THE GUERNSEY MINI SOCCER FESTIVAL RULES (U10 / YEAR 5)

1.    MANAGEMENT OF THE FESTIVAL AND FESTIVAL NAME

The Festival is organised and managed by the Guernsey Football Association LBG and, other than set out in these Rules, matches shall be played in accordance with the English Football Association’s Laws for Mini-Soccer.

The Festival shall be called The BWCI Guernsey Mini Soccer Festival.

2.    CLUBS ELIGIBLE TO ENTER

Entry to the Festival is by invitation from the Guernsey Football Association to teams from either England Football Accredited clubs or professional football club academies / centres of excellence, or their national governing football body equivalents only.

3.    ORGANISING COMMITTEE

The Guernsey Football Association shall appoint an Organising Committee for the duration of the Festival and the Organising Committee shall have the power to apply, act upon and enforce these Rules, including amending, supplementing or adding to them if it believes it to be in the best interests of the Festival to do so. The Organising Committee shall also adjudicate in all cases of dispute, protest and complaint taking any advice from third parties it chooses to do so.

4.    PLAYERS’ QUALIFICATIONS

The Festival shall consist of one single age group and all players must have been born on or after 1 September and no later than 31 August of the relevant year, for school years 4 and 5. However, except in the case of the academy/centre of excellence teams, the Guernsey Football Association expect each team to consist predominantly of players from school year 5 with players from school year 4 only being used to supplement any team unable to field a team using year 5 players. Before taking part, each team shall provide the Organising Committee with a list of its playing squad eligible to participate together with their dates of birth. The maximum number of players permitted in the playing squad shall be fourteen and the minimum shall be ten. A player can only register for one team in the Festival.

5.    PLAYING COLOURS AND COLOUR CLASHES

Each team shall register its first and second choice of colours with the Organising Committee and in the event of a clash of colours, the second named team in the draw shall change, unless the two relevant teams and match referee agree otherwise.

6.    NUMBER OF PLAYERS AND SUBSTITUTIONS

Each team shall consist of a maximum of seven players, including a goalkeeper, plus up to seven substitutes. Any number of substitutions may be made at any time during a match with the permission of the referee.

7. KICK OFF AND NO SHOWS

Teams should be changed and by the pitch five minutes before kick off time. If a team is fifteen minutes late, the Organising Committee may cancel the match and award it to the opposition. If both teams are fifteen minutes late, the match will be cancelled and the Organising Committee may award a defeat against each team.

8.    FESTIVAL FORMAT

All matches shall be six minutes each way with two minutes half time. The Festival will be played on a league basis in the first stage with the teams divided into groups. Each team shall play one match against each of the other teams in its group. Three points shall be awarded for a win, one point for a draw and no points for a loss. In the event of any teams being equal on points, team rankings will be decided on the criteria as below:

  1. Goal difference
  2. Number of goals scored
  3. Number of goals against
  4. Results when playing each other
  5. Play-off match(es) between the relevant teams.

Following the group stage, teams will compete for the BWCI Shield and BWCI Plate on a knockout basis. In the event of drawn matches in this knockout stage, no extra time will be played and instead penalties will decide the outcome.

The Organising Committee reserves the right to alter this format depending on the final number of team entries. However, the final format and draw will be advised to all competing teams no later than one week before the Festival.

9.  REPORTING OF RESULTS

The referee shall be responsible for notifying the Organising Committee of the result of each match at its conclusion.

10.  MATCH OFFICIALS

Match Officials shall be appointed by the Organising Committee and must be registered with their County Football Association.

11.  PROTESTS AND COMPLAINTS

All questions of eligibility, qualifications of players or interpretation of rules shall be referred to the Organising Committee, but no objection relative to the dimensions of the pitch or other equipment thereon shall be entertained by the Committee unless a protest is lodged with the referee before the commencement of the match. All protests and complaints relative to a particular match in the Festival must be made in writing to the Organising Committee to be received within 30 minutes of the completion of the match.

12.  TROPHIES AND MEMENTOES

All competing players will receive a memento of their participation in the Festival and, in addition, prizes will be presented to the winners and runners-up in the BWCI Shield and BWCI Plate competitions.

13.  RULES OF THE FESTIVAL

These Rules are binding on all teams taking part and their players and team officials.

14.  MISCONDUCT

A player, who is sent off the field for misconduct or is reported by the referee for misconduct before or after a match, shall be excluded from playing in his team’s next match and the Organising Committee has the power to levy further suspension should it consider in its sole discretion such misconduct to be sufficiently serious to warrant such further action.

A player, who is cautioned for misconduct by the referee on three separate occasions during the Festival, shall be excluded from playing in his/her team’s next match.

A player, who is sent off the field for misconduct or is reported by the referee for misconduct before or after a match twice during the Festival, shall be excluded from playing in his/her team’s next two matches.

In the event of mistaken identity, the Organising Committee will have the final say.

In the case of serious misconduct, players and officials will be reported by the Organising Committee to the relevant Football Association.

It is also the responsibility of each team to control the conduct of its manager, coaches, parents and spectators during and after each game. In this regard, the Organising Committee has adopted the FA Code of Conduct for Parents and Spectators.

Abusive language and/or behaviour will not be tolerated and the Organising Committee will take whatever action it considers appropriate against any player, manager, coach, parent or spectator using abusive language and/or behaviour.

15.  LIABILITY AND INSURANCE

Neither the Guernsey Football Association LBG not the Organising Committee nor any organisation or party providing any facilities or services in connection with the Festival (or any of their respective employees, agents or servants) (the “Organisers”) shall be under any liability whatsoever in respect of:

  • the loss of or damage to any property belonging to or travelling with any participant or spectator however caused;
  • the personal injury or death of any participant or spectator; or
  • the cancellation of or changes to the Festival due to war, threat of war, strikes or disasters, terrorist activities, weather or any other event or cause outside the   control of the Organisers.

Each team is responsible for making the necessary arrangements at its own expense for the insurance of its members, officials, players and equipment.

APPENDIX 1

The FA Laws for Mini-Soccer Except where other provisions, in these Laws, are made, the Laws of Association Football apply. Each Law is numbered to correspond with the appropriate Law of the Game. These Laws are mandatory unless special permission is granted by The Football Association. These are the sections for the Laws of the Game as detailed below:

  • Law 1: Playing Area
  • Law 2: The Ball
  • Law 3: Number of Players
  • Law 4: Playing Equipment
  • Law 5: Referees
  • Law 6: Timekeeper/Scorer/Assistant Referee
  • Law 7: Duration of the Game
  • Law 8: Start and Restart of Play
  • Law 9: Ball In and Out of Play
  • Law 10: Method of Scoring
  • Law 11: Offside
  • Law 12: Fouls and Misconduct
  • Law 13: Free Kicks
  • Law 14: Penalty Kicks
  • Law 15: Throw-in
  • Law 16: Goal Kick
  • Law 17: Corner Kicks

Law 1: Playing Area

Size of Pitch Under 10s

  • Minimum width: 27.45m (30 yards)
  • Maximum width: 36.60m (40 yards)
  • Minimum length: 45.75m (50 yards)
  • Maximum length: 54.90m (60 yards) Other pitch dimensions
  • Penalty Area: Length 9.15m (10 yards); Width 16.47m (18 yards)
  • Penalty Mark: 7.32m (8 yards) from the Goal Line opposite the Centre of the Goal.
  • Halfway Line: The field of play is divided into two halves by a halfway line. The centre mark is indicated at the mid-point of the halfway line.
  • Goal Size: The distance between the posts is 3.6m (12 feet) and the distance between the lower edge of the cross bar and the ground is 1.88m (6 feet).

Law 2: The Ball

  • The ball should be size 3 for U10.
  • It should be safe and made of leather or another suitable material.

Law 3: Number of Players

  • Under 10s: 6v6 or 7v7 Where the appropriate facilities are available, the FA would encourage leagues and competitions to use the smaller number of players at the youngest age group. Players must play with and against players only from their own age range, as per Football Association and Competition rules. Players should not be allowed to begin to play until the Season of the 7th birthday.

Each team must not have a squad greater than double the size of the team per age. Any number of substitutes, without being named, may be used at any time with the permission of the referee or game leader. Entry into the field of play will only be allowed during a stoppage in play. A player who has been replaced may return to the playing area as a substitute for another player.

Law 4: Playing Equipment

  • Players must wear shin guards and goalkeepers must wear a distinguishing playing strip. • Shin guards must be covered entirely by the stockings.

Law 5: Referees

The Authority of the Referee

Each match is controlled by a referee who has full authority to enforce the Laws of the Game in connection with the match to which they have been appointed.

Powers and Duties The Referee:

  • Enforces the Laws of the Game
  • Controls the match in co-operation with the assistant referees/time keeper
  • Ensures that the ball meets the requirements of Law 2
  • Ensures that the players’ equipment meets the requirements of Law 4
  • Stops, suspends or terminates the match, at their discretion, for any infringements of the Laws
  • Stops, suspends or terminates the match because of outside interference of any kind
  • Stops the match if, in their opinion, a player is seriously injured and ensures that they are removed from the field of play
  • Ensures that any player bleeding from a wound leaves the field of play
  • Allows play to continue when the team against which an offence has been committed will benefit from such an advantage and penalises the original offence if the anticipated advantage does not ensue at that time
  • Takes disciplinary action against players guilty of cautionable and/or sending-off offences
  • Takes action against team officials who fail to conduct themselves in a responsible manner and may, at their discretion, expel them from the field of play and its immediate surrounds
  • Ensures that no unauthorised persons enter the field of play
  • Restarts the match after it has been stopped Decisions of the Referee
  • The decisions of the referee regarding facts connected with play are final.
  • The referee may only change a decision on realising that it is incorrect or, at his/her discretion provided that play has not restarted.

Law 6: Timekeeper/Scorer/Assistant Referee

Duties

A person may be nominated to assist the referee to:

  • Record goals scored
  • Act as timekeeper and signify to the referee by an agreed signal when the time of each half has expired
  • Suspend time on an instruction from the referee for all stoppages and add that time to the end of each half
  • Supervise the use of rolling substitutes
  • Carry out any other duties as prescribed by the referee
  • If an independent timekeeper/scorer is not nominated, these duties are the responsibility of the referee

Law 7: Duration of the Game

In any one day, no player shall play more than the stipulated period given below:

  • Under 10s: 90 minutes Each league/competition will determine its own playing time within the maximum time permitted. The half time interval must not exceed 5 minutes.

Law 8: Start and Restart of Play

Procedure
A kick-off is taken at the centre of the playing area to start the game and after a goal has been scored, opponents must be 4.5m (5 yards) away from the ball, and in their own half of the field. The ball can be kicked in any direction at kick-off.
In Mini Soccer a goal cannot be scored directly from a start or restart of play.

Special Circumstances

A dropped ball to restart the match after play has been temporarily stopped inside the penalty area takes place on the penalty area line parallel to the goal line at that point nearest to where the ball was located when the play stopped.

Law 9: Ball In and Out of Play

The ball is out of play when:

  • It has wholly crossed the goal line or touch line whether on the ground or in the air
  • Play has been stopped by the referee The ball is in play at all other times, including when:
  • It rebounds from a goal or post, crossbar or corner flag post and remains in the field of play
  • It rebounds from either the referee or an assistant referee when they are on the field of play

Law 10: Method of Scoring

Goal Scored

A goal is scored when the whole of the ball passes over the goal line, between the goalposts and under the crossbar, provided that no infringement of the Laws of the Game has been committed previously by the team scoring the goal.

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 drawn.

Competition Rules

For matches ending in a draw, competition rules may state provisions involving extra time, or other procedures approved by the International FA Board to determine the winner of a match.

Please note this must be included within the maximum participation time.

Law 11: Offside

There is no offside.

Law 12: Fouls and Misconduct

In Mini-Soccer all free kicks are direct.

A free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any of the following offences in a manner considered to be careless, reckless or using excessive force:

  • Kicks or attempts to kick an opponent
  • Trips or attempts to trip an opponent
  • Jumps at an opponent
  • Charges an opponent
  • Strikes or attempts to strike an opponent
  • Pushes an opponent A free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any of the following offences:
  • Tackles an opponent to gain possession of the ball, making contact with the opponent before touching the ball
  • Holds an opponent
  • Spits at an opponent
  • Handball
  • Plays in a dangerous manner • Impedes the progress of an opponent
  • Prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from his/her hands
  • Commits any other offence, not previously mentioned in Law 12, for which play is stopped to caution or dismiss a player

Penalty Kick

A penalty kick is awarded if any of the above offences is committed by a player inside his/her own penalty area, irrespective of the position of the ball, provided it is in play.

Free Kick

A free kick is awarded to the opposing team if the goalkeeper:

  • Takes more than 6 seconds to release the ball from his/her hands
  • Touches the ball again with his/her hands after it has been released from his/her possession and has not touched any other player
  • Touches the ball with his/her hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him/her by a team mate
  • Touches the ball with his/her hands after he/she has received it directly from a throw in taken by a team mate

For all these offences, the free kick should be taken from the penalty area line, parallel with the goal line, at the nearest point to the offence.

Cautionable Offences

  1. A player is cautioned and shown the yellow card if he/she commits any of the following seven offences:
  2. Is guilty of unsporting behaviour
  3. Shows dissent by word or action
  4. Persistently infringes the Laws of the Game
  5. Delays the restart of play
  6. Fails to respect the required distance when play is restarted with a corner kick or free kick
  7. Enters or re-enters the field of play without the referee’s permission
  8. Deliberately leaves the field of play without the referee’s permission

Sending Off Offences

  1. A player is sent off and shown the red card if he/she commits any of the following seven offences:
  2. Is guilty of serious foul play
  3. Is guilty of violent conduct
  4. Spits at an opponent or any other person
  5. Denies the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal scoring opportunity, by deliberately handling the ball (this does not apply to a goalkeeper within his/her own penalty area)
  6. Denies an obvious goal scoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the player’s goal by an offence punishable by a free kick or penalty kick
  7. Uses offensive or insulting or abusive language and/or gestures
  8. Receives a second caution in the same match

Law 13: Free Kicks

For all free kicks opponents must be 4.5m (5 yards) from the ball

Law 14: Penalty Kicks

A penalty kick is awarded for offences, as described in Law 12

Position of the Ball and the Players

All players except the defending goalkeeper and kicker must be outside the penalty area and at least 4.5m (5 yards) from the penalty mark. The ball must be kicked forward.

Infringement/Sanctions

If a player or players commit an offence at the taking of a penalty kick his/her team shall not be allowed to gain an advantage (i.e. the kick is retaken or the goal is disallowed depending on which team offended)

If a player of both the defending and the attacking teams offend, the kick shall be retaken.

Law 15: Throw-in

A goal cannot be scored directly from a throw-in.

A throw-in is awarded:

  • When the whole of the ball passes over the touch line, either on the ground or in the air
  • From the point where it crossed the touch line
  • To the opponents of the player who last touched the ball

Procedure

At the moment of delivering the ball, the thrower:

  • Faces the field of play
  • Has part of each foot either on the touch line or on the ground outside the touch line Throw-in
  • Uses both hands
  • Delivers the ball from behind and over their head
  • The throw-in is awarded to the opposing team, if any of these requirements are not carried out

The thrower may not touch the ball again until it has touched another player. If he/she does, a free kick will be awarded against them. The ball is in play immediately when it enters the field of play.

Law 16: Goal Kick

Procedure

A player of the defending team kicks the ball from any point within the penalty area.

Opponents must retreat to their own half until the ball is in play.

The defending team does not have to wait for the opposition to retreat and has the option to restart the game before should they choose to do so.

The ball is in play when it is kicked.

Law 17: Corner Kicks

The opposing players must remain at least 4.5m (5yards) from the ball until it is in play.

The kicker may not touch the ball again until it has touched another player. If he/she does, a free kick is awarded against them.

The ball is in play immediately when it enters the field of play.