St. Mary's University
Intramural Sports
AA&CC 1355
(210) 431-5046
St. Mary’s University Intramural Sports
9V9 SOCCER RULES
St. Mary’s University Intramural Sports follows FIFA rules, with the exception those listed below. The
rules listed below do not represent the entire rulebook. These condensed rules represent the most
important aspects of the game with which to be familiar.
Pre-Game Responsibilities
1. Teams are encouraged to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to their game’s scheduled start time. Teams
are allowed a five (5) minute grace period. Teams arriving after the grace period will forfeit the contest.
IM supervisors will make the call regarding the grace period.
2. Games start with a coin toss (conducted by the supervisor on duty) to determine starting directions
and first possession.
3. Captains must check make sure their team is checked in with the Supervisor on duty prior to starting
the game.
Equipment
1. Matching colored jerseys are suggested and encouraged but not required.
2. Players must remove watches, rings, chains, and all other jewelry that may cause injury.
3. Game balls will be provided by IMs. Teams must bring their own equipment to warm up with. If they
so choose, Captains can agree to use their own balls during the captain’s pre-game meeting.
4. Shoes must be worn. Boots, and/or sandals are strictly prohibited. Furthermore, pants (blue jeans)
that restrict the natural movement of the body are prohibited.
5. Metal cleats are strictly prohibited.
SPECIAL IM RULES:
1. NINE players per team. Teams need a minimum of seven to start and continue play. Captains can
discuss this prior to individual matches to determine the number of players on the field. As a general
rule, no less than seven, no more than nine.
2. In Co-Ed teams need a minimum of three (if fielding 7) or four (if fielding 8 or 9) women (a woman
goalie doesn't count towards minimum of three) on the field at all times.
3. A game consists of two 20 minute running halves with a 4 minute halftime.
4. There are no time outs.
5. Mercy Rule- If there is a goal differential of 5 after first half, the game will be called.
St. Mary's University
Intramural Sports
AA&CC 1355
(210) 431-5046
5. For coed leagues: a goal scored by a girl will count for two points. Only the first three girl goals will
count for two points— after a team has scored six points from three girl goals, all goals will only count as
1 point.
6. Regular season games can end in a tie. Playoffs will follow the tie-breaker format listed out below.
IM TIE-BREAKER FORMAT:
1. Playoff ties are followed by five minutes of overtime, not sudden death, a round of five PKs, and then
sudden death kicks (minimum of 5 different shooters) if necessary.
2. In Co-ED PKs, at least 2 of the 5 shooters must be women.
SPECIAL IM SOCCER FIELD DIMENSIONS:
100 yds. x 50 yds.
OFFSIDES:
1. If, at the time the ball is PASSED forward, a player is both past mid-field and there's only one
opponent between him and the goal, then they are offsides. In other words, if a player is behind the last
defender [of the opposite team] at the time the ball is passed, that player is offsides.
2. The player must be moving forward in an attempt to play the pass & they must gain an advantage
(pose a threat) by being offsides before drawing a whistle. They must be actively involved in the play.
3. No offsides will be called on a corner kick or a throw-in.
4. An offsides call results in an indirect free kick for the offended team.
Rebounds/Offside
If a ball rebounds (from the goal posts, defending player or goal keeper) and is played by a player who
was in an offside position when the last offensive player struck it, then the attacker is in an offside
position and the referee should signal accordingly.
GOALIE SPECIFIC RULES:
1. Goalies are given protection because they are most likely to get injured. Even if a goalie has just one
hand on the ball, no one may interfere with him/her.
a. If a player continues to go for a ball in the goalie’s possession it will be called a direct free kick.
b. YELLOW CARDS will be given for a second offense.
2. Goalies may touch the ball with their hands only inside the penalty area. Outside this area it's a
handball resulting in a direct free kick.
3. Once a goalie has picked up the ball, he/she has six seconds to put the ball back into play. Repeated
violations result in indirect free kicks.
St. Mary's University
Intramural Sports
AA&CC 1355
(210) 431-5046
4. Backpasses – if a ball is kicked (not headed) back to the goalie, the GK cannot touch the ball with their
hands. If they do, this results in an indirect free kick from the spot the goalie touched the ball.
OUT OF BOUNDS:
1. To be out of bounds the ball must completely cross the plane of the sideline, regardless of where
players who touch the ball are located.
2. For OOB along sidelines teams are awarded throw-ins (both feet on ground outside line, both hands
behind head, no spin on ball).
The throw in (cont’d): at the moment of delivering the ball, the thrower
•Faces the field of play
•Has part of each foot either on the touchline or on the ground outside the touchline
•Uses both hands
•Delivers the ball from behind and over his/her head
3. On end-lines the offensive team is awarded a corner kick (direct) and the defensive team a goal kick
(from within goal box, must leave penalty area).
The Goal Kick
•If a defender plays the ball before it leaves the penalty area then the goal kick will be
taken again
•If an attacking player enters the goal area and or plays the ball, the goal kick will be
taken again
•If the goal crosses the goal line before it has left the goal area after a goal kick, then
the goal kick be taken again and the goal is null
4. To be a goal the ball must completely cross the plane of the end-line within the goal-posts.
HANDBALLS & PROTECTIVE REACTIONS:
1. Only intentional handballs that result from a deliberate extension of the arm in an attempt to play the
ball will be called direct kicks. Many inadvertent incidents of contact between the ball and arm/hand
area will go uncalled. Balls that ‘hit hands’ will not be called. Only handballs that are ‘away’ from the
body.
2. Players may protect vital body parts from the ball with their hands as long as such movements are
reactive in nature and close to the body.
INDIRECT FREE KICKS:
1. An indirect kick is awarded for offsides, goalie steps, charging the goalie, obstruction, high kicks, and
playing the ball while on the ground.
2. The defense must stand ten yards away from the spot of the kick. The official will enforce this
distance upon the request of the kicking team.
St. Mary's University
Intramural Sports
AA&CC 1355
(210) 431-5046
3. The ball must be touched twice before it can count as a goal. The first touch must cause the ball to roll
one complete revolution.
4. All free kicks (indirect, direct, penalty, goal, corner, etc.) may be taken by any team member--the
offended player need not take the shot.
PENALTY KICKS:
1. The ball is placed at the 12 yard spot and all players except the goalie and the kicker must clear the
penalty area until the ball is kicked.
2. The goalie must stand still with both feet on the goal line until the ball is kicked. The kicker must wait
for the official’s whistle indicating that the goalie is set.
3. Kicks that ricochet back into the field of play are live balls, except during tiebreaker format.
SLIDE TACKLING:
1. Vicious slide tackles, with no intent to play the ball, will be penalized with a red card and immediate
expulsion at discretion of the referee.
2. Vicious slide tackles include those made from behind.
YELLOW CARDS (Caution or Warning Preceding Ejection):
1. Automatically given for single acts of violent play, especially if it might lead to retaliation or escalation
of violent play.
2. Yellow cards can be given for a single flagrant rule violation (i.e. flagrant handball)
3. They can also be given for excessive taunting or bating of an opponent.
4. Repeated failure to comply with an official’s instructions will most certainly draw a yellow card.
RED CARDS (Ejection w/o Replacement):
1. Two yellow card offenses automatically result in a red card ejection.
2. A player can be given a red card immediately for fighting, excessive violence, persistent
unsportsmanlike conduct, or abusive language towards an opponent or official.
3. A red card is automatically given to a non-goalie who blocks a shot on goal with his/her hand(s).
SUBSTITUTIONS:
A team may substitute (after notifying the official):
at halftime;
after a goal or;
St. Mary's University
Intramural Sports
AA&CC 1355
(210) 431-5046
on their own throw in.
A team may not substitute:
on a goal kick or;
on a corner kick.
SUMMARY OF FOULS:
Direct kicks, or a penalty kick, should the offense occur in the penalty area, shall be awarded to the
opposing team if a player:
Kicks an opponent
Trips an opponent
Jumps into an opponent
Charges
Charges from behind
Strikes, hits, elbows an opponent
Holds or pushes
Touches the ball with his/her hands
An indirect kick shall be awarded when an opponent:
Plays in a dangerous manner
Charges fairly, but when the ball is not in playing distance
For obstruction
Charges the goalkeeper
A goalkeeper takes more than 4 steps
Delays the game
Caution (Yellow Card)
Illegal substitution
Persistent infringing of the rules of the game
Dissent by action or word
Unsportsmanlike conduct
Intentionally sliding into an opposing player
Ejection (Red Card)
Violent conduct
Foul / Abusive language
PERSISTENT MISCONDUCT after receiving caution — Two successive games with yellow cards
will disqualify that player for the next game. One game with a red card will disqualify that player for the
next game. Three yellow cards, or one red card and two yellows, will disqualify that player for the rest of
the season.