Indoor League Rules and Regulation

Indoor soccer is played on a smaller indoor field with 6 players. The goals are smaller and the walls are used to receive passes by kicking the ball off the wall. Games are 60 minutes long consisting of two 25 minute halves and a 10 minute halftime break. There are five field players and one goalkeeper on the field.

Rule 1: Fighting and Serious Foul Play

1. Fighting will result in an automatic 5-minute penalty and a red card expulsion from the current game.
2. The players involved will automatically receive a TWO-WEEK SUSPENSION. The suspension also includes other leagues the player may be involved in. The suspensions will also carry over to the following season.
3. A report will be filed with the Grievance Committee and if it is deemed necessary, the player may be suspended for an indefinite amount of time. No refunds will be given.
4. Any red card offenders will automatically be suspended for the following week of play.

Rule 2: Number of Players

1. 5 field players and a goalkeeper
2. Extra Player:

• If a team is behind by 5 goals or more they may add an additional player until the goal differential is less than 5.
• If a team is ahead by 10 or more goals, the referee will discontinue keeping score until the score once again is below 10 goals.

Rule 3: Penalties

1. Only 2 players per team may be given a time penalty at a time.
2. If additional players are penalized, the time penalty will be delayed until one of the earlier penalties is over.

Rule 4: Substitutions

1. Substitutions may occur on “the fly” provided the player leaving the field and the player entering the field do not participate in play or seek to gain an advantage while they are simultaneously on the field of play.
2. Any teammate may change places with the goalkeeper any time as per regular substitution procedures, provided that the goalkeeper wears a jersey that distinguishes him/her from the other players and the referee.
3. All team bench personnel and players listed on the official lineup are subject to the authority and jurisdiction of the referee.
4. No more than 2 non-playing personnel are allowed on the team bench.

Rule 5: Injured Player

1. In case of an injury, the facility determines if the game clock will continue to run or stop.
2. Under no circumstances can a player be allowed to continue to play while he/she has an open wound and blood is evident.

Rule 6: Injured Goalkeeper

1. If play is suspended more than one time as a result of the club’s trainer being signaled to enter the field of play by the referee to attend to a particular injured goalkeeper that goalkeeper must be removed from the field of play.
2. That goalkeeper shall not be permitted to rejoin until the next substitution opportunity after the referee restarts the game.

Rule 7: Team Captain

1. A captain shall be appointed by each team and the captain alone will be informed by the referee of any questions relating to the interpretation of the rules which may arise during the game.
2. In the event of a dispute or problem the referee will inform the team captain of the decision and each captain will advise their team.

Rule 8: Player Equipment

1. Compulsory equipment consists of shirt, shorts, shin guards (completely covered by socks or stockings), and shoes.
2. Goalkeepers must wear colors which will distinguish them from all other players and referees.
3. Home Team will wear white jersey and away team wear grey jersey.
4. Once the game has started and the referee notices a player has come onto the field wearing no shin guards (made of approved materials commercially available designed specifically to protect the shins), the referees must issue the offending player a 2-minute penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Rule 9: Dangerous Equipment

1. If not covered, jewelry or watches may not be worn if it poses a threat to his/her self or any other players. 
2. The threat of injury will be determined by the referee or WSC or Facility Management if necessary.
3. Absolutely no casts of any type are allowed.
4. All exposed metal and plastic on leg braces MUST be covered.
5. Shoes must be either tennis shoes or cleats.
6. No screws in cleats are allowed.
7. If the referees find that a player is wearing articles not permitted by the rules and/or which may constitute a danger to him/her or other players, the referees shall order the player to remove the dangerous articles.
8. If the player fails to carry out the referee’s instruction, the player shall not be permitted to participate.

Rule 10: Referees

1. One or two referees (of equal authority) will be responsible for control of the game.
2. Referee’s decisions on points of fact connected with play shall be final so far as result of the game is concerned.

Rule 11: Duration of Game

1. 2 x 25 minute halves
2. Stoppage time for injury will be determined by the facility.

Rule 12: Start of Play

1. The visiting/away team has possession in the first period, the home team in the next period.
2. Teams change ends after each period.

Rule 13: Ball In and Out of Play

1. The ball is out of play when it passes over the perimeter wall (netting), when it hits the ceiling, when a goal is scored or when the referee stops play.
2. The ball is in play at all other times, including when it rebounds from the referee, perimeter wall, or goal post.

Rule 14: Method of Scoring

A goal is scored when the whole ball passes completely over the goal line providing no infraction has been committed by the attacking team.

Rule 15: Goalkeeper Rules & Delay of Game Violation:

1. Goalkeepers have to drop the ball first before it can be kicked.
2. Exception: A goalkeeper while standing in his/her penalty area may legally throw the ball over all  lines.
3. A goalkeeper may throw the ball into the opponent’s goal while in his/her own defensive penalty area. Result is a goal scored.
4. In a 50/50 Ball, the ball goes to the goalkeeper. Do not hurt the goalkeeper.

Ten Second Advance from Defensive Zone:

1. From any restart in its defensive zone, or after the ball is distributed by the goalkeeper (from full possession), a team in continuous control of the ball shall have 10 seconds to advance the ball beyond the defensive zone line into the neutral zone.
2. If a team plays the ball back into its defensive zone and maintains continuous control of the ball, the 10 second rule shall apply.
3. For violations of this rule, the referee shall stop play and award a free kick to the opposing team to be taken at the center of the white line closest to the offending team’s goal.

Rule 16: Fouls and Misconduct

1. A player who kicks, trips, strikes, elbows, jumps at, pushes, holds, charges, commits a dangerous play, obstructs or intentionally handles the ball (except the goalkeeper in his/her own penalty area) shall be penalized by awarding a free-kick to the offended team.
2. Any of the above fouls committed by the defending team in its penalty area shall result in a penalty kick and a two or five minute time penalty.
3. An offense committed in the penalty area by the defending team which is not worthy of a time penalty e.g. (obstruction or dangerous play) shall not result in a penalty kick and play shall be restarted with a free kick to the offended team at the top of the restraining arc.
4. Slide tackling on a player is not allowed.

Rule 17: Penalty Time Penalties

1. May be assessed against players for committing any of the twelve offenses outlined above while the ball is in play.
2. A time penalty must be assessed for incidents of boarding, elbowing, striking, spitting, and other offenses deemed severe, tactical or blatant in nature.
3. These two or five minute penalties shall be administered by the showing of a Blue, Yellow, or Red card by the referee, and a power play shall be awarded to the offended team.

Rule 18: Unsportsmanlike Conduct Penalties

1. May be assessed at the discretion of the Referee, to the players while the ball is out of play.
2. The only exception is a shin guard violation.
3. These penalties shall be administered by the showing of a Blue or Yellow Card and the resulting power play for the offended team shall be two minutes in length.
4. The restart for any Unsportsmanlike Conduct offense shall be a free kick to the offended team if the offense occurred while the ball was in play.
   1. Examples of Unsportsmanlike Conduct include
      1. Encroachment (interfering with the taking of a free kick or restart)
      2. Leaning on a teammate’s shoulder in order to play the ball
      3. Unauthorized exit of penalty box
      4. Delay of game (tactics used to delay restart of play).

Rule 19: Dissent Penalties

1. May be assessed against players who show abusive disapproval by, word or action, of the decision of the Referee.
2. These penalties shall be assessed a Blue or Yellow Card and the resulting power play shall be two minutes in length.
3. If any non-playing personnel on the bench (coaches, trainers, team officials) exhibit unsportsmanlike conduct likely to bring the game into disrepute or such other misconduct, they shall be assessed a Blue or Yellow Card and a two minute time penalty to be served by any player from the field or bench.
4. The referee shall report the misconduct to the League for disciplinary action.

Rule 20: Delayed Time Penalties (Blue Card Advantage)

1. In situations where the referee would want to penalize a player for an infraction by issuing a time penalty while at the same time wishing to apply the advantage clause, the referee shall acknowledge the foul.
2. He/she shall signal that the advantage is being continued by raising a Blue Card above the referee’s head and maintaining that signal until such time as Opponent Possession

(The offending team gains control of the ball upon which the referee shall signal the foul by means of a whistle and appropriately penalize the offending player.

1. Possession shall be defined as a player having clear control of the ball for more than one

second.

1. The opponent will take possession and the re-start will take place at the original point

of infraction.

1. If a foul is committed during the advantage worthy of a second time penalty, both

time penalties are assessed and appropriately served.

1. If both penalties are assessed against a single offender, the offender shall not return to play until both penalties are served.
2. No time penalty/penalties shall be served if a goal is scored by the offended team.
3. If a goal is scored by the offended team, penalty/penalties shall be recorded for accumulation purposes.

Rule 21: Send-off Penalties

1. At the discretion of the referee, a red card may be shown
   1. for intentionally charging the goalkeeper while the latter is in full possession of the ball
   2. spitting on an opponent or referee
   3. physically contacting a game official
   4. leaving the box to engage in misconduct or confrontation
   5. other incidents of unseemly behavior
   6. for violent conduct
   7. serious foul play
   8. foul/abusive language
2. The game shall not be restarted until the player that was sent off has left the bench area.
3. A teammate of the player that was sent off shall serve a full five minute penalty and the opposing team shall be awarded a power play (regardless of how many goals the opposing teams scores).

Rule 22: Power Play Return

1. If one team is reduced by penalties to fewer players on the field than its opponents and the team having more players’ scores a goal, then the player having the least remaining penalty time can return to the game.
2. Only one penalized player may return on each goal.
3. If a single player is responsible for concurrent penalties, that player shall not return to play until both penalties are served.

Rule 23: Equal Number/Simultaneous Penalties

1. If members of both teams are simultaneously penalized or sent off from the game, teams shall play shorthanded (5v5 or 4v4 includes goalkeepers) and the full penalty time shall be served.

Rule 24: Goalkeeper Restrictions

1. A free kick shall be awarded to the opposing team taken from the top of the restraining arc.
   1. If the goalkeeper fails to distribute the ball to another player within 5 seconds of having received the ball in hand,
   2. If a teammate passes the ball back to the goalkeeper and the goalkeeper plays the ball with his/her hands, or
   3. If the goalkeeper having attained possession of the ball with his hands distributes and then repossesses the ball prior to a stoppage in play or the ball being touched by an opponent

Rule 25: Penalty against Goalkeeper

1. When a two minute penalty is assessed against a goalkeeper, it shall be served by a teammate.

Rule 26: Denying a Goal Scoring Opportunity

1. Denying a goal scoring opportunity is not a mandatory red card, but can be deemed so by the referee.

Rule 27: Free Kicks

1. For any infraction of the rules, a free kick shall be awarded to the offended team.
   1. A goal may be scored directly into the attacking team’s goal from a free kick or any other restart.
   2. A team will have five seconds to restart play after having been signaled to do so by the referee.
   3. If the team does not put the ball in play in the allotted time then possession of the ball is awarded to the opponent.
   4. Opposing team must yield 15 feet.

Rule 28: Penalty Kicks

1. Are awarded for an offense committed by a player inside the team’s penalty area.
   1. The kick is taken from the penalty spot by any player on the offended team.
   2. The goalkeeper must stand on the goal line.
   3. All players except the kicker and the goalkeeper must be outside of the penalty area and off the restraining arc and behind the ball.
   4. The ball is in play as soon as it travels forward.

Rule 29: Restart – Ball over the Perimeter Wall or Hitting Ceiling

1. Kick-in:
   1. When the whole ball passes over the perimeter wall or hits the net along the touchline, or hits the ceiling, it shall be put back in play by a direct free kick at the point where the ball was last played.
   2. If the ball was last played or touched by a player standing in his/her team’s own penalty area, the ball shall be kicked in from the top of the restraining arc near his/her team’s penalty area.
   3. The ball shall be in play immediately after it has been played.

Rule 30: Goal Kick

1. When the ball crosses over the perimeter wall between the corner markings after being last touched by a member of the offensive team, play shall be started by the goalkeeper distributing the ball within his/her own penalty area.
2. After obtaining possession of the ball in their hands, inside the penalty area, the goalkeeper has 5 seconds to distribute the ball.
3. Once the goalkeeper gives up hand control by placing the ball on the ground or distributing the ball in the air, the ball is in play.
4. The goalkeeper may dribble the ball after releasing it into play.
5. The goalkeeper may throw the ball over all lines and a goal may be scored directly from such a restart.

Rule 31: Corner Kick

When the ball crossed over the perimeter wall between the corner markings after being last touched by a player of the defensive team, play shall be restarted with a corner kick from the nearest corner spot to where the ball left the field.

Rule 31: Playoff Tie-breaker Regulations

During the Playoffs, games tied at the end of regulation will be broken with sudden-death player elimination overtime

Rules:

1. The game will be played in one-minute sudden death periods.

2. Only the players on the field at the end of the game will be allowed to participate in the overtime.

3. Each minute period will be started with a drop ball at midfield.

4. Each team will remove one player after each one-minute period in which no one scores.

5. There are no substitutions allowed. If a player is injured during a period his/her team plays short for the remainder of the period. If the game is at goalkeeper vs. goalkeeper then the team with the injured player forfeits due to being unable to field a team.

6. After the tiebreaker reaches 2v2 you may only score from within your attacking third of the field.

7. You may change your goalkeeper at the end of each minute period among the players that are on the field.

8. If a penalty is called for a breakaway foul that denies a goal-scoring opportunity, the offending player is ejected for the rest of that one minute where the foul occurred. If the foul happens when the game is goalkeeper vs. goalkeeper the offending team forfeits the game.

Best of luck and we hope this will add to your enjoyment