MSL Soccer Rules
Start / End Dates
Thursdays starting June 16, ends Aug 18
# of Weeks
10 weeks - Rotating start times between 6:30pm & 9:30pm
Team Cost (plus taxes)
$600
DEFAULT RULE
• A five (5) minute delay to the start of the game will be granted if a team has an insufficient number of players.
• Please agree on one person to act as timekeeper.
• A default will occur if any team cannot field a squad by 15 minutes after the official start time.
EQUIPMENT
• Regulation (FIFA approved) soccer balls are supplied and used in all games
RULES
• Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) rules apply during all Intramural Soccer games, with the
following exceptions and amendments.
GAME TIME
• Each match lasts two equal periods of 25 minutes.
• The clock is considered “continuous” (does not stop when the ball goes out of play).
• The duration of the half-time must not exceed 5 minutes.
PLAYERS & SUBSTITUTIONS
• Each match is to be played by two teams of (7) players, one of whom is the goalkeeper.
• As this is a co recreational league we encourage equal playing time to all players regardless of gender or their ability,
and all teams must include minimum two players of both genders on the field.
• Substitutions are unlimited and on the fly.
• A team can play with a minimum of 6 people, as long as two (2) of the players are women and two (2) are men.
Captains may agree to waive the rules regarding minimum players but this should be decided before the game starts.
IF IT IS AGREED THAT THE GAME COUNTS, IT COUNTS!
THROW-INS
Make sure your players know the appropriate position: both feet on the ground, ball must be delivered from behind and
over the head, and face the field of play.
FREE KICKS
• When a free-kick or corner kick is given, all opponents must be at a distance of 9.15 m (10 yards) from the ball until it
is played.
• The player taking the free-kick must follow the 10 yard distance.
GOALKEEPERS
A goalkeeper may NOT pick up the ball with his/her hands if the ball is deliberately passed to him/her by one of their
teammates, excluding passes made with any body part above the knee. Any violation of this rule results in an indirect
free kick inside the box.
HANDBALLS
• No handballs are permitted (i.e. if player intentionally strikes the ball with hand or arm).
• The upper part of the shoulders is not considered a handball. If a player uses his hands to protect him/herself from a
hard shot, the call will be at the referee’s discretion.
• ALL handballs called result in DIRECT free-kicks. Handballs inside the box result in a penalty kick.
In general, standard soccer rules apply to all MSL games. Notable exceptions are listed below:
1. Teams are comprised of 7 players (including goalie).
2. Each half and after each goal starts with one team initiating play by making a forward pass from the centre of
the field.
3. If a ball is kicked out of bounds along the goal line by the offence, a goal kick is awarded to the defending team.
4. If a ball is kicked out of bounds along the goal line by the defense, a corner kick is awarded to the attacking
team. Offensive players, please be in control of your bodies when going for balls on corner kicks. Crashing the
goalie can result in a dangerous play.
5. A handball infraction occurs when the ball hits a player's arm from the ELBOW down (as opposed to the
shoulder). In addition players may use their arms to block the ball from hitting their groin area, and women can
also use their arms to block the ball from hitting their chest. This rule will reduce the number of stoppages in
play. Please don't abuse this rule.
6. All free kicks are indirect (unless it is a handball). To score off an indirect kick, the ball must be touched by
another player (offense or defense, but not the goalie).
7. Defensive players cannot be within 10 feet of the ball when an indirect kick is being taken.
8. The offending player should call their own infractions, however any players involved with the incident can also
make a call.
9. When a foul is called, play must stop as there is no "advantage" in MSL soccer.
10. Teams may call a one (1) minute time-out per half if needed
11. Each team should bring both light and dark coloured shirts to each and every game.
12. A game can end in a tie during the regular season. In the playoffs, a game that is tied at the end of regulation
time is decided by a five-minute sudden death overtime period. If still tied, a shoot-out will commence. Shots
will be taken at a distance of 12 paces (approx. 25 feet).
13. Only the players on the field at the end of the game can participate and the goalie that finished the game
remains the goalie for the shoot-out. After four shots, if still tied, teams continue taking single shots until one
team has scored (and the other team does not). The order of shooters must be maintained.
14. Metal cleats are not allowed.
4. Off-sides: There are NO off-sides. However, a strategy of consistently "cherry-picking" is considered to be
unsportsmanlike. No players (with the exception of the goalie) can slide to block a shot or pass at any time.
5. Goalies: Goalies can use their hands ONLY when they are within a "reasonable" distance from their goal (approx 10
foot semi-circle around the net). Due to the format of the field, there will not likely be a lined goal crease - please use
your best judgment.
A goalie CANNOT pick up a ball with his/her hands if the ball has been played back on purpose to the goalie by a
player on his/her team. This includes all forms of passing and kick-ins. The only exceptions are if a player directs the
ball back to their goalie with their head or if it deflects off a teammate - in this case the goalie CAN pick the ball up
with his/her hands. A violation of this rule results in an indirect free kick for the other team at the spot where the
goalie inappropriately used their hands.
A goalie can "roam" as far from their goal as they want, but once outside of their "crease", the goalie CANNOT use
their hands at any time.
If a goalie makes a save by catching the ball with their hands, they can do one of three things; (a) throw the ball out,
(b) kick the ball (out of their hands), or (c) put the ball down on the ground (at which point it becomes a live ball).
Please note that if a goalie elects to put the ball on the ground, the goalie cannot choose to immediately pick the
ball up again.
PLAYOFFS
For playoff games tied after the end of regulation time, the game shall proceed to a penalty shootout.
PENALTY SHOOTOUT format:
1. Each team will select four (4) shooters: 2 male and 2 female.
2. If the game remains tied after the first 4 shooters, the sudden death shootout will continue, alternating between
female and male shooters.
3. No player shall shoot more than once before all eligible players have taken a shot. Exceptions must be made to
preserve the alternation between male and female shooters.
FINAL match:
• In the final match of playoffs, a game tied at the end of regulation time will proceed (5) minutes sudden death.
• Should this still not be enough to break the tie, the game will proceed to a penalty shootout.
Rough Play: PLEASE SEE OUR OFFICIAL POLICY ON THIS SUBJECT. It is recognized that incidental contact between
players is inevitable – however, all players should go out of their way to avoid creating an unsafe play. This rule
supersedes all others.
Please remember that you are playing in a self-officiated, co-ed, social league, so any arguments or disputes should be
kept to a minimum.
Discrepancies/Disputes: If an infraction is disputed, a kick-in from the sideline is awarded to the offensive team. If a
goal is disputed, an indirect kick is awarded to the offensive team from where the original shot was taken.
Slide Tackling: Even if contact is made with the ball first, slide tackling is not allowed under any circumstances (even if an
opponent is not in the vicinity).