Above all else, respect the match officials and their decisions, remembering and respecting that referees are human and will, like the players in the match as well,  make mistakes. Failure to do so may result in expulsion from the league.  

Team Captain:  Players have a major responsibility for the image of the game and the team captain should play an important role in helping to ensure that the Laws and referee's decisions are respected.  Should a spectator behave inappropriately (including and not limited to berating or insulting the referee or league officials or opposing team), the referee and/or staff reserve the right to remove the spectator and refusal to leave will result in the involvement of law enforcement.  The team captain is responsible for the spectators they bring to their games and repeat offenses by a team’s spectators may result in disciplinary action from the league at the discretion of league officials, including and not limited to point deductions, disqualification from playoffs or expulsion from league.

In cases where there is a conflict of the rules, all rules posted herein SHALL be deemed current, official, and take precedent.

Promotion:
A team will be promoted if they are the playoff champion. If a team from the recreation division requests to enter the competitive division that team will be placed in the lowest competitive division. Regardless of the division, if you are the playoff champion your are not subject to relegation.

RELEGATION:

A team will be relegated based on their regular season standings and if they are not the playoff champion.

Other considerations may also be taken into consideration as deemed necessary by the league to ensure optimal competition in each division is achieved.

Match Rules

1. FIGHTING IS AN AUTOMATIC SEND OFF, DISMISSAL FROM THE MATCH AND EJECTION FROM THE LEAGUE – PERMANENTLY.
2. All FIFA Laws of the Game apply unless modified below
3. 2x21 min halves with 5-minute halftime.
   1. A match tied at the end of regulation during the regular season will end in a tie. A match tied at the end of regulation during the playoffs will proceed straight to kicks from the Penalty Mark, in accordance with the FIFA Laws of the Game with the exception that any player that played, on the field or on the bench,  may take a penalty kick; the players taking a kick do not have to be on the field on the end of regulation. 
   2. Any match that ends before regulation time that has reached half time is considered a completed match, unless the league deems in the best interest that the match should be rescheduled or resumed at a later time, as in the case of a playoff match.
      1. Examples include but not limited to inclement weather and other extenuating circumstances.
      2. Matches abandoned for misconduct related reasons WILL be deemed a forfeiture to the offending team.
   3. 3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie, 0 points for a loss.
4. A match is played by two teams, each with a maximum of six players on the field at the same time, one must be the goalkeeper. A match may not start or continue if either team has fewer than four players.
   1. Substitutions for either team shall be unlimited, are on the fly (Hockey style).
   2. On a substitution, a player must leave the playing field PRIOR to a new player entering the field.
5. At least one referee with knowledge of the Laws of the Game will be used to officiate league matches.
   1. 2 referees utilizing the dual system of control may be used during the playoffs.
6. Match time is starting time. The clock will start at the time of scheduled kickoff, unless circumstances call for different action at the discretion of the referee or league officials. Due to time constraints, we cannot wait for players to show up. Team managers should instruct their players to arrive at the field a minimum of 15 minutes prior to the start of the match for pregame check-in.
   1. After the clock starts, for every 2 minutes a team does not have enough players a goal will be awarded to the opposing team.  If a team does not have enough players after 10 minutes, the game will be abandoned and a 5-0 win will be awarded to the opposing team.
   2. If a team is unable to play a match as scheduled, it is their responsibility to request, in writing, the rescheduling of the match no closer than 24 hours before scheduled kickoff and are subject to league approval.
7. Teams will wear uniforms of matching color with numbers affixed to the front and/or back. No two players from one team may have an identical number. Where colors of competing teams are identical or similar, reasonable effort within fairness will be taken to effect a change in colors so both teams are no longer wearing identical or similar colors.
8. Boarding – It is the referee's discretion as to the severity of a boarding foul. A player is not allowed to push, kick or initiate any other type of contact with another player along the boards that results in moving the opposing player into the boards.  ANY CONTACT DEEMED TO BE VIOLENT OR MALICIOUS THAT RESULTS IN THE BOARDING OF AN OPPOSING PLAYER WILL RESULT IN AN IMMEDIATE SEND OFF AND DISMISSAL FROM THE MATCH, otherwise it is the discretion of the referee as to the disciplinary action to be taken. 
9. All restarts are indirect kicks unless otherwise noted below. Opposing players shall retreat 8 yards from the ball on restarts.
   1. A player is guilty of delayed restart and will be cautioned without warning if the player steps less than 2 yards of the ball in an attempt to delay the restart of the game regardless of whether or not it was successful. 

   2. Once the restarting team asks for and the referee acknowledges the 5 yard retreat of the opposing team, the referee shall ask all players to wait (ceremonial restart)  for the whistle and distance to be given to continue.  Failure to wait will result in a caution for unsporting behavior.

   3. Failure to wait will result in a caution for unsporting behavior. 

10. Slide tackling is NOT allowed. It is the referee’s discretion as to whether a slide tackle has occurred.  If a player, including the goalkeeper, is within distance of an opposing player and slides feet first and/or puts an opposing player in danger in the act of sliding feet first, the player is guilty of slide tackling and, if deemed appropriate by the referee, a yellow card will be awarded.
    1. For the purposes of penalty kicks, is deemed a penile foul (penalty will be awarded if this occurs in the penalty area). 
    2. Goalkeepers are allowed to slide hands first towards the ball within distance of an opposing player; if the goalkeeper does not make contact with ball and only makes contact with the player resulting in taking away a goal scoring opportunity from the player a penalty kick will be awarded and, if deemed appropriate by the referee, a yellow card.  
11. The ball is in play unless it leaves the playing area.
    1. A ball that strikes any obsticles and stays within the playing area is considered in play unless the ball goes directly into the goal, in which a drop ball will be awarded to the team that last played the ball.
    2. A ball stuck in the boundary netting is considered out of play.
    3. A kick-in will be awarded to the opposing team when the ball leaves the playing area across the touchline.  If the kick-in is by the boards, the kick may be taken one yard from the boards.
    4. A goal kick will be awarded it the ball leaves the playing area across the goal line and above both the boards and goal regardless of which touched the ball last.

    5. A goal clearance is a goal kick, however the ball starts from the goalkeeper in their hands.  The goalkeeper’s 8 seconds starts when the ball is in his/her hands and may be pressed by a defender if the keeper decides relinquish control with their hands. 

12. Goalkeepers can pick up a ball passed back to them from a teammate.
    1. Goalkeepers have up to 8 seconds to release the ball, punting IS allowed.  A goal can be scored by a punt from the goalkeeper; a throw by the goalkeeper can not result in a goal. Upon completion of the 8 seconds to release the ball the referee will request that the ball to be released and, if not, a free kick will be awarded and taken from the nearest corner.  There will be no yellow card awarded for the first offense however a yellow card will be given for the second and any further offenses.  
    2. Once a goalkeeper has relinquished control of the ball with their hands, he/she shall not recontrol the ball with their hands until another player has touched the ball.
    3. If the goalkeeper falls to the ground with possession of the ball and the opposition is not within 2 yards of the goalkeeper the 8 seconds to release the ball does not stop.  
13. It is the referee’s discretion on the severity of the foul. Fouls called will result in an indirect free kick for the opposing team, and may include disciplinary action (i.e., caution or send off).
    
    If a caution is given, a 2-minute temporary dismissal WILL also be issued in which that player may not participate, and his/her team must play one player short until the temporary dismissal has concluded or a goal has been scored by the opposing team. Any player may then reenter the match at the conclusion of the temporary dismissal or goal scored.  
    
    If a send off (including either a red or second yellow regarless of the foul committed) is given, a four minute temporary dismissal will also be issued in which that player may not participate, and his/her team must play one player short until the enirety of the time has elapsed of the temporary dismissal regardless of a goal being scored. The sent off player may not reenter the game.
    
    Additional post match disciplinary actions/sanctions may be imposed by the league for especially malicious or egregious misconduct or conduct that negatively reflects upon Blue Tornado’s public image.
    1. Players are allowed to ask how long is left during a temporary dismissal ONLY if scoreboard is not in use.  This distracts the referee and prevents him/her from effectively performing his/her duties and can be viewed as unsporting behavior and result in a caution when done with the intent to distract the referee.
    2. Fouls inside the goal area will result in a penalty kick. Infractions inside the goal area will result in a restart with an indirect kick, in accordance with the FIFA Laws of the Game.

    3. A player shall be suspended one match for accumulating 3 yellow cards in a single season.  If that player reaches six, the suspension shall be determined by league officials with a minimum of a 3 game suspension.

    4.  On a penalty kick, the kick will be taken from the penalty mark.  Distance for all other players aside from the kick taker and the goalkeeper is the half-line. The ball is a live ball if the ball stays on the playing field. The kick taker may touch the ball again after the ball touches the goalkeeper, the post, or the board.  This is the only set piece where the kick taker will not be guilty of a double touch in such a manner. This is not to be confused with a kick from the penalty mark to break a tie (a double touch is not allowed in this instance).

    5. Additional individual disciplinary actions/sanctions may include BUT are not limited to match suspensions, fines, or ejection from the league.
    6. Additional team disciplinary actions/sanctions may include BUT are not limited to fines and points deductions, team playoff disqualification or team ejection from the league.
14. Communication with the referee is only allowed from the team captain.  It is the referee's discretion to communicate with players other than the team captain.  If the referee chooses to commmunicate with any player on the field and deems the communication needs to cease for any reason the player(s) must at that point cease communication with referee as directed and, if said communication continues by the player, a yellow/red card may be issued by the referee.  In other words, when the referees asks a player to stop talking to him, stop.

Rostering Rules

1. A player MUST have an individual player registration for the current season on file to play in the league and will be assigned to a primary team. That team will be considered their primary rostered team.
   1. A player may request, in writing, to be moved from one team to another within a league season.  All requests are subject to league approval.
   2. No requests will be approved after the final league game prior to the start of playoffs.
   3. New player registration(s) is/are not permitted after the final league game prior to the start of playoffs.
2. A player registered in the current league season is allowed to guest play for any opposing team in any division that is the same division or higher than the team they are currently rostered on and is subject to league approval. A team may only add guest players up to as many players as are rostered on the opposing team.  For example, if TEAM A is rostering 8 players on game day, TEAM B, having 5 rostered players, may only add 3 guest players, equaling the same amount of players, 8 players, as TEAM A.
3. Players not registered in the current league season are allowed a one-time guest play and is subject to league approval.  If approval is granted the player is required to sign a waiver prior to the start of the match.  If the same player is to guest play again he/she must register for the league.  
4. Dual-rostering:  Players are allowed to be rostered on up to two (2) teams.  A dual-rostered player can not be rostered for two (2) teams in the same division and MUST be rostered to teams within one (1) division of each other.  (For example, dual rostering in Division 1 and Division 2 is allowed; dual rostering in Division 1 and 3 is not allowed).
5. All guest players are required to check in prior to the match to be eligible to play in the match.
   1. A team may use guest players IF the team has at least four (4) primary rotered players checked in prior to the start of the game.  
   2. A match will be considered a forfeit if a team cannot present the minimum number of players rostered to their team, per match and rostering rules.
      1. Match will proceed as a friendly, if able. Teams may also use the field for practice in such cases.
   3. Guest playing IS NOT allowed during the playoffs.
   4. A player receiving a red card shall not participate in any regular season and/or playoff match until the completion of their suspension and are considered a spectator if attending the match during their suspension.
      1. A player WILL serve their red card suspension with their primary team, whether the card was received while playing for their primary team or as a guest player.
      2. A player is not allowed to guest play on any other team until their suspension has been served.

Updated April 7, 2025