U7 and U8 Age Group Specific Rules:

1a. Each squad will consist of five players and up to five substitutes.  All substitutes may be used at any time during the game on a roll on – roll off basis. The treatment of injuries is at the discretion of the referee with highest priority being given to player safety.

2a. Goal kicks awarded from the ball going out of play are to be taken from the front penalty area line in the team’s own half of the pitch.  Players must observe the retreat line (Halfway line) when goal kicks are being taken.

3a. Goal “kicks” awarded from the keeper collecting the ball in their hands may be thrown or rolled, overarm or underarm (one handed), or kicked out of their hands by the goalkeeper.

4a. U7 and U8 Goalkeepers are permitted to pick up / will not be penalised for picking up back passes.

5a. Managers are reminded that the FA stipulates that players of the U7 and U8 age group should not play more than 60 minutes in one day in all tournament play and that it is the team manager’s responsibility to ensure that substitutions/replacements are arranged and employed to ensure none of their players exceed this limit.  Please note that without substitution a player in these age groups is highly likely to have insufficient minutes remaining to play in at least the later finals (semi/final) should team progress that far.

U9 to U10 Age Group Specific Rules:

1b. Each squad will consist of six players and up to four substitutes.  All substitutes may be used at any time during the game on a roll on – roll off basis. The treatment of injuries is at the discretion of the referee with highest priority being given to player safety.

2b. Goal kicks awarded from the ball going out of play are to be taken from the goal line (back line) and all opposition players must observe the retreat line (Halfway line) when goal kicks are being taken.

3b. Goal “kicks” awarded from the keeper collecting the ball in their hands are to be thrown or rolled, underarm only and one handed, by the goalkeeper.  Drop kicks or kicks from hand are not permitted and will result in the opposition being awarded an indirect free kick from the edge of the penalty box that the referee judges to be at the point closest to where the goal “kick” was taken from.

4b. Back passes are not allowed to be picked up by goalkeepers.

5b. Managers are reminded that the FA stipulates that players of the U9 and U10 age group should not play more than 90 minutes in one day in all tournament play and that it is the team manager’s responsibility to ensure that substitutions/replacements are arranged and employed to ensure none of their players exceed this limit.  Whist it is unlikely a player will exceed this total playing time, in the event of extra time and possibly penalties in the finals, it is possible that without earlier substitution a player in these age groups could have insufficient minutes remaining to play in the final / the full final game.

U11 to U14 Age Group Specific Rules:

1c. Each squad will consist of six players and up to four substitutes.  All substitutes may be used at any time during the game on a roll on – roll off basis. The treatment of injuries is at the discretion of the referee with highest priority being given to player safety.

2c. Goal kicks awarded from the ball going out of play are to be taken from the goal line (back line).  

3c. Goal “kicks” awarded from the keeper collecting the ball in their hands are to be thrown or rolled, underarm only and one handed, by the goalkeeper to a player in their own half of the pitch.  

3c. If a ball, thrown or kicked from a goal kick crosses the halfway line, without making any contact with any player from either team, then an indirect free kick from the halfway line, at the point the ball crossed the line, will be given to the opposition team

3c.  Kicking the ball out of the hands / a drop kick, or throwing overarm will result in the opposition being awarded an indirect free kick from the edge of the penalty box from the point the referee deems closest to where the goal kick or throw was taken from.

4c. Back passes are not allowed to be picked up by goalkeepers.

Rules Common to all Age Groups (U7 to U15):

6. All Players, Team Officials, and their spectators are required to adhere to the FA Respect codes of conduct at all times.  in the event of repeated breaches, or a significant breach, of the relevant FA Respect code by any player, team official, or spectator the committee reserves the right to eject, without right to a refund, the individual concerned.

7. Each age section will be split into groups of teams who will play each other on a league basis, please see individual league and age group pages in the tournament app or on the tournament website for the number of games to be played in each league situation.

8.  Team Managers/Coaches must ensure their team is ready and waiting at the pitch side to start each scheduled game at the allotted time.  Where a team fails to arrive and be ready to start the game within 2 mins of the scheduled time a 1-0 win will automatically be awarded to the opposition team other than in the instance of exceptional circumstances accepted by a tournament official or significant overrunning (greater than 5 mins) of the prior game on the pitch to be played on.

9.  Points will be awarded on the following basis:

3 points for a win.  1 point for a draw.  0 points for a loss

10.  In the event of a team “no show” on the day of the tournament that team is due to play they will be recorded as such and a 1-0 win (3 points) awarded to the opposition for each of games scheduled to be played.

11.  Other than at the discretion of the official tournament matches planner opting to undertake late scheduling adjustments, where a team withdraws in advance of the tournament but less than one week before the first day, then the team shall be marked as a LATE WITHDRAWAL and a 1-0 win (3 points) awarded to the opposition for each of the games the withdraw team was due to play in.

12. If teams are equal on points then the team with the better goal difference will qualify.

13.  If the teams are equal on goal difference then the team with the highest number of goals scored will qualify.

14.  If the teams are equal on goals scored the teams will take part in a penalty shoot-out with each player taking one penalty (6 per team). If the teams are still tied after 6 penalties then sudden death will apply.

15.  Knockout stages, if applicable, are detailed for each Age Group within the tournament app and tournament website.  Quarter finals will be played in all leagues where numbers permit. Otherwise semi-finals will be the first round after the league stage.  

16.  League games will be a minimum of 7 minutes long with no half-time.  To ensure that all teams in the same age group have as, as closely as possible, the same amount of total game time, match length may vary between leagues within an age group.  For age groups where there is a finals stage, there will be no half-time for quarter finals or semi-finals.  Finals DO include a short half-time of no more than 3 minutes.

17.  If the result of the quarter final, semi-final, or final is a draw at full time a period of 5 minutes of extra time will be played. If the game is still tied the teams will take part in a penalty shoot-out with each player taking one penalty (5 per team for U7/U8, 6 per team for U9-U14, 7 per team for U15). Only players on the field of play after extra time can take part in the penalty shoot-out. If the teams are still tied after a full round of penalties has been completed then sudden death shall apply.

18. There will be no off-side in any age group.

19. All age groups will take regular overhead throw-ins if the ball goes out of play.

20. In the event of a colour clash the first named team for the fixture in the tournament app will be required to wear bibs. Please bring bibs for this purpose.

21. The first named team is to supply a match ball. Size 3 for the U7s, U8s, U9s, and u10s, and a size 4 ball for all U11s, U12s, U13s and U14s, and size 5 for U15s .

22. A player cautioned by the referee will automatically be ineligible for the team’s next game.

23. A player sent off by the referee will take no further part in the competition. No substitute will be allowed for the player sent off during the game in which the offence took place.

24. The manager of the winning team of each played game (or someone associated with their team that they delegate), or in the event of a draw the first named team, shall submit the game result in the Tournament App (which they should test access to using the web link provided to them in advance of the Tournament).  In the event of any disagreement with the submitted result this must be reported to the Control Point who will obtain the result from the referee whose recorded result will be considered final and correct.

25. Any disputes will be decided by the tournament committee whose decision will be final on the day.

26. All age groups are competitive with results and table position published on the Tournament App.  Team managers, especially those managing mini soccer age group teams who are used to playing in non-competitive league games, are responsible for ensuring their players are respectful of other teams and their players, particularly those who are less successful in the tournament.

27. Any rules not covered in the above will be as per the Laws of Association Football.