TOURNAMENT RULES
PLAYER REGISTRATION
All players must be registered with their teams on the registration website prior to the beginning of the tournament. Any team or player determined by the event director to have falsified age or skill level will be dismissed from the tournament. All players must provide proof of age, ie: player pass, driver’s license or birth certificate.
ROSTERS
If a roster needs to be updated, or a player needs to be replaced for a team. This can be completed the day of the tournament at check-in. A roster shall consist of a maximum of six players. Once a team is checked in the rosters are frozen for the tournament.
Only three players will be on the at one time. Teams playing more than 6 players during the course of an event will be disqualified.
GENDER
Males are not allowed to play in the female division. Co-ed teams shall play in the male division only.
GAME DURATION
The game shall consist of two 12-minute halves separated by a two minute halftime period OR the first team to reach 12 goals, whichever comes first.
Games during Pool Play that are tied after regulation play shall end in a tie. Games during the Playoffs / Championship Rounds cannot end in a tie. (see Overtime Rules below).
There are no timeouts and the Game Clock does not stop. The referee in the field shall operate the game clock.
SUBSTITUTION
Substitutions may occur at any dead ball situation. Players must be called onto the field by the referee, and they must enter and exit at the half-field mark only. Players must already be at the half-field mark when dead ball situation first occurs to be called on by the referee. Players are allowed unlimited substitutions during the duration of the game.
SIDELINES
Only rostered players and a MAXIMUM of 2 coaches may be on the team sideline during the game.
All other spectators should remain on the opposite side of the field behind the spectator line, and are not allowed behind the goals.
THE GOAL BOX
There are no goalkeepers in 3v3.
The goal box is approximately ten feet wide by six foot long located directly in front of the goal
No player may touch the ball within the goal box. Any player may move through the goal box without the ball. The ball is not considered inside the goal box unless it is completely across the line. The plane of the goal box extends upward infinitely. The referee’s judgment call and ruling on the field will not be overturned. An infraction occurs if a defender touches the ball in the goal box, a penalty kick is awarded to the offensive team. If an offensive player touches the ball within the goal box, a goal kick is awarded to the defensive team. Continuous touches in the goal box may result with a Yellow Card given to offending party based on the referees discretion. If the ball comes to a complete stop in the goal box, regardless of which team touched it last, a goal kick is awarded to the defensive team. The goals are approximately 4 feet high by 6 feet wide.
KICK-OFF
The Referee will determine possession and direction before the start of the game. The kick off is an indirect kick and may be kicked in any direction. You cannot score directly from a kick off (ball must be 100% over the midline to be considered on the offensive half of the field).
KICK-INS
The ball shall be kicked into play from the sideline, rather than thrown in. This is an indirect kick, and a goal cannot be scored from this kick.
INDIRECT KICKS
All dead ball kicks (kick-ins, free kicks, kick-offs, etc.) are indirect except corner kicks and penalty kicks. It is the referee’s discretion where the ball will be placed.
5 YARD RULE
In all dead-ball situations, defending players must stand at least five yards away from the ball. If the defensive player’s goal is within five yards, the ball shall be moved to five yards from the goal box in line with the direction of play prior to the penalty. It is the referee’s discretion where the ball will be placed.
GOAL KICKS
May be taken from any point of the end line and are indirect kicks.
PENALTY KICKS
Shall be awarded if, in the referee’s opinion, a scoring opportunity was nullified by an infraction (the infraction does not automatically result in a red card). Penalty kicks are direct kicks taken from the top-center of the mid-field circle with all players (on both teams) behind the midline. If a goal is not scored, the defense obtains possession with a goal kick. Penalty kicks do not result in a live ball.
GOAL SCORING
A goal may only be scored from a touch (offensive or defensive) on the offensive half on the playing field. The ball must be completely on the offensive half of the field, and cannot be touching the mid-line (Example: kick-off). If a player in their defensive half kicks the ball across the midline and the ball hits another player (offensive or defensive) in their offensive half, and the ball goes in the goal, a goal will be awarded. If a ball is kicked from the defensive half and is not touched before the ball rests in the goal, a goal kick is awarded to the defensive team. A goal cannot be scored from an indirect kick, such as a kick-in from out-of-bounds.
GOALKEEPERS/OFF-SIDES/SLIDE TACKLING/HAND BALL CLARIFICATION
There are no goalkeepers, off-sides, heading, and slide tackling in 3v3 Soccer.
If a player slides and contact is initiated, a free kick shall be awarded. **This does not prevent players from sliding to stop/intercept a ball where contact is not initiated during the slide. Example: a player may slide to save a ball from going out-of-bounds, so long as no contact is made with an opposing player.
Hand Ball Clarification:
Deliberate handling of the ball that denies a team of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity will result in the following: (1) A penalty kick (at the discretion of the referee) (2) A yellow or red card given to the player committing the hand ball (at the discretion of the referee).
EQUIPMENT AND DRESS CODE:
All players must wear shin guards and NWISL approved soccer cleats.
All players must wear tournament provided jerseys/shirts during play.
A coin flip in pool play will determine which team must wear a penny.
In the playoffs, the higher seed will have the option to decide which team will wear a penny.
Players wearing protective casts will not be allowed to participate in the tournament.
No jewelry will be allowed, including earrings of any type, rope necklaces and bracelets. The only exception will be players wearing medical bracelets.
The referee shall check players prior to the start of each game, and provide direction if any actions are required by a player for the above items.
Ball Size:
Size 3 = U8
Size 4 = U10-U12;
Size 5 = U14 & up
SPORTSMANSHIP
Yellow Cards, Red Cards, Player / Coach / Spectator Ejections: Sportsmanship: Good sportsmanship is to prevail at all times. Coaches will be held responsible for the conduct of themselves, their players, players’ parents and spectators.
PLAYER/BENCH PERSONNEL EJECTION (YELLOW/RED CARD)
Referees have the right to dismiss a player OR bench personnel from the game for continual disobedience or as a result of an incident that warrants sending off. A red card suspension will be for the remainder of the current game and the next game. The tournament Director or head referee may dismiss player or bench personnel for rest of tournament at their discretion. Teams will still play with 3 on the field after a red card.
A team official guilty of misconduct will be shown a YC (caution) or RC (sending off)*; if the offender cannot be identified, the senior coach who is in the technical area at the time will receive the YC/RC
TOURNAMENT FORMAT
GAME POINTS
Win = 3 points
Tie = 1 point
Loss = 0 points
Forfeits = 3 points to beneficiary of the forfeit
PLAYOFF TIE BREAKERS
Ties within a division for playoff seeding will be determined by the following:
1. Head to head record
2. Goal differential – Maximum 5
3. Fewest goals against – Maximum 5
4. Most goals for - Maximum 5
5. Best of three shootout from the kick-off spot at the half line
PLAYOFF OVERTIME
Teams will have a 5 minute “Golden Goal” overtime period. If the score is still tied, the winner is decided by shootout with the 3 players on the field at the end of golden goal period. Kicks in the shootout should be taken from the kick-off spot at the half line.
PLAYOFF BRACKET ROUND SEEDING
Playoff Bracket seeding for each division will be determined by Win/Loss record for each team.
Forfeits :
Teams are given five minutes from scheduled game time, or from delayed start time due to
unforeseen circumstances before a forfeit is issued by the referee. All forfeits must be approved
by the Tournament Director before the game is considered an official forfeit. The Tournament
Director has the option to replay a forfeited game if deemed necessary.
Forfeits by any team shall result in a win for the opposing team with a score of 5-0.
Delay of Game:
The referee has the official time on the field and holds the right to take necessary action if he/she feels that a team is delaying the game. Any player may be cautioned with a yellow card if it is deemed by the referee that the player is intentionally wasting time, such as if a player intentionally kicks the ball long distances away from the playing field in order to waste time. The referee has the official time on the field.
PROTESTS OF RULES
Protests are strongly discouraged, as they are frequently based on emotions or referee judgment calls. Referee judgment calls are NOT grounds for a protest. Videotape is not acceptable as a form of protest or decision review. Only Incorrect Interpretation of the Rules (IIR) or Mis-Application of the Rules (MAR) are grounds for a protest (see above for Roster Protests). The Process for protesting an IIR or MAR should be as follows:
1) The Head Coach should notify the Referee that an IIR or MAR has occurred, and request an official ruling.
2) If available, a Referee Supervisor, or designated Event Director should confirm the Interpretation.
A protest filed from a team without following the process listed above may be discarded.
** The Tournament Director will have final say on all disputes and interpretations of Tournament Rules. **