Outdoor Soccer Rules — Nashville’s Home for Adult Sports Leagues

The rules of this league series shall be in accordance with FIFA except as modified and approved herein by MSSL

LAWS OF THE GAME

All games shall be in accordance with the FIFA “laws of the game”, except as modified below.

Competition sanctioned by this association shall abide by the “laws of the game”, along with any modifications or regulations of MSSL.

LAW 1: Field of Play

Field shall be at 60 yards long by 40 yards wide.

LAW 2: Number of Players

All teams will play 6 per side.
1. CO-ED ONLY: A minimum of 2 females must be on the field at all times.
2. CO-ED ONLY: A team can play with only 1 female, but in this case they are only allowed to play a maximum of 4 males (this rule does not apply to the playoffs).
Teams must have a minimum of five players on the field to start a game. A 5-minute grace period will be in effect for the first game of the day only.
Substitutions shall be unlimited. Substitutions may be made at any time during the game as long as the player leaving and entering the field does so at midfield and/or without gaining an unfair advantage.
The substitute shall not enter the field of play until the player he is replacing has left.

LAW 3: Players’ Equipment

Player equipment must conform to MSSL rules.

Footwear: regulation soccer cleats with rubber-soles (not football cleats), plastic cleats, and detachable rubber cleats that screw into the shoe, and tennis shoes are the only permissible footwear. All else must be approved by MSSL.
Teams will wear uniforms of matching color.
Jewelry: No jewelry (earrings, watches, necklaces, etc.) or any other item deemed dangerous by the official may be worn. Any player wearing exposed permanent jewelry (i.e. body piercing) will not be permitted to play.
If eyeglasses are worn, they must be unbreakable. Each player is responsible for the safety of his/her own eyeglasses.
Headwear: Players may wear a knit or stocking cap (no caps with bills except for the goalkeeper) during play.

LAW 4: The Duration of the Match

Games will be played with two 25-minute halves, and a three-minute half time.
There will be no Overtime periods in regular season matches.
Playoff matches will have one 6 minute overtime period, “Golden Goal” format. If there is no score after overtime, Penalty Kicks will follow FIFA Rules, but only 3 players per team.
1. CO-ED ONLY: Co-Ed games ending in PK’s will have 3 shooters with a minimum of 1 female shooter.

LAW 5: Offside

The offside rule will NOT be in effect

LAW 6: No Slide Tackling

There is NO SLIDE TACKLING. This rule applies to all players including the goalkeeper.
A slide tackle will result in an automatic yellow card.
A slide tackle occurs when a player leaves his/her feet and leads with his/her feet to play the ball while the ball is in the proximity of another player.
A slide tackle does not require that any contact occur between players.
Sliding to keep a ball from going out of bounds, or to stop a ball that does not endanger another player is not a foul.
It will be up to the referee’s discretion as to whether or not a player’s participation from the ground is dangerous.
A goalkeeper may leave his/her feet to play the ball inside the penalty box.
A goalkeeper leaving his/her feet within 6 feet of another player must do so with their legs in a safe position (not pointed at an opposing player) and may not at any time attempt to kick at the ball with their feet while on the ground. Doing so will be deemed a slide tackle.
If a goal keeper leaves the goal box to foul a player on a break-away to stop a goal scoring opportunity, the goal keeper may be sent off. In addition, the referee may award a penalty kick according to his/her discretion.

LAW 7: Free Kicks

All fouls outside of the penalty area will be awarded a free kick.
All free kicks are indirect with the exception of corner kicks.
Indirect Kicks: The ball must touch an OFFENSIVE player before a goal can be scored.
You cannot deflect the ball off of a defensive player to score on an indirect free kick.
The defensive players can be no closer than 4 yards to the ball.

LAW 8: Kick-Ins

All balls that go out of bounds on the sidelines will be put back into play via a kick-in. This is treated like an indirect free kick (defenders must give 4 yards).
Goalkeepers are not allowed to punt the ball, but they are allowed to kick or throw the ball as far as they please considering the ball is either on the ground or in their hands.

LAW 9: Goal Kick

Ball may be kicked from on or anywhere within the goal box (6 yard box). A goal may not be scored directly from a goal kick.

LAW 10: Corner Kick

A corner kick shall be awarded to the attacking team when the entire ball passes over the goal line, excluding the area between the goal posts and under the crossbar, either in the air or on the ground, having last been touched or played by the defending team.
A corner kick is the only free kick that is considered direct.
Players of the defending team shall be at least 4 yards from the ball until it has been kicked.
The ball shall be kicked from the ground within the quarter circle, including on the lines, at the corner nearest where the ball left the field of play.
After the corner kick, the ball must be played by another player, before the one who executed the kick plays the ball again.

LAW 11: Penalty Kick

Fouls/Infractions inside the goal box will result in a penalty kick.
Penalty kicks will be taken from 8 yards out from the goal line with one goalie who is allowed to use their hands. The spot for the kick will be indicated on the field.
The Kicker can only take one step, and then must shoot. The kicker is not allowed to take a running start.

LAW 12: Violations and Bookings

If a player receives a yellow card, they will be removed from the playing field for 5 minutes, but may be replaced by another teammate so that the team can continue at full strength.
A player receiving two yellow cards in one game will be ejected from the current game and their next game. The team will have to play down a player in this case for the current game.
A player receiving a red card in a game will be ejected from the current game and their next game, and the team will have to play down a player for 5 minutes. The team of the player sent off can substitute for that player after 5 minutes of playing time or after the opposing team scores —which ever comes first.
Yellow cards will carry over throughout the season. A player receiving 4 total yellow cards in a season will be allowed to continue playing the current game where they received their fourth card but will have to sit the next game. The number of cards carrying over will reset for the playoffs, and then the same rule applies to the playoffs (1 red card equals 2 yellow cards).

DETERMINATION OF SEASON WINNINGS

In regular season play there will be NO overtime games. Standings in the league will be determined by GAME POINTS:

TIEBREAKERS