House Rules of the Game

The Ball

• U-12 and under, size 4
• U-13 and up, size 5

Player Equipment

• Mandatory equipment: shin guards, shorts or athletic pants, flat soled soccer shoes, turf shoes with soft cleats, or flat soled sneakers, light and dark shirt each time you come to play.
• Players not complying with the mandatory equipment rule will be removed from the field and the team could be assessed a 2 minute penalty.

Number of Players

• 6 v 6 (5 field players and a keeper)
• Co-ed teams must have 2 female identifying players on the field at all times.

Youth Team Ages

• Per MYSA guidelines, except if modified for tournaments or leagues.
• At Allport’s discretion, players may be moved up or down with the goal of providing fair, competitive play.

Substitutions

• Unlimited on the fly (like hockey), with the player being substituted having to be off before another player can come on.
• Players coming off must be within 1yd of the boards before another player can come on, a violation of this rule can result in a 2 minute penalty.
• Players entering or leaving the field cannot participate in the play while they’re both are on the field.
• Jumping over the boards is not allowed and can result in a 2 minute penalty.

Time

• Each half will be 25 minutes (running time) long with a 2 minute half, no time-outs.
• The referee, at their discretion, may stop time for injuries or other long delays.
• Tournament times will be set in the tournament rules.
• In semi-finals and finals if tied at the end of regulation there will be a 5 minute sudden death overtime period. If still tied at the end of the 5 minute period there will be a shootout to determine the winner.

Free Kicks

• All free kicks on the small field are indirect.
• All free kicks on the large field are direct, including kickoffs.
• All players must be at least 10 feet from the ball; encroachment can result in a 2 minute penalty.
• All infractions within the red lines, but not in the box, resulting in a direct kick, will be taken from the red line.
• All free kicks must be taken within 10 seconds, if not the referee can award the ball to the other team.
• On a shootout, all players besides the kicker and goalie, must be behind the midline. (See ‘Shootouts’ below.)

Three-Line Rule

• The ball cannot be played in the air over ‘three lines’. The three lines include the red lines and midline.
•  A violation occurs when a player (goalie or field) propels the ball in the air across the two red lines and the midline toward the opponent’s goal without the ball first touching the perimeter wall or another player on the field of play.
• In the case of a violation, the defending team will be awarded a free kick on the opponent’s red line.
• A free kick taken from the red line is considered over the red line, and therefore cannot result in a three-line violation.

Referee cards (time penalties)

• Blue Card: a player receiving a blue card must leave the playing field for 2 minutes and the team must play short during the full 2 minutes even if a goal is scored, 2 blue cards for the same player results in a yellow card.
• Yellow Card: a player receiving a yellow card must leave the playing field for 5 minutes, and the team must play short during the full 5 minutes even if a goal is scored.
• Red Card: a player receiving a red card is ejected from the game and the team must play the rest of the match short handed; 2 yellow cards for the same player results in a red card. Players receiving a red card must leave the playing area and its immediate surrounding area (stands, benches, etc.) and is out for the next two weeks for all teams on which they play.
• Verbal abuse, from the bench or stands, directed at the referee can result in either a blue, yellow or red card for the bench player or audience, at the referee’s discretion.
• When a goalkeeper receives a card, they must serve the penalty, and the team can replace them with another player in goal.

Fouls & Misconduct Unique to Indoor Soccer

• 2 minute penalties
  • intentional boarding
  • slide tackles
  • delay of game
  • encroachment
  • jumping over the boards
  • illegal substitutions
  • 2 hands on boards to shield the ball
• 5 minute penalties
  • intentional boarding (more severe than 2 minute version)
  • slide tackles (more severe than 2 minute version)

Out of bounds

• All nets are out of bounds
• If the ball hits the side nets the ball is placed at the location it hit 1 yd from wall, except if it hits the side net inside the red line, in which case it is placed 1 yd from the walls at the red line.
• If the ball hits the top nets it is put in play where it hit the net, except if it hits within the red line area, in which case it goes to the red line.
• When the ball hits the nets the team that gains possession has 10 seconds to get the ball back in play or the referee can award the ball to the other team.
• If the ball hits the referee, it is considered ‘dead’ and is returned to the attacking team for a free kick.

Misc

• There is no offsides.
• The goalie can pick the ball up with their hands if passed back to them from within the red lines, players cannot bring the ball back into the red area and then pass it back for the goalie to pick up.
• The ball can only be played back to the keeper inside the red line and picked up once in a possession – in other words, the keeper can’t repeatedly pickup balls passed back within the red line, unless there is play outside the red line area in between. 
• All infractions within the red lines, resulting in a direct kick, will be taken from the red line
• Delaying of the game can be a 2 minute penalty, if this delaying of the game and receiving a 2 minute penalty is used as a tactic to run the clock out, the referee can award the other team a penalty kick

The following are NOT allowed:

• Spitting on the field – Spitting is unsanitary, unsightly, and potentially dangerous. Please refrain or spit into trash cans on the side of the field. Spitting on the field will be penalized with a blue card.
• Slide tackles. (Sliding to reach a ball if there are no other players around IS allowed, but sliding near other players is NOT.)
• Boarding – hitting, or pushing players into the boards.
• Goalie punting or drop kicking. The goalkeeper must play the ball from their hands (throw) or off the ground – no bounce kicks.
• Two hands on the boards while shielding the ball is not allowed. (Two hands CAN be placed on the boards to break a fall or protect yourself from crashing into the boards.)

Time penalties/cards are at the sole discretion of the referees.

All cases not covered by the above are governed by fifa laws of the game and the Official Rules of US Indoor Soccer.

Allsport arena reserves the rights to change or amend any rule at any time of the soccer season.

Build-Out Line Initiative Adoption

Starting with the January session 2018 onwards, Allsport Arena will be using “build-out lines” for all small field games. The decision to add build-out lines is to help teams comply with one of US Soccer’s Initiatives for youth player development.

Field Setup

On the small field, the red line serves as the build out line.  The referee will confirm with each coach where the line is before the start of the game.  The referee will also help the coaches remind their players to retreat behind this line.

Goal Kicks

When a team is awarded a goal kick, the defending team must retreat past the build out line in a timely fashion. Once the ball is put into play, the defending team may pressure the ball. The attacking team may choose to restart play before the defending team retreats to the build out line; when this occurs, the defending team may pressure the ball as normal.

Goalkeeper Possession With Hands

The same “retreating” process also occurs when the goalkeeper has possession of the ball in their hands. The goalkeeper may distribute the ball by roll, throw, or put the ball on the ground and pass it. The goalkeeper is prohibited from punting or drop-kicking the ball and must play the ball from the ground (not off a double bounce). Violations result in an indirect free kick awarded to the opposing team from the middle of the red line.

The goalkeeper may choose to distribute the ball before the defending team retreats to the build out line; when this occurs, the defending team may pressure immediately. 

A build-out line has been used across the world as a development aid to young players who often have trouble re-starting play from goal-kicks and is used to promote goalkeepers to play a short pass instead of drop kick or a punt.  Here are some benefits to this and some ideas to consider as we implement this initiative.

1. Possession soccer starts with the goalkeeper playing an easy short pass to their nearest supporting player.
2. Kids learn by imitation and seeing what works.  This first easy pass can begin a cascading effect of easy controlled passes, thereby slowing down the game.  Encourage your kids to make the easy pass, as fast as possible using the inside of their foot.
3. Because your keeper and supporting players will have time, have your defenders go wide to the side boards to receive either a pass or a roll of the ball.  This widening of the field is the first step in creating space going forward.
4. Have your center player occupy space in the middle of the field behind the build out line.  If your keeper elects to play the ball to this player, this player can then play the ball wide if needed.
5. Today’s modern game requires goalkeepers to be involved in the game.  Encourage them to use their feet to make a pass.

If you have any questions, please ask the referee or let us know