Soccer Rules

ROSTERS

All players must be over the age of 18. Only rostered players will be eligible to play (unless you are short players during the regular season). Only players who sign a player waiver form are considered rostered. Player waiver forms must be filled out online prior to the 1st game of the season. Players may not be rostered on two teams in the same Division

NUMBER OF PLAYERS 5 v 5 Games – The total number of players on the field at once includes: 4 field players and a goalkeeper. For coed 2 of the players must be female. The minimum number of rostered players required to start a game is 4 ( of which 1 player is a female). A game is terminated once it has started if a team has fewer than 4 players due to injury or penalties. If you have only 1 female show up you must play short. A male cannot take the place of the missing female to field 5 players.

NUMBER OF PLAYERS 7 v 7 Games – The total number of players on the field at once includes: 6 field players and a goalkeeper. For coed 2 of the players must be female. The minimum number of rostered players required to start a game is 4 (3 field players and a goalie of which 1 player is a female). A game is terminated once it has started if a team has fewer than 5 players due to injury or penalties. If you have only 1 female show up you must play short. A male cannot take the place of the missing female to field 7 players.

NUMBER OF PLAYERS 11 v 11 Games – The total number of players on the field at once includes: 10 field players and a goalkeeper. For coed 3 of the players must be female. The minimum number of rostered players required to start a game is 7 (6 field players and a goalie of which 1 player is a female). A game is terminated once it has started if a team has fewer than 8 players due to injury or penalties. If you have only 1 female show up you must play short. A male cannot take the place of the missing female to field 11 players.

Guest Players

Guest players will be allowed during the regular season only. Guest players are only eligible to play if your team would otherwise be playing shorthanded. There will be NO guest players for the playoffs. Only rostered team members are eligible to play in the playoffs.

EQUIPMENT

Players’ Equipment

Players MUST wear fully covered ADULT shin pads
Players must wear their Team-colored shirts
Outdoor cleats are allowed.
A player may not wear anything that is dangerous to others or themselves. Including but NOT LIMITED to jewelry (bracelets, earrings, and/or chains), electronics (fit bits, and/or watches), casts, hats. The Referee’s decisions are final.

GAME TIME

Duration

(2) 24-minute “RUNNING TIME” halves, 11v11 leagues play two (2) 25-minute halves. The clock will stop only if, in the opinion of the referee, moving an injured player while waiting for medical attention would be hazardous to the injured player. Get the injured player off the field as quickly and safely as possible, as the clock is ticking. No more than 3 minutes for half time.
The referee will start the clock after a grace period of 5 minutes. At the 10-minute mark, if a team does not have the minimum number of players to start, that team will forfeit the game. If the game is to be played, the clock will continue to run

PLAYOFFS

Tie Breakers

5 minute golden goal period.
Penalty Kicks will be a round of 5 players in the first set game and if it is a coed game must have at least 2 females shooting. If there is still a tie after the 5 kicks, there will be a one on one situation until the tie is broken. Any player on the team can take the kicks. They do not have to be on the court at the end of the game. Each team member must shoot once before a player can shoot again

PLAYOFF ELIGIBILITY / POSTSEASON ROSTER PROTEST

Only those players listed under your team’s roster are eligible to participate in the postseason.
Players can only be added to a team’s roster after the season has started by permission/clearance from a Hub Sports management staff member
A player must have played in at least (3) regular-season games to be eligible for the postseason (the take-away here is “don’t bring in ‘ringers’ to a playoff/championship game”)

POSTSEASON ROSTER PROTEST (i.e. challenging a team’s roster during the playoffs)

The opposing captain may challenge a playoff roster by notifying the official at the field
The official will then stop the game and call the HUB office with the name of the challenged player
If the challenged player is found not to be on the team roster the player will be removed from the game
If the removed player causes a team to have too few players to field a team the game will be forfeited and the team that challenged will be awarded the victory
A roster challenge must occur at the beginning of the game.
Roster challenges occurring after the game is over will not be heard

START OF PLAY

Kickoff

Kickoff MAY be played in any direction.
Only the player executing the kick MAY stand in the opponent’s half, within a playable distance of the ball.
A goal cannot be scored directly from a kickoff.

BALL OUT OF PLAY

Throw-in

A throw-in is awarded when the whole ball leaves the field over the touchlines.
Opposing players must be at least 5 yards from the ball
Players taking the throw-in cannot step into the field before the ball is in play.
A goal cannot be scored directly from a throw-in.

FOULS AND MISCONDUCT

Fouls and Misconduct Fouls

Sliding is NOT allowed, the Referee has the ultimate say as to what constitutes sliding.
An opposing player may not be closer than 15 feet on ANY restart.
Referees may issue temporary dismissals depending on the severity of the actions:
Blue Dismissal – Player temporarily leaves the field of play for two (2) minutes, does NOT return and it is NOT replaced until after time expires OR after the opponents score a goal, whichever comes first. At that point, the player may re-enter the field.
Yellow Dismissal – Player temporarily leaves the field of play for four (4) minutes, does NOT return and it is NOT replaced until AFTER time expires, independent of the opponent’s scoring. At that point, the player may re-enter the field.
Red Dismissal – Player PERMANENTLY leaves the FACILITY, does NOT return, and is NOT REPLACED for six (6) minutes, independent of the opponent’s scoring. Play does not resume until the player LEAVES THE FACILITY.
NO BICYCLE KICKS!! – too dangerous for everyone around you, and the ground is concrete under the turf. Do not do it.

OFFSIDES

There is no offside Except in full-field 11 v 11 games.

DOUBLE TOUCH

The player taking the free-kick cannot be the first person to touch the ball after the ball has been kicked. Another player must touch the ball before the player can kick the ball again.

DIRECT FREE KICKS

Governed by FIFA Laws of the Game with the following additions. The ball must be kicked and move from the spot of the infraction.

Players may not:

Strike
Kick
Trip
Push
Jump
Tackle –includes slide tackling–
Handling
Holding

INDIRECT FREE KICKS

Governed by FIFA Laws of the Game with the following additions. The ball must be kicked and move from the spot of the infraction. It needs to be touched by another player. No double touch is allowed.

Any indirect kick taken by the attacking team for a foul inside the penalty area, the ball will be placed at the top of the penalty area in the center.

Slide Note: Sliding of any kind from players or goalkeepers outside the penalty area is not allowed.. Goalkeepers may slide tackle as long as they are doing so within their penalty area and not in a dangerous manner.
Impeding the offensive player with the ball.
Playing the ball in a dangerous manner (NO Bicycle Kicks) or lying on the ground deliberately while playing the ball.

SUBSTITUTIONS

Substitutions

GK substitutions ONLY when the ball is not in play (any stoppage).
Player substitutions allowed at any time the ball is in play (“on the fly”)
A substitute MAY enter the field of play BEFORE a player leaves the field if:
It is within a playable distance of their bench area, and
the substitute entering nor the player leaving plays the ball nor interferes with active play.

GOAL KICKS/KEEPER THROWS

Goal Keeper restrictions

On a GK throw, the ball MUST touch the ground or a player BEFORE going over the halfway line.
A Goal Kick executed by the GK MUST touch the ground or a player BEFORE going over the halfway line.
A Goal Kick executed by any player EXCEPT the GK may go over the halfway line.
A goal cannot be scored directly onto the opponent’s goal from a Goal Kick or from a Goal Keeper’s throw

FORFEITS

All teams are required to notify the league if they are unable to field a team as far in advance as possible. No later than 2 pm the day of a WEEKNIGHT game. No later than Friday by 5 pm for a SUNDAY game. If you need to forfeit your game you must email the league at forfeits@hubsportsboston.com – use this email ONLY. In addition, you can call 617 8630 9300 EXT 3. However, if you call this number you must actually speak to a HUB staffer and not leave a message.

If a team contacts the office after the set deadlines the game will be forfeited and the forfeiting team will be required to pay both teams referee fees. If a team fails to show up for a game without contacting the league office the game will be forfeited and the forfeiting team will be required to pay both teams referee fees and a $50 penalty. If a team shows up with fewer than 4 players and cannot field a team the game will be forfeited and the forfeiting team will be required to pay both teams referee fees. A 3rd forfeit and the team will be removed from the league.