Whatever five or six
a side league you play in, whether you play with us or someone else, the rules
you are playing with were first written by Leisure Leagues! Yes, before the
days of structured small-sided leagues, Leisure Leagues had to invent their own,
bespoke rules for, what was then, only 5-a-side. And these rules have been
inherited by every small-sided organiser, as well as national FAs to become the
benchmark for 6v6 soccer across the world. We don't mind that everybody uses
our rules, we see that as a compliment. Anyway, here are the most up to date
rules for small-sided leagues.
Beginning and
Completing The Game
1a) The match will be
started by the referee giving the ball to one of the teams in turn in the
centre of the pitch at the start of the half
1b) Game duration is
either 26 or 38 minutes – made up of equal halves and a 4 minutes half time
1c) The referees
whistle overrules any hooter should the match have a hooter
1d) There shall be 9
players maximum per squad in one night (if the match is a five a side match it
will be eight)
Guest players
2a) A team is allowed
no more than two guest players per match and all guest players should be agreed
before kick-off after discussions between the referee and the opposition
skipper
2b) The referee
reserves the right to refuse or accept guest players if, in his opinion, the
outcome of the match would be significantly altered by their inclusion
2c) Guest players can
only be used to make up the basic squad of six. Guest players MUST NOT be
used as substitutes.
2d) Teams are still liable to pay their full
match fee even if they are using a guest.
2e)If a guest player
misbehaves during the game then the team captain is responsible for any
discipline fine that is accrued.
Flexi-squad System
2f) The “flexi squad
system” means teams do not have to register players and can use any amount of
players during the season, as long as they do not play regularly with any other
team in the same division.
2g) Although players
do not need to be registered, please note that only players who are registered
are eligible for a Man of the Match Award.
Penalties
3a) Time will be
added on if a penalty is awarded to the end of the half where the offence took place
3b) The penalty taker
must take no more than two steps before kicking the ball.
3c) The goalkeeper
must remain on his line and stationary until the ball is kicked.
3d) Teams must make
it clear to the match official who is taking the penalty kick. The penalty
disallowed if the referee feels the goalkeeper was placed at a disadvantage by
the teams not making it clear who was taking the penalty kick.
3e) If the penalty
spot is not clearly visible, the penalty kick shall be taken 1 yard back from
the edge of the area.
The Goalkeeper/The
Area
4a) When a goal is
scored, the goalkeeper must roll the ball out with an underarm action to
restart play.
4b) The goalkeeper
must not leave their area. If they do, it is punishable with a penalty
4c) If the goalkeeper
makes a save and part of his body slides out of the area, the official will use
their discretion. However, for the referee to rule in favour of the goalkeeper
when this occurs the ball must have remained in the area and part of the
goalkeepers body must do likewise. If, in the referees’ opinion, the goalkeeper
started a sliding save too near to the edge of the area, which he could have
reasonably foreseen would have taken the majority of his body out of the area
(even though the ball may have remained in the area) then the referee shall rule
against the custodian. The referee shall take into account the conditions of
the surface in determining how far goalkeepers can reasonably be allowed to
slide.
4d) If a defensive
side has a free-kick near to the goalkeepers area, then the referee may elect
to continue play with an underarm roll-out by the goalkeeper if he chooses to
do so.
4e) The goalkeeper
must always roll the ball out with an underarm action. If they do not, an
indirect free kick shall be awarded if either the ball goes above head height
or the roll out is above the level of the shoulder
4f) Teams can change
a goalkeeper during the match, but if a team makes an alteration of goalkeeper
then the referee must be notified before the change is made.
4g) If an attacker
kicks the ball near the area, then the physical action of the kick must have
started and finished outside the area, however the momentum of the connection
is allowed to continue into the area.
4h) Attacking players
may also enter the opposing area - although by momentum only - the referee shall be the sole judge of any
momentum and this does not absolve the attacker of making every reasonable
effort not to enter the area.
4i) Players will not
be penalised if, through no fault of their own, they enter the area when they
have made a reasonable attempt not to enter the area. This rule is particularly
pertinent attacking players who may push defending players into the area.
4j)Please note, with
regard to all the discretions, the ball should not have been played in the
area. Discretions apply to momentum only.
4k) The goalkeeper
must not kick the ball, except in the course of making a save. If the
goalkeeper does kick the ball other than in the course of making a save, an
indirect free kick will be given, two yards outside the area.
4l) Players must not
run through the area. If they do and in doing so gain an advantage, they will
be penalised.
Backpasses
5a) When an outfield
player receives the ball from the goalkeeper, the ball must be touched by
another player before being passed back to the goalkeeper. If it is passed
back, it is punishable with an indirect free kick, two yards outside the area.
Clothing
6a) All outfield players
may not play while wearing a cap or hat, jeans or shoes. The goalkeeper is
allowed to wear headgear.
6b) No player may not
play without a shirt on.
Substitutes
7a) Teams are allowed
three replacements who must only stand behind the goal they are defending.
7b) More than one
substitution is allowed at any one time however, if there are more than the
allotted players on the pitch at any one time the teams shall be penalised.
7c) Substitutes can
only enter the match when their team is on the attack and in the oppositions
half
7d) Substitutes are
unlimited and can be done at any time during the game.
7e) Substitutes are
not allowed onto the playing area until the substituted player has exited the
field of play.
7f) Further to rule
7A, ball strikes a substitute who is not stood behind the goal, then the
referee will punish this with a penalty.
The Head-Height Rule
(only applies to indoor leagues)
8a) In an indoor
league, the ball shall not go above Head Height.
8b) It is solely at
the discretion of the referee what constitutes head-height, however,
head-height is determined as an infringement when the whole ball passes above
the height of the tallest player on the pitch.
8c) When the
head-height rule is infringed, the free-kick shall be taken where the ball was
originally played.
8d) If the ball goes
above head-height off the goalkeeper, goalposts or any other fixed equipment
then play shall continue.
8e) If the ball goes
above head-height off a wall or netting then, the referee shall decide whether
an infringement has occurred.
8f) The heading of
the ball is allowed.
Free Kicks, Kick ins
& Corners
9a) All of the above
are indirect
9b) On all free
kicks, players must stand two yards from the ball. When a free kick is on the
edge of the area, the ball should be moved two yards back.
9c) If a player
refuses to retreat two yards from the free kick or, as the free kick is being
taken extends any part of his body towards the ball which means that he is no
longer two yards from the free kick then he or she will be subject to
punishment. In all instances, the ball must be stationary before the kick is
taken.
The Two Yard Rule
10a) If a player
fails to retreat two yards or the ball hits a player who has not retreated two
yards at the kick – or the player extended their leg towards the ball meaning
that they are no longer two yards from the ball, then the referee shall move
play forward a further two yards and allow the kick to be retaken
10b) Players that
show dissent towards the referee or his decision, will be punished by the kick
being moved forward two yards.
10c) The referee may
move the kick forward at two yard intervals however many times he considers to
be appropriate
10d) If by moving the
ball forward two yards, the free kick then becomes within the area of the
defending side, a penalty shall be awarded.
General Rules
11a) If applicable,
the referees scoring overrules any other
form of scoring
11b) The referee will
be the sole judge of whether a tackle is dangerous or not in the of the spirit
of the game.
11c) Teams must not
change or alter the position of any equipment in order to gain an advantage.
11d) Teams should
make every attempt to play in similar colours or else they will be required to use
the bibs provided by our Match Officials.
11e) Teams who arrive
late for their kick off time may be subject to the match being forfeited
11f) The electronic
signing of the entry form indemnifies Leisure Leagues from any responsibility
for personal injury or lost property whilst participating in the organised
leagues. We do advise to take out their own personal insurance, which they are
responsible for arranging.
11g) If teams wish to
cancel a match, they automatically lose the game 5-0 and their opponents will
play a friendly arranged by Leisure Leagues.
11h) If there are one
or more vacancies in any league a friendly fixture will be arranged for the team(s)
who are scheduled to play what we term a ‘Points Match’. Please note that all teams
are required to attend all scheduled Points Match fixtures, pay the match fee
in full, and play the pre-arranged friendly; the team will then receive a 5-0 win and two
points. If a team does not wish to play the scheduled friendly then it is their
responsibility to notify Head Office seven days or more in advance or they will
be liable for payment of the match fees in accordance with our rules. Teams who
do not attend points matches will not receive their 5-0 win for that week
regardless of whether they have provided 7 days’ notice or not.
11i) If a team does not attend a fixture, and has not given
seven days’ notice, they will lose the match 5-0 and will be charged the full
match fee. Teams who wish to withdraw from the league must give two weeks’ notice
of their intent to do so and are required to play two full matches prior to
withdrawal; failure to do this will result in the Team Captain being charged
their full two weeks match fees for both missed fixtures.
11j) If a team fails to attend two consecutive matches and
fails to inform Leisure Leagues of their intention to withdraw from the
competition, then they are liable for both missed match fees. They will also be
charged their two weeks withdrawal notice on top of the match fees.
11k) All teams are automatically entered into a new league
season unless they provide us with the required two weeks withdrawal notice
prior to the end of the previous campaign. If a team wishes to withdraw from
the league - but only tells at the
beginning of the new season - they will need
to play the first two matches of the new season before being able to withdraw. If they do not do this then they will be
subject to the rules as per 11j.
11l) Any players who are disciplined are not able to play until
the fine is paid to the governing body we affiliate to.
The fine bands are:
ORDINARY CAUTION/SIN BIN (YELLOW) FINE BAND 1 (€10)
ORDINARY DISMISSAL (2 YELLOWS) FINE BAND 2 (€15)
DISMISSAL FINE BAND 3 (€20) (includes dangerous play and swearing
at official)
SERIOUS DISMISSAL FINE BAND 4 (€50) (includes persistent
verbal abuse towards official, blows exchanged between players or fighting)
DISMISSAL & EXCLUSION FINE BAND 5 (€100) (includes
physical abuse towards official plus serious incidents involving other players
or spectators.)
The Sin Bin
12a)As above, there is a disciplinary procedure in place for
all leagues and it is the responsibility of all teams captains and players to
adhere to this. If a player is shown the
yellow card then he is sin-binned for two minutes and must stand behind their
own goal until the referee instructs him to come back onto the field of play.
If the player refuses to leave the pitch immediately then he will be red-carded.
The referee shall be the sole timekeeper in all instances where a player is
sin-binned.
Dismissal
13a) If a player is dismissed then he should leave the pitch
immediately. Failure to do so will result in the referee automatically awarding
the match to the opposition
Time Wasting
14a) In 6v6 soccer, officials are instructed to take a more
active approach towards time wasting than in an eleven a side game.
14b) If, in the opinion of the official, a player is guilty
of time wasting at any point then the referee has full discretion to either
award a free kick or a penalty kick as he see fit.
14c) This can be a first offence. There is no requirement
for the player to be warned about time wasting before penalising them.
Penalties For Infringement Of The Rules
15a) ALL FREE KICKS ARE INDIRECT AND POTENTIAL INFRINGEMENTS
INCLUDE (BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO)
1. Intentional handball (and the player gains an advantage
by doing so).
2. The ball going above head-height (this only applies to a
league where head height is in operation as per the rules above)
3. Players time wasting
4. At a drop ball situation, a foul is committed when a
player does not allow the ball to touch the surface before striking it.
5. It is an offence for an attacker to enter the opposition
area.
6. A player not retreating two yards from the ball or
showing dissent (this may also result in a penalty, see earlier rules).
7. It is an offence to pass back directly to the keeper. In
this instance the free kick should be taken two yards outside the area where
the ball left the area.
In this instance, the back pass must be intentional and the
keeper must touch the ball. However, if the ball rolls to a halt after the back pass
has been made without it touching the keeper and without the ball entering the
goal, then the referee should award an indirect free kick, as they would if the
keeper had touch the ball
8. The goalkeeper making a foul throw, will be considered to
be a foul. In this instance the free kick should be taken two yards outside the
area where the ball left the area.
9. A player committing a slide tackle, will be considered to
have made a foul. Players are allowed to
slide in the course of making a pass or a block, however. If a player slides
and intercepts a pass then this is classed as a slide block. If a player slides
and dispossesses a player that has the ball under control then this is classed
as a slide tackle. This difference will be decided solely at the discretion of
the referee.
10. Kicking the ball away is a yellow card offence.
11. A part of a players attire, or more particularly, their
shoe, comes off during the course of the match, the referee should consider
this a serious offence which may warrant a yellow card. The referee should then
instruct the player to tie up their shoelace. In this instance, the match
should continue. If a goal is scored by a player whose shoe comes off during
the course of kicking the ball into the goal then the goal shall be disallowed
and a direct free kick awarded to the opposition where the player originally
kicked the ball from.
12. Fouls & Obstruction
13. A player attempting to play or playing the ball or being
on the pitch with their shirt off.
15b) A PENALTY SHALL BE AWARDED WHEN,
1. The goalkeeper comes out of the area and, at the referees
discretion has gained an advantage in so doing (see previous rules above)
2. A defender enters his own area and by so doing gains an
advantage – again at the referee’s discretion
3. A defender enters his own area when he could reasonably
have made an attempt not to do so
15c) REFEREES DISCRETION
1. The referee may award either an indirect free kick, a
direct free kick or a penalty if a team plays with more than its allotted
number of players on the pitch at any time during the fixture. The referee
should award the free kick (if that is his choice) when the offence is spotted
and from the postion where he spotted
the offence.
Additional Rules For Outdoor
Leagues
16a) Where the ball leaves the area of play, the referee
shall award a kick-in to the appropriate team. At a kick-in the ball should be
stationary and the opposing player should be at least two yards from the ball.
16b) Rule 7f does not apply.
Extra Rules For Indoor/Sports Hall Leagues
17a) Where walls or boarding is used at the side of the
pitch, the referee shall be more severe and impose greater punishment upon
players who push or foul opponents near to that wall.
Health and Safety
18a) It is important that all participants understand that these
matches are contact sport and contain risk to the person participating for
which the organiser cannot be held responsible.
18b) All participants agree that Leisure Leagues have no
control over the safety of the premises we hire, or persons admitted to the
venues that are hired by us. It is the sole responsibility of the team captain
to ensure their team's players do not kick off any game unless they are satisfied
that both the surface and other conditions are satisfactory and safe for the
activity in question having due regard for the participants. Leisure Leagues
cannot be held responsible for any defects to the venue which may cause injury
and all team captains understand this when participating.
18c) Team captains must inspect the pitch and playing
conditions and must report any issues prior to their game commencing to the
officials on duty otherwise it will be decided that the team captain and their
players have accepted any risks and any ensuing liability for any injury that occurs subsequently.
Other
19a) Please note that the Team Captain is responsible for
the conduct of all players and all spectators connected with the team. Failure
to control the conduct of players or spectators will result in the Team Captain
being responsible for any resulting fines being paid in full
ANY PLAYERS THAT PLAY IN LEISURE LEAGUES NATIONWIDE
PARTICIPATE AT THEIR OWN RISK AND IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH PLAYER TO
ARRANGE EITHER THEIR OWN INSURANCE COVER OR A TEAM’S INSURANCE COVER THAT WILL
COVER THEM FOR INJURY. LEISURE LEAGUES HOLD PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE ONLY AND
CONCLUDE, TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY INJURY SUSTAINED WHILST PLAYING IN
THEIR LEAGUES.
What Does Your Joining Fee Cover?
The joining fee is $25 and is a discipline bond and is a one
off fee, covering the cost of administering discipline in the leagues.
What Does Your Match Fee Cover?
The match fee goes towards the pitch hiring enabling you to
participate in the sport itself. When you pay this fee you agree that the
majority or full amount of your fee is directly paid, via the organiser acting
as the collection officer, for the following:
1 The hire cost of the pitch
2 The cost of the referee and the match balls which are
essential to the playing of the chosen competitive sport.
As our members you agree that when you make these payments
you are making a commitment to participate for a minimum of ten consecutive
weeks in the league, you automatically become our members along with other
players in the league who are also our members, and that as part of our wider
club or membership all our members have exclusivity on the pitch we have hired
for the duration of hire and that non members have no right to participate on
the pitch during that time.
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