Rules 

Hoco Winter Futsal Rules 

 

Match Duration : 44 mins. 22 min halves

 

Format: 5v5 (4 outfield players + the keeper) 

 

1. Substitutions are made on the fly. Players must sub in/out from the substitution box to prevent UNFAIR advantage in game play. Not in the middle of the field. 

2. Kick Ins to restart play. Players have 5 seconds to complete all re-starts. Failure to do so will give possession to the opposing team. Ball cannot be moving. 

 

2a. Double Touch. Once a player lets go of the ball for Kick In he cannot touch it again and change direction. Ball has to be on line, or behind the line. Cannot be in front of the line. 

 

1. No offsides in Futsal 

2. There are NO goal kicks in Futsal. Goalkeepers restart play by distributing the ball with their hands. 

3. The foul count will restart each half. After 6 fouls, the opposing team will be awarded a direct free-kick. Penalty Kick. 

 

All substitutions are on the fly, this includes goalkeeping substitutions. Referees will not stop play for goalkeeping substitutions. A substitute may not enter the pitch until the player leaving the pitch leaves through the substitution zone in front of his teams’ bench. Any substitute who enters the pitch before the player being replaced has completely left the field of play may be shown a yellow card. All substitutions must take place through the substitution zone in front of his teams’ bench -- not at the half-way line.

 

Teams will switch benches (and ends) at halftime, ensuring that all substitutions take place in the defensive half.

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Restarts

Kick-offs: A goal may be scored directly against the opponent from the kick-off. The ball is in play when it is kicked and clearly moves.

Kick-ins: are indirect. The ball must be placed on the line and the kick must be taken within 4 seconds.  A kick-in that goes directly in the opposing goal is a goal clearance for the opposing team. A kick-in that goes directly in the defensive goal is a corner kick of the opposing team.  If the kick-in does not enter the pitch or if the kick is not taken within 4 seconds, the ball is turned over to the opponent.

Goal Clearances: are awarded when the ball exits the court beyond the end-line. The ball is thrown or released from any point within the penalty area by the goalkeeper of the defending team. The ball must be released within 4 seconds (either at referee signal or as goalkeeper is ready). Opponents must be outside the penalty area until the ball is in play.

Corner Kicks: are direct. The ball must be placed in the corner arc area and the kick must be taken within 4 seconds. If the kick is not taken within 4 seconds the restart becomes a goal clearance for the opposing team.

Free Kicks: may be indirect or direct. The ball must be stationary before the kick may be taken.

Penalty Kicks: are taken from the penalty spot and must be taken by a clearly identified kicker.

 

Fouls and Misconduct

Indirect Free Kicks: When a player plays in a dangerous manner, impedes an opponent, prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball with her hands, goalkeeper takes more than 4 seconds to release the ball when in possession in his own half, plays the ball again within his own half after releasing the ball and the ball doesn’t touch an opponent or has gone out of play, or commits any offense for which play is stopped to caution or eject a player, an indirect free kick is awarded.

Direct Free Kicks: When a player kicks an opponent, tackles an opponent, trips an opponent, jumps at an opponent, charges an opponent, strikes an opponent, pushes an opponent, holds an opponent, spits at an opponent or handles the ball deliberately, a direct free kick is awarded.

Yellow Card / Caution: The offending player is shown a yellow card. If a player is shown two yellow cards in a match, he is shown a red card.

Red Card / Send-off: The offending team plays with one less player for two full game minutes or unless scored upon before the two-minute penalty expires. The offending player serves a minimum one-match suspension.

Accumulated Fouls: All direct free kick fouls are recorded on the scoresheet and on the scoreboard. If one team accumulates 6 or more direct free kick fouls in one half, the opposing team will take a direct free kick without a wall. If the foul occurs farther from the attacking goal than the second penalty spot, the Direct Free Kick Without a Wall is taken from the second penalty spot. If the foul occurs nearer to the attacking goal than the second penalty spot (but outside the penalty area, of course), the attacking team may choose whether to take the Direct Free Kick Without a Wall from the second penalty spot or from the spot of the foul. All Direct Free Kicks Without a Wall must be kicked with the intention of scoring a goal by a clearly identified kicker. The defending team may not make a wall and may not be nearer to the ball than 16 feet and even or behind the ball when the kick is taken. The goalkeeper may be off the goal-line but may not be nearer than 16 feet from the ball. Accumulated fouls are reset to zero at the beginning of the second half and carry over into extra-time if being played.

Penalty Spot: 5 meters (~16 feet) from goal-line and the center of the goal and placed at the top of the penalty area line.

Second Penalty Spot: 10 meters (~32 feet) from goal-line and the center of the goal.

Advantage: Advantage is applied in Futsal. Direct free kick foul will count as accumulated fouls if advantage is applied even if play is not stopped by the referees. If the referee gestures with both arms, the foul was a direct free kick foul and will be counted accordingly. If the gesture is with one arm, the free kick would have been indirect and will not count as an accumulated foul.

The Goalkeeper

• Must wear a different color shirt.

• He/She may wear long pants and/or other padding as deemed safe by the match referee.

• May receive a kick-in directly.

• May kick the ball directly over the half-way line.

• May score directly with his/her feet during the run of play.

• May not possess the ball for more than four seconds in his/her own half.

• May throw the ball directly across the half-way line.

• May not score a goal by using the hands (cannot throw or hit the ball directly into the goal)

• Cannot touch the ball again in any way within his own half after releasing the ball into play unless an opponent has touched it or it has gone out of play.

 

Double Rostering Players in the same division is not allowed - Players are not eligible to play on tow different teams in the same division. A player may play up on multiple teams but is restricted to rostering on only one team in the same division. Divisions are designated by age and gender. 

Maximum Roster Size - Max roster size of 14 players per team. 

No heading per US soccer guidelines for u11/2013 divisions and under.