Winchester Soccer Club
Veterans Day Tournament
Six on Six Tournament Rules
Unless otherwise specified below, all tournament matches will abide by FIFA Rules.
1. Field of Play
A. Dimensions. The field should be 40 to 50 yards wide and 60 to 70 yards long. This is the ideal size for 6 v 6 soccer. Fields should come as close to these
dimensions as possible in order to insure that no team gains an advantage due to an oversized or undersized field.
B. Markings. The field of play should be distinctly marked with lines of not more than five (5) inches wide. The field is divided into two halves by a
halfway line. The center mark is indicated at the midpoint of the halfway line. Acircle with a radius of eight (8) yards is marked around it. Aquarter circle
with a radius of eighteen (18) inches from each corner flag will mark the corner arc.
C. Goal Area. Agoal area is defined at each end of the field by two lines drawn at right angles to the goal line, six (6) yards from the inside of each goal
post. These lines extend into the field of play for six (6) yards and are joined by a line drawn parallel with the goal line.
D. Penalty Area. Apenalty area is defined at each end of the field by two lines drawn at right angles to the goal line, fourteen (14) yards from the inside of
each goal post. These lines extend into the field of play for fourteen (14) yards and are joined by a line drawn parallel with the goal line.
E. Goals. Goals must be placed on the center of each goal line. Goals should have a minimum size of six (6) feet tall and twelve (12) feet wide.
All goals must be secured to the ground or weighted so as to maintain stability and minimize the risk of falling over.
2. Ball
A. Size. Asize four (4) ball will be used for all matches.
B. Replacement. The ball may not be changed or replaced during the match without the permission of the referee.
3. Number of Players
A. Roster. Tournament Officials will review and approve rosters prior to the first game.
Aproper roster r is one that has been approved by the home club, and has a valid signature on it and has listed on it the name and date of birth of every
player playing in the game.
B. Players. Amatch is played by two teams, each consisting of not more than six (6) players, one of whom is the goalkeeper. Amatch may not start, or
continue, if either team consists of fewer than four (4) players who are able to play.
C. Playing Time. It is recommended that each player should play a minimum of 40% (20 minutes) of the total playing time.
D. Substitutions. All substitutes should enter and leave the field at the halfway line.
Players on the field may be replaced by a substitute under one of the following conditions:
1) prior to a throw-in in your team’s favor,
2) prior to a goal kick by either team,
3) after a goal by either team,
4) after an injury by either team when the referee stops play (one player only), or
5) at half-time.
E. Coed Teams. Teams may be coed but, if coed, the team must be placed in a boys division.
4. Coaches/Supervision
A. Coaches. Each team must have a designated head coach and may have up to two (2) assistant coaches.
B. Supervision. For each team, a registered coach or assistant coach must be present during the entire game. If no such coach is present, or if the coach is
ejected or leaves the game for other reasons, the referee may accept another person, but not a player, as the substitute coach.
The game will not be played or continued
if the referee, at anytime, decides that no proper supervision is present. If the referee abandons the game, a forfeit will be assessed at the discretion
of the Tournament Director.
5. Player’s Equipment
A. Required Equipment. The required equipment of a player is:
1) a team jersey or shirt
2) shorts
3) stockings
4) shin guards
5) footwear
B. Shin guards. Shin guards are to be made of a suitable material in order to provide a reasonable degree of protection and must be covered entirely
by the stockings during the match.
C. Footwear. The footwear shall be soft soccer cleats or sneakers.
D. Goalkeeper. Each goalkeeper shall wear colors which distinguish him/her from the other players and from the referee.
E. Restrictions. The following articles are not to be worn or allowed during a match:
1) jewelry of any type,
2) hard casts (even if padded), or
3) any other equipment the referee determines is dangerous to another player.
6. Referee
A. Acurrently registered referee shall be used for all matches.
B. Referees shall be assigned by the HOME team club’s referee assignor.
C. Referees are encouraged to explain all infractions of the Laws of the Game to the offending player(s) as the progress of the match permits.
Due to the age of the players, such explanations are viewed as a method to educate the younger player.
7. Linesmen (Assistant Referees)
A. Linesmen may be used at the discretion of the referee, if necessary.
B. The linesmen only responsibility shall be to indicate, to the referee, whether the ball is out of play.
8. Duration of the Match
A. Periods of Play. The match shall be divided into two (2) equal halves of twenty-five (25) minutes each.
B. Half-Time. The half-time interval shall be five (5) minutes.
C. Allowance for Time Lost. Their will be no allowance for time lost in either period.
9. Start of Play
A. Preliminaries. Teams must be present at the field of play 15 minutes before the scheduled start of each game for equipment inspection
by the referee. Prior to the beginning of play, the referee shall summons a captain(s) from each team to the center of the field for the coin toss. The visiting
team shall call the coin toss.
The team which wins the coin toss decides which goal it will attack in the first half of the match. The other team takes the kick-off to start the match. The
team which wins the coin toss takes the kick-off to start the second half of the match.
B. Kick-off. Akick-off is a way of starting (or restarting) play. All players shall be in their own half of the field. All players of the opposing team shall be at
least eight (8) yards from the ball until it is in play. With the ball stationary on the center mark, the referee shall give a signal to start play The ball is in play
when it is kicked and moves forward. The kicker shall not touch the ball a second time until it has touched another player.
Agoal may be scored on a kick-off.
10. Ball In and Out of Play
A. Out of Play. The ball is out of play when:
1) it has wholly crossed the goal line or touch line whether on the ground or in the air, or
2) play has been stopped by the referee.
B. In Play. The ball in is play at all other times including when:
1) it rebounds from a goal post, crossbar or corner flagpost and remain in the field of play, or
2) it rebounds off the referee when he/she is on the field of play.
11. Method of Scoring
A. Goal Scored. Agoal is scored when the whole of the ball passes over the goal line, between the goal posts, and under the crossbar provided that
no infringement of the Laws of the Game has been committed previously by the team scoring the goal. Agoal may be scored on a kick-off.
B. Winning Team. The team scoring the greater number of goals during a match is the winner. If both teams score an equal number of goals, or if no goals
are scored, the match is a draw (tie).
12. Off-Side
The off-side rule does not apply in this tournament.
13. Fouls and Misconduct
A. Conformance. During a match, conformance will be with all FIFALaws of the Game except as otherwise noted.
B. Exceptions. The following exceptions to the FIFALaws of the Game will pertain to all tournament matches:
1) there are no penalty kicks.
2) there is no off-side.
3) goal kicks and goalkeeper punts must bounce or be played in the kicking team’s own half of the field.
14. Free Kicks
All free kicks will conform to the FIFAALaws of the Game with the exception that an opponent must be eight (8) yards from the ball
before the kick is allowed.
15. Penalty Kicks
No penalty kicks shall be awarded to or taken by either team. All fouls committed inside the penalty area that would normally result in a penalty kick
will be moved outside the penalty area to the point closest to where the foul was committed and a direct free kick awarded.
16. Throw-ins
All throw-ins will conform to the FIFALaws of the Game.
17. Goal Kick
A. Awarded. Agoal kick is awarded when the whole of the ball, having last touched a player of the attacking team, passes over the goal line, either on the
ground or in the air, and a goal is not scored.
B. Procedure. The ball is kicked from any point within the goal area by a player of the defending team. Opponents remain outside the penalty area until
the ball is in play. The ball is in play when it is kicked beyond the penalty area; the ball may not be played or touched until it has exited the penalty area.
The kicker shall not play the ball a second time until it has touched another player.
C. Infringement/Sanctions. Goal kicks must bounce or be played in the kicking teams own half of the field by either team or there is a loss of the
ball to the opposing team. An indirect kick is awarded to the opposing team at the halfway line at the point nearest the point of the infraction.
This rule also applies when the goalkeeper, after making a save, punts or drop-kicks the ball into play.
18. Corner Kick
All corner kicks will conform to the FIFALaws of the Game with the exception that an opponent must be eight (8) yards from the ball
before the kick is allowed.
19. Certified Rosters
A. Certified Rosters. A certified roster shall be that roster reviewed by and stamped with the appropriate Home Club’s registrar prior
to the beginning of the tournament. There will be no Adds/Drops to the original certified roster.
Before the tournament, each coach will provide two copies of the team’s certified roster which must indicate each player’s name, date of
birth and shirt number.
20.Inclement Weather
A. The Winchester Veteran’s Day Tournament will take place rain or shine. There will be no refunding of registration fees for any reason.
21.Protests/Appeals: There shall be no protest or appeal of any game. Any questions that may arise which are not covered by the Tournament Rule
shall be subject to a decision by the Tournament Committee, whose decision shall be final and binding.
22. No Shows: In the event a team does not appear by the scheduled time, a 1 - 0 win shall be awarded to its opponent, at the discretion of the Referee
committee. Teams should be at the scheduled field at least fifteen minutes before the scheduled game time. This time may be extended if, in the
opinion of the Referee Committee, extenuating circumstances caused the delay. A make up game, which will not be counted in the standings, may
be scheduled at the request of the affected team and at the discretion of the Tournament Committee.
23. Guarantees Games: The Tournament cannot guarantee the full number of games scheduled if a team withdraws within 72 hours of the Tournament.
24. Inclement Weather: In the event of inclement weather, remaining games may be shortened to a length to be determined by the Tournament Committee.
25. Tournament Cancellation: If the Tournament is cancelled in its entirety we will refund the entire entry fee paid. There will be no refunds if a portion
of the tournament is cancelled.