Everyone must respect the match officials and their decisions, remembering and respecting that referees are human and will make mistakes.

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 referees’ decisions are respected.

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

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. 2x22 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.
   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, 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 forfeit time. Due to time constraints, we cannot wait for players to show up. Team managers should instruct their players to arrive at the arena a minimum of 15 minutes prior to the start of the match for pregame check-in.
   1. It is the players obligation to adhere to the commitment they made when they registered for the league.
   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.
      1. Requests for reschedules are subject to league approval.
      2. Reasonable accommodations will be made to reschedule the match if request is approved.
   3. Reasonable accommodations will be afforded during scheduling to teams who have days/dates/times they are unable to play matches and league officials understand when unexpected emergencies arise that may require the rescheduling of a match.
   4. Repeat offenders may subject themselves to disciplinary action by the league.
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. See bullet #15.
9. All restarts are indirect kicks unless otherwise noted below. Opposing players shall retreat 5 yards from the ball on restarts.
10. Slide tackling is NOT allowed. It is the referee’s discretion as to whether a slide tackle has occurred.
11. The ball is in play unless it leaves the playing area.
    1. A ball that strikes a tree or light post 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/fencing 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.
    4. A goal kick/corner kick will be awarded based on the team to last touch the ball before the ball left the playing area across the goal line.
12. Goalkeepers can pick up a ball passed back to them from a teammate.
    1. Goalkeepers have up to 10 seconds to release the ball, punting IS allowed.
    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.
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 MAY 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 (Temporary dismissals ARE NOT hockey power plays and must be served to completion). Any player may then reenter the match at the conclusion of the temporary dismissal.
    1. Players are NOT to ask how long is left during a temporary dismissal. 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.
14. In the case of a player being sent off, he may be replaced by a teammate. If the send off is for a second caution, and a temporary dismissal is issued, the replacement player may not enter until the conclusion of the temporary dismissal.
15. 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. Additional individual disciplinary actions/sanctions may include BUT are not limited to match suspensions, fines, or ejection from the league.
    2. 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.

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 rostered team.
   1. A player may request, in writing, to be moved from one team to another within a league season.
      1. All requests are subject to league approval.
   2. No requests will be approved after the Friday prior to the start of playoffs.
   3. Player registration is not permitted after the Friday prior to the start of playoffs.
2. NO player primary registered and rostered to one team in one division shall be dual rostered for an opposing team in the same division.
   1. A player is allowed to guest play for an opposing team, subject to league approval. (See Rule 5)
3. NO player primary rostered to a team in one division will be allowed to dual roster on a team in a lower division.
4. A player rostered to a lower division team may dually roster on a higher division team, but not a lower division team, subject to league approval.
5. Guest registered players; defined as a league registered player who is playing on a team of which they are not rostered, additionally having been approved by the league; may play for multiple teams but SHALL NOT be eligible to play for more than two different teams in the same week (Dual rostering does not count towards guest player eligibility).
   1. A team must present at check in a minimum of four (4) players registered to their team to use guest players.
      1. A team SHALL use ONLY enough guest players to bring their match day roster up to nine (9) players for the match.
      2. All guest players are required to check in prior to the match to be eligible to play in the match.
      3. If a team's nineth (9th) rostered player, not known to the team caption to be participating, arrives and checks in after the start of the match, any guest players that checked in prior to the start of the match MAY continue to participate in the match.
   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. A player primary registered to a division one team is prohibited from guest playing for a team in a lower division.
   4. A lower division player may guest play for any team.
   5. Guest playing IS allowed during the playoffs, subject to roster rule 5(a-d).
   6. A player receiving a red card SHALL NOT participate in ANY match until the completion of 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.

Updated September 1st, 2022