. The Ball– Size #4 Futsal Ball
. Player’s Equipment– Same colored shirt required, shin-guards are highly suggested
. Number of Players
a. Style: 5v5 (one of whom shall be the goalkeeper)
b. Minimum to start a match: 4
c. Substitution Limit: None
d. Substitution Method: “Flying substitution” (all players but the goalkeeper enter and leave as they please as long as this is done at midfield and the player entering does not come on the court before the player leaving exits; goalkeeper substitutions can only be made when the ball is out of play and with a referee’s consent)
Duration of the Game
a. Time: Two, 20-minute halves
b. Clock Stoppage: Does not stop until 1-minute left in the 2nd half when the ball is out of play.
c. Mercy Rule: Clock does not stop under 1-minute in the game if a team is ahead by 5 or more
d. Timeouts: 1 per team per half
. Start of Play– Coin Toss followed by kickoff; opposing team will wait outside the circle until the ball is touched
. Ball in & out of Play– When it has wholly crossed the goal line or touchline or hits the ceiling (restart: kick-in at the place closest to where the ball touched the ceiling)
. Fouls & Misconduct-
a. Indirect Kicks: All kicks will be “Indirect” unless it’s a foul in the penalty box which will result in a penalty kick
b. Foul Limit: 5 per half. Each foul after the 5th in a half will result in a penalty kick.
c. Types of Fouls
i. Awarded when a player intentionally commits any of the following 11 offenses (penalty kick awarded when infringement
takes place in penalty area)
ii. Kicking or attempting to kick an opponent
iii. Tripping an opponent
iv. Jumping at an opponent
v. Charging an opponent in a violent or dangerous manner
vi. Charging an opponent from behind
vii. Striking, attempting to strike, or spitting at an opponent
viii. Holding an opponent
ix. Pushing an opponent
x. Charging an opponent with shoulder (i.e., shoulder charge)
x. Sliding at an opponent (i.e., sliding tackle) Slide Tackle = Automatic Yellow Card
d. Violations
i. Handling the ball (except goalkeeper)
ii. Dangerous play (e.g. attempting to kick ball held by goalkeeper)
iii. Obstruction
iv. Charging the goalkeeper in the penalty area (i.e., goalkeeper charge)
v. Goalkeeper picks up or touches with his hands a back pass
vi. Goalkeeper picks up or touches with his hands a kick-in from a teammate
vii. Goalkeeper controls the ball with his/her hands for more than 4 seconds
e. Players shall be cautioned (i.e., shown yellow card) when:
i. A substituting player enters the pitch from an incorrect position or before the player he is substituting has entirely left the pitch
ii. He persistently infringes the Laws of the Game
iii. He shows dissent with any decision of the referee
iv. He is guilty of ungentlemanly conduct
v. These 4 yellow-card offenses are punishable by an indirect free kick taken from the point of infringement (or from the 6-meter line when the infringement takes place in penalty area).
f. Players shall be sent off (i.e., shown the red card) for:
1. Serious foul play
2. Violent conduct
3. Foul or abusive language
4. Second instance of cautionable offense (i.e., second yellow card)
5. Intentionally impeding a clear goal opportunity (e.g. through a “professional foul”)
6. Intentionally impeding a clear goal opportunity in the penalty area by handling the ball
g. Rules of Expulsion:
i. The player sent off (shown a red card) is out for the rest of the game and is not even permitted to sit on the reserves’ bench.
ii. The team of the player sent off can substitute for that player after 2 minutes of playing time or after the opposing team scores —
which ever comes first.
iii. The 2-minute punishment shall be checked by the timekeeper (or by the assistant referee, if there is no timekeeper).
iv. The substitute cannot come on until the ball is out of play and he has a referee’s consent.
. Free Kick
a. Wall: At least 5 meters away until the ball is in play
b. Ball in Play: After it has traveled the distance of its own circumference
c. Time Limit: Kick must be taken within 4 seconds
d. Restriction: Kicker cannot touch the ball again until it has been touched by another player
. Penalty Kick
a. To be taken from the penalty mark on the mid-point of the 6-m-line.
b. The kicker is to aim at goal, with the intention of scoring.
c. All players must be out of the penalty area, and the players of the opposing team must also be at least 5 m from the penalty spot.
d. The kicker shall not play the ball a second time until it has been touched by another player.
e. The goalkeeper shall remain in his penalty area at least 5 m away from the ball.
f. No other player may touch the ball until it has been touched by the pitch, rebounded from the goal post or crossbar, or has left the pitch.
g. If the infringement took place in penalty area (and does not merit a penalty kick), the free kick is to be taken from the 6-m-line on the spot nearest to where the infringement occurred.
. Kick-in
a. To be taken in place of the throw-in.
b. The ball is placed on the touch line before kicking.
c. The kicker’s foot not kicking the ball must be outside or at least on the touchline; if it crosses the touchline all of the way, into the
pitch, the kick-in is given to the opposing team.
d. The kick-in must be taken within 4 seconds; if it is not, the kick-in is given to the opposing team.
e. The kicker cannot play the ball a second time until it has been played by another player; infringement of this rule entail an
indirect free kick to the opposing from the point of infringement.
f. Players on opposing team must be at least 5 m away from point of kick-in.
g. Cannot score directly from a kick-in.
. Goal Clearance
a. To be taken in place of goal kick.
b. From inside the penalty area, the goalkeeper throws the ball into play (goalkeeper cannot throw the ball directly into the opposing goal, the ball must touch someone first).
c. The ball is not in play until it has passed outside of the penalty area. If the goal clearance is received inside of the penalty area,
the goal clearance shall be taken over. Furthermore, if the keeper does the goal clearance incorrectly, the opposing team will be awarded the ball.
. Corner Kick
a. Ball placed on the corner (no corner-kick arc). If ball is misplaced, the corner kick is taken over.
b. Must be taken within 4 seconds; failure to do so entails indirect free kick to the opposing team from the corner mark.
c. The kicker cannot play the ball a second time until it has been played by another player; infringement of this rule entail an
indirect free kick to the opposing from the point of infringement.
d. Players on opposing team must be at least 5 m away from point of the corner kick.
e. Can score goal directly from a corner kick.
. Penalty Kick Shoot-out (for playoffs only)
a. Main referee decides goal to be used.
b. Coin tossed to decide order.
c. Three kicks to be taken by 3 different players. Captain of each team announces these 3 to the main referee before the kicks are taken.
d. If two teams are still tied after 3 kicks, the additional kicks will be taken on a sudden-death basis by the rest of the players
who have not kicked yet.
e. Players sent off during the match are not eligible to take these kicks.
f. Any eligible player may change places with his goalkeeper.
g. While the penalty shoot-out is in progress, players will remain on the opposite half of the pitch.