Football (Soccer) Rules

Brush up on your knowledge of our 5-a-side Soccer rules before you play:

NOTE: Players OVER 18 years old only

SportUP operates adult only social competitions. As a result, all players must be 18, or over the age of 18, before they can start playing with us. Any players found to be playing while under the age of 18, will be asked to leave the league/venue immediately and no refunds will be offered for future fixtures missed that may have been paid for.

RULES:

MATCH FORMAT: 

Games will consist of 2 x 19 Minutes Halves with a 1-minute break inbetween. 

TEAM SIZE

No more than five players on the pitch for each side.

A game can officially be played with 4 players on the pitch for one team.

If playing in a Mixed competition there must be one female player on the field at all times.

If a team arrives with 3 or fewer players, then the opposition must decide BEFORE kick-off if they wish for the result to count towards the standings or whether to play the game as a friendly.

This decision must be clear to both teams involved BEFORE kicking off.

TEAM UNIFORMS

All team tops must be the same colour.

All players must wear sporting attire and footwear.

Yeronga Competitions - Shinpads are Mandatory, BLADE football cleats are NOT allowed but studded football cleats/sneakers are good to go.

Toowong Competitions - Sneakers or Astro Turf Boots ONLY - NO Studs/Blades or Football boots of any kind.

FORFEITS

Teams have until ten minutes past the designated start time to field a legal team.

The length of the game will be reduced to stick to time scales and it must be clear if the game is to be played as a friendly before kick-off.

If a team has less than 3 players then the game will be played as a friendly.

If at least 1-3 players show up then the game is played as a friendly but there is no No Show fee.

If a team forfeits and no fill-in players show up then there is a $99 No Show fee.

This No Show fee must be paid before Friday to remain in next week's fixtures.

If your team is struggling for players you can always find subs by posting on our FB subs group here.

If you post before 1 pm then you can find subs 99% of the time.

What to do if your team needs to forfeit

SUBSTITUTIONS

Substitutions can be made at any point during the game and are “rolling”.

The substitute(s) must be off the pitch before the new player(s) comes on and must enter the pitch at the same place the player left the pitch.

Substitutions should be at the halfway line and players should be within touching distance. Play will not stop for substitutions.

This includes after a goal, during a free kick etc.

Play will continue if a goalkeeper is switching into the goal, even if this involves putting goalkeeper gloves on.

There is no limit to the number of substitutions a team can make.

There is no limit to the number of substitutes a team can have on the sideline.

GOALKEEPERS

Goalkeepers have a box that they are allowed to pick the ball up in.

Goal kicks are to be placed on the ground and kicked.

If the keeper catches the ball they can roll, throw or kick the ball out.

The keeper may only touch the ball for 4 seconds within their own half before releasing the ball.

Back passes to the goalkeeper ARE allowed but the goalkeeper cannot pick up the ball and only has 4 seconds with the ball in the box.

FREE KICKS & PENALTIES

All free kicks must be taken indirectly unless signed.

The ball must be placed at the point of the foul and can be taken by any player.

The opposing team must be 2 metres from the ball when a free kick is taken.

A free-kick can be given for one of the following:

1. Shoulder charging
2. Roughness
3. Handball 
4. Dangerous play 
5. Slide tackles 
6. Lack of control in a tackle
7. Time wasting.

Unlike 11-a-side soccer players are not permitted to deliberately use their body to gain an advantage by pushing, bumping, shouldering or nudging.

When approaching the ball, players must run in a direct line of the path to the ball. If a player steps off that line, causes contact and disadvantages an opposing player, the referee should award a Free Kick to the opposing player.

Direct free kicks are awarded for any infringement that restricts the attacking team from having a shot on goal.

Penalties are awarded for any infringement that stops the attacking team from scoring an almost certain goal. To be taken directly in front of goal, 4 metres out from the goalkeeper's line.

The penalty taker can only take one step before their penalty kick. The penalty taker is not permitted to run up to the ball before taking the shot.

YELLOW & RED CARDS

The referee has yellow and red cards and is able to include a sin bin for two minutes at their discretion. Yellow cards for dissent are an automatic 2-minute sin-bin.

During the sin-bin players are required to leave the court before they can return to the sideline. If any players continue to contest calls, they will be shown a red card.

Any red cards serve a 2-week suspension for that player. If a player receives a second red card at any point in time then they will be suspended from all SportUP competitions.

Teams will receive a written warning if their behaviour is deemed to be unsportsmanlike

If the behaviour continues then SportUP reserves the right to remove any players or teams in any circumstance.

Yellow Card Offences (Cautions)

1. Is guilty of unsporting behaviour
2. Shows dissent by word or action
3. Persistently infringes the Laws of the Game
4. Delays the restart of play
5. Fails to respect the required distance when play is restarted with a corner kick, free kick or throw-in
6. Enters or re-enters the field of play without the referee’s permission
7. Deliberately leaves the field of play without the referee’s permission

Red Card Codes:

1. Is guilty of serious foul play
2. Is guilty of violent conduct
3. Pushing with no punches thrown
4. Striking, kicking, elbowing or head-butting (including attempting these offences)
5. Intends to cause significant bodily harm to any person,
6. Uses offensive or insulting or abusive language and/or gestures
7. Denies the opposing team a goal or an obvious goalscoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball (this does not apply to a goalkeeper within his own penalty area)
8. Denies an obvious goalscoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the player’s goal by an offence punishable by a free kick or a penalty kick
9. Discriminatory language
10. Involvement in a brawl against fellow players or a match official – Life Ban
11. Spits at an opponent or any other person – Life Ban

Blades vs conical studs explained article