Soccer Rules

Greenville Sports Leagues
Soccer 7 v 7

NUMBER OF PLAYERS
Teams play with seven players on the field > 6 field players and a goalie. 

NUMBER OF PLAYERS TO START AND FINISH
Teams may start  and finish a game with 5 players.
- Coed Format (4 males & 3 females)
- Coed A minimum of one female must be on the field at all times and a maximum of four men.

PICKING UP PLAYERS
A player may only substitute one time for one team during the entire regular season. Once a player has
substituted for a team that player is not allowed to substitute for any other team. If a team is found to
be using a player that has substituted for another team they will be required to forfeit. Absolutely no
picking up of players during the playoffs.

GAME START
Visitor team will call the coin toss. the winner of the coin toss will elect to start with the ball or choose a
side to defend. The length of the game is 50 minutes, divided into two halves of 25 minutes. Running time is used for each of the two halves. The game starts at the designated time, and the clock will begin even if the teams are not actively playing. This is to keep the evening running in a timely manner. 

 

Game time is forfeit time. 

EQUIPMENT
-Shin Guards are mandatory with the top of the shin guard
covered by a sock

-No hard casts are allowed on the field
-Goalkeeper materials must be provided by the teams
-No exposed metal braces. All metal braces must be covered by 1/4" think neoprene material
-The goal keeper must wear a shirt that in no way similar to the color of either team
-No jewelry including but not limited to watches, earrings, rings, and/or hard bill hats.

-Fitness and step tracking devices are permitted as long as they are deemed safe by field staff. (Fitbit, Apple Watch, etc.) 

TEAM
Each team is required to bring both light and dark colored uniforms to each game to avoid jersey issues. All players
from the same team are required to have similar color jerseys or shirts. The visiting team will be asked to change if
color of shirts is an issue.

COIN TOSS
The team winning the coin toss can:
-Choose to kickoff or choose which goal to defend. The second half will start with a kickoff by the team
that did not kickoff to start and sides will be switched.

OVERTIME 

During regular season, games will end in a tie at the end of regulation game. 

Overtime will always be played during playoffs until a winner is declared.


Games ending in a tie will be decided in a shoot out. Shoot outs will take place approximately eight
yards from the goal line. Teams will choose five of their six players on the field at the end of the second
half including the goalkeeper. Kicks are alternating possession. Teams are allowed to change
goalkeepers during tiebreaker as long as new goalkeeper was on the field at the end of the extra session.
After the first five players have kicked the sixth player on the field at the end of the second half will shot.
If there is still a tie any player participating in the match may shoot. No player may shoot a third time until
all players on the team have completed their second shot. In the second session of penalty kicks
sudden death format will be used.
-Coed Specific- 3 males & 2 females participation

 

GOALS

A goal occurs when the whole ball crosses the goal line. On a direct freekick the ball only requires one player to touch
the ball before crossing the line. On an indirect freekick the ball requires two touches before being counted as a goal.
This means that from a restart on an indirect kick, if a player shoots it on goal and it takes a deflection from either
player or the goalie touches it, a goal would be awarded if the ball goes across the goal line. You may not score
directly from corners.


GOAL KICKS
A goal kick shall be taken within one yard from inside the goal line and inside the penalty area. Players opposing the kicker shall remain outside the penalty area until the ball moves out of the penalty area.

OUT OF BOUNDS
When the ball is deemed out of play, it shall be restarted by means of an indirect kick from the point where it was deemed out of play, by a player of the team opposite to that of the player who last touched it.
The ball must remain stationary upon restart and it may be played by any player except the one who
executes the restart.

PENALTY KICKS

Penalties will be rewarded with a penalty shot from the top of the goal box and ball must remain stationary until the
kicker makes contact with the ball after the referee’s whistle has blown

 

FREE KICKS
-All free kicks will be indirect kicks with the exception of penalties inside the goal box. Players may restart play as
soon as the ball is placed at the spot of the foul deemed by the referee. A whistle restart only applies after a
yellow/red card has been shown or a player ask for five yards of space.
-Five yards of space must be given on all restarts from the opposing team when requested.
-A yellow card can be given if you do not give the 5 yards of space for delay of game

 

OFFSIDES
There will be no offsides

IN/OUT OF PLAY

 

The ball is out of play when:
-the ball has completely crossed the goal line or touch line
-when the official sounds the whistle

 

The ball is in play when:
-it bounces off the goal posts or crossbars and remains in field of play
-bounces off an official
There will be no whistle to restart play except:
-when a team asks for five yards
-when play has been stopped to caution or eject a player
-for a penalty kick

-when it bouces off of the referee. (Referees are a part of the field. Game wil not be stopped if/when a ball hit them) 

SUBSTITUTION RULE
Substitutions are unlimited and “on the fly” but must be made one at a time with players entering and exiting the field
at the half field line of the team’s sideline.


BACKWARD PASS
A goalkeeper cannot use their hands to pick up the ball if it is passed back from their own team using their feet. If the
ball is passed back using their thighs, chest, and/or head, then the goalkeeper may pick it up with their hands.

PLAYER ON THE GROUND
To avoid any potential
injury a player must discontinue playing the ball if he or she is on the ground.

SLIDE TACKLING
Slide tackling is not permitted. The referee will whistle any slide that is deemed dangerous or improper. The keeper is
the only player allowed to slide to get the ball as long as it is within the penalty area and safe and proper in the
judgment of the referee.
 

HAND BALL
A hand ball is when the players hand or arm (sleeve down) touches the ball. It is up to the referee to decide if
proximity or natural position comes into play for the hand ball.

 

ADVANTAGE
The referee may play advantage (for 3-5 seconds) after a foul has occurred and an advantage is seen.

 

GOAL KEEPER PLAY
A goal keeper is not allowed to lead with feet up.

YELLOW CARD
Any time a player receives a yellow card he/she is required to sit for 3 minutes, regardless is a player is availble to sub or not. If the team has no subs for a male or female player who recieved the yellow card, then the team will play man down for the duration of the 3 minutes. 

Two yellow cards within a game will result in a red card. 

 

RED CARD
Any player that receives a red card must sit out and may not return for the remainder of the game. His/her team must
play down one player the remainder of the game A red card will result in a player suspension and this will last at least
through the next full game. Name of player and team will be given to LC after game. Depending on the severity of the
offense, suspensions may extend through multiple games, the rest of the season, or permanently from the league. An
individual who receives 2 red cards during the season will be suspended for the remainder of the season.

 

SPORTSMANSHIP

Any behavior deemed unacceptable by a representative of GSL may result in various game penalties including but not limited to game suspension and/or ejection from the league. Doing so may not result in refund. This behavior includes but is not limited to:

- Intentional rough play before, during or after a league/tournament game

- Any verbal or non verbal confrontation with the opposing team, teammates, spectator or official

- any other activities that violate the rules or spirit of the game, and/or the rules of GSL