition during the tournament of the two teams tied. (Disregard if more than two teams are tied — NEVER revert back to this tiebreaker if more than two teams are tied.)
2. Most wins
3. Team with the highest goal differential. A maximum differential of three (3) goals per match will be counted. Positive only.
4. Fewest number amount of goals allowed.

TOURNAMENT OVERTIME:   All preliminary games will remain a tie. In the semifinals or finals, following a five-minute break, a Golden Goal overtime period of five minutes will be played - first goal wins.  If still tied, consecutive Golden Goal 5-minute periods will be played until a goal is scored and a winner determined.

WARNINGS/EJECTIONS:   If a player is ejected from a match – red card by the referee – the player must sit out the remainder of that match plus his team’s next tournament match. No substitution will be made for the ejected player during the match in which the red card was issued. Two yellow cards to the same player in the same match equal a red card and will result in immediate ejection from that match and suspension from the next tournament match. Coaches in receipt of a red or two yellow cards in the same match are subject to the same penalties as outlined above for players. A coach ejected from a match will not be allowed in the vicinity of the field for the remainder of that match or for his team’s next match.   Coaches are responsible for their players, parents and guests on the sideline. No team or club official may enter the field of play regardless of the circumstances unless that person has been given permission to enter the field of play by the referee.  Because of the seriousness of such instances, red cards issued after the end of regulation play or as a result of physical assault are subject to review by the Tournament Director and more strenuous penalties, which are not subject to appeal, may be levied.

PROTESTS:   No protests will be permitted.