RULES AND REGULATIONS
All Tournament games will be played under FIFA rules unless otherwise indicated in these instructions.
TEAM REGISTRATION
All teams must be affiliated with the USSF and their state organization. A 2024/25 official state roster and valid passes, must be presented at registration. Up to a maximum of 18 rostered players, 16 for U-11's and U-12's and 14 for U-8's, U-9's and U-10's.
GUEST PLAYERS
Any team using guest players may have no more than 16 total players (9 v 9 teams maximum 14 players), and (7 v 7 teams maximum 12 players) including a maximum of 3 guest players approved by the tournament director no later than the night of registration. Secondary player passes will not be accepted.
AGE GROUPING
U15 January 1, 2010 – December 31, 2010
U14 January 1, 2011 – December 31, 2011
U13 January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012
U12 January 1, 2013 – December 31, 2013
U11 January 1, 2014 – December 31, 2014
U10 January 1, 2015 – December 31, 2015
U9 January 1, 2016 – December 31, 2016
U8 January 1, 2017 – December 31, 2017
Any team with mixed age players must play in the oldest applicable age bracket. It is a coach’s responsibility to insure that his / her team is entered in the correct age grouping. Teams found to have an illegal player will be disqualified from the tournament and any games played will be forfeited. Please be careful that you are placed correctly.
GAME DURATION
(7 v 7)
25 minute halves with a 5 minute half time.
Exchange patches are highly encouraged
(9 v 9)
25 minute halves with a 5 minute half time.
Exchange patches are highly encouraged
(11v11)
30 minute halves with a 5 minute half time
GAME BALLS
- Size 5: U-13 and older
- Size 4: U-8 through U-12
CAUTIONS
Any player / coach accumulating three (3) cautions will be dismissed from the tournament.
EJECTIONS
Any player / coach ejected from a game will be ineligible to participate in the next scheduled game.
SUBSTITUTIONS
With the permission of the referee, unlimited substitutions will be permitted at ALL stoppages of play
Substitution is required for a player receiving a YELLOW CARD. The carded player may re-enter the game at the team’s next allowable substitution.
If play is stopped for an injured player who is then attended to by the coach, the player must exit the field (except the goalkeeper) and may be replaced by a substitute player.
PROTESTS
No protests will be allowed unless the infraction involves the use of an ineligible player. The referee’s decisions during the game will be final.
AWARDS
All first place finishers and second place finishers in four team divisions will be awarded trophies or medals. In six team divisions first place trophies will be awarded to each bracket winner and no second place trophies will be awarded. MVP awards will be given out at each game
U-10 & YOUNGER TEAMS
In accordance with New Jersey state rules, U10 and younger teams will not participate in a shootout and all ties must stand.
STANDINGS
All teams will play a minimum of three (3) games. Standings will be determined by using the following point system:
Win - Three (3) points
Tie - One (1) point
Loss - Zero (0) points
Forfeit Win - Two (2) points
Forfeit Loss - Minus Three (-3) points
Note: (-1) point will be deducted if a team wins by more then 6 goals
Bonus points will only be used in tie breaker situations.
BONUS POINTS
Shutout Win - Three (3) bonus points per game (no bonus points for a 0 – 0 or a forfeit win.
Winning Team / Goal Differential – One (1) bonus point for each goal with a maximum of three (3) points per game.
Losing Team / Goal Differential – Minus one (-1) bonus point for each goal with a maximum of three (3) points per game.
TIE BREAKERS
If two or more teams are tied at the end of tournament play, the tie will be decided by the following rules:
Two teams tied
1 Most wins
2 Head to head play
3 Least goals allowed
4 Total number of bonus points
5 Shoot-out
Three teams tied:
(tie breaker continues until one team is eliminated and then reverts to tie breaker rule # 1- Two teams tied, starting at A).
1 Least wins
2 Most goals allowed
3 Least total bonus points
There is no advantage to winning a game by more than 3 goals. In an effort to promote good sportsmanship, coaches are asked to be aware of the point differences in their game. Goals Scored IS NOT a tiebreaker.
SHOOT-OUT
Penalty Kick Contest Rules: The Tournament Director or Site Coordinator shall set the time and place for penalty kick contests. Any team more than ten minutes late for such contest without prior permission from the Tournament Director shall be declared loser of the contest. Prior to the start of the penalty kick contest, coaches shall choose 11 players, one of whom shall be a goalkeeper. Five players (one of whom may be the goalkeeper) shall be chosen to take kicks as described in (3), below. The remaining six players shall take kicks, if necessary, as described in (5), below. No additional players shall be considered eligible to kick.
- Referee will choose the goal at which all kicks will be taken.
- Winner of a coin toss will choose whether they want to kick first or second. The Away team receives the honor to call their preference before the coin toss.
- Each team shall take five kicks, alternating teams between each kick. Each kick shall be taken by a different player.
- If one team has scored more goals after both teams have taken five kicks, that team will be declared the winner.
- If both teams have scored the same number of goals after both teams have taken five kicks, the taking of kicks shall continue until both have taken an equal number of kicks and one has scored one goal more than the other.
- Not until all eleven eligible players have kicked may a player of the same team take a second kick.