Home & Away Football Tournament Game Rules

Number of fielded players

• 7 players per team including goalkeeper
• Fixed goalkeeper during game
• The minimum number of players is 5.
• If a team has less than 5 players playing, the team will need to forfeit to a 3:0 loss
• Transfer of players between teams during the tournament will not be allowed
• Unlimited substitution will be allowed, notification of referee will be required
• Roll on/roll off of subs when the ball is out of play
• Substitutes must enter the game from the half-way line and may not do so until the substituted player has left the field. 
• Substituted players may return to play. 
• Shin pads must be worn during the game

Time management

• Group stages and Knock-out stages will be 12 mins game straight through with no breaks
• Final will be 10 mins each way with 2 mins break
• An air-horn will be used to signal the start and ending of the game. No extra time or added time
• The game manager will have the authority of final decisions

Point system in group stage

Points system for all games: Win = 3 points, Draw = 1 point, Lose = 0 point

Group Stages

• The top two teams from each group will proceed to the Knock-out Stage
• Schedule of play in Knock-out Stage will depend on the Group Stage ranking by points
• In the event of a tie in points, it will be decided by goal difference
• In the event of a tie in goal difference, it will be decided by the number of goals scored
• In the event of a tie in the number of goals scored, it will be decided by the head-to-head result in Group stage
• In the event of a tie in the head-to-head result in Group stage, it will be decided by less yellow/red cards.

Knockout Stages

• Winners move on through the stages
• In the event of a tie at Knock-out stage and Finals Stage, the match will proceed straight to sudden-death penalties.

Red and Yellow Cards

• Any player receiving 2 yellow cards during the tournament will be suspended for the next game
• A straight red card issued during any game will make the player ineligible for the following game
• All cards will be reset at the beginning of knockout stages

Ball In and Out of Play

• Ball over the sideline results in a throw in
• Throw in should be taken by hand
• Ball over the end line results in a goal kick or a corner kick
• Throw ins and goal kicks must be taken within 5 seconds

Free Kick

• Opposing players must retire at least 5 meters from the ball for all free kicks
• Minimum distance from goal line for indirect free kicks will be 5 meters (e.g. for violation of pass backs to goalkeeper)

Penalty Kick

• A penalty kick is taken from the 5-meter mark. All players except the kicker and the goalkeeper must retire outside the penalty area. The goalkeeper must stand on his/her goal line until the penalty kick is taken
• No run up while taking the penalty

Others

• Branches of Hope will have the authority of final decisions in the event of any disputes
• Offsides will not be applicable
• Pass back to goalkeeper is allowed, goalkeeper cannot touch the ball with hands on the back pass
• Each game will have 2 referees