Shinguards are required to play.

Cleats are highly recommended for outdoor. Flat-bottomed running-style shoes are required for indoor.

A size 5 soccer ball is used for adults or older youth. Smaller sized balls can be used for younger youth. Indoor soccer balls or futsal balls may be used for indoor competition.

Gloves are permissible.

Players may choose to wear headbands or wristbands. Most fitness watches should be permissible, at the discretion of the ref to allow them. Other jewelry or or sharp objects that could potentially harm players should be removed prior to playing.

For reference, a field layout diagram is shown below.

The game is played on a field similar to a soccer field with soccer goals, sized for the number of players participating.

A 10ft radius circle in the center of the field marks the location where the ball starts each period and after each goal.

A short hashmark on either sideline marking the middle of the field is recommended.

A straight line is drawn across the field from sideline to sideline at a distance of 1/4 the length of the field from each end-line. This line is called the Offsides Line (see below). Together, the two Offsides Lines divide the length of the field into 25%, 50%, and 25% sections. As needed, this ratio can be adjusted based on actual local field size and to improve playing conditions.

Recommended goal size 6.5-8ft high x 18.5-24ft wide.

The length of the field extends behind the back of the goal net to allow play behind the actual goal. Recommended minimum of 8ft.

OPTIONAL based on local conditions: Goalkeeper Crease (see below). Please refer to the layout diagram for recommended dimensions. A solid circle is drawn around the goal to mark the Crease. A larger dashed circle is also drawn to assist players in knowing where the crease is and in orienting themselves in front of the goal. The goal is placed parallel with the end line where the back corner posts intersect the solid circle marking the Crease. The dashed line runs parallel behind the back of the goal.

The field layout may be adjusted to accommodate local conditions.

The game consists of three periods. Depending on the age and conditioning of the players periods can range from 12-20 minutes. Time is kept by the referee and his whistle marks the beginning and end of each period. He may stop the clock as necessary to accommodate events on the field, such as an injury. There is no stoppage overtime.

Teams are comprised of about 12 players, 8 play on the field at a time, including the goalkeeper. A minimum of 7 is required to start a game, additional players may join as they arrive. The opposing team shall not be obligated to play with less than 8. The teams are allowed to play with 9 players each if they both agree.

Team sizes may be adjusted to accommodate local conditions.

The visiting team chooses which goal to defend to start the game. The teams swap goals each period.

Each period starts with a jump ball in the center of the field. Players are not restricted in taking positions in any particular area of the field at the start of the period, with the exception that only one member of each team may be inside the center circle for the jump ball. All players are free to enter the circle after the initial touch of the jump ball. Once it is touched, the jump ball may be caught in the air or received on the ground by any other player on either team.

Once the jump ball is touched or any player kicks the ball into the air, and before the ball touches the ground, any other player may catch the ball with their hands. Once the ball is in a player’s hands, that player may run in any direction and pass in any direction. Any other player may catch the passed ball and proceed to run and pass.

Once kicked into the air and before touching the ground again, the ball may touch any combination of other players and/or goalposts and still be eligible for catching.

A player may not kick it to themselves to catch in their hands. However, the player who kicks the ball may catch it once it has touched any other player and/or goalpost.

At any time, a player with the ball in their hands may choose to drop the ball to return it to the ground and resume soccer style play.

Once the ball touches the ground, whether inadvertently or intentionally, players may not use their hands until a player kicks the ball back into the air.

If any opposing player two-hand touches a player with the ball in their hands that player must drop the ball to return it to the ground and resume soccer style play. A two-hand touch does not stop play, nor does it require a change of possession, the ball simply must be dropped back to the ground near the player who was tagged. The dropped ball must be dropped, it may not be rolled; this is subject to the referee’s discretion.

A player who has already started a throwing motion at the time of being tagged may complete the motion. A ball thrown under such circumstances may score a goal; but it may not be caught by another player, it must be received with the body and played with the feet. Subject to the referee’s discretion regarding the given reaction time after the whistle signifying the two-hand touch, a defender may be allowed to use his hands to block such a throw without a hand-ball foul.

A two-hand touch by an opposing player does not count until a player has gained possession of the ball. A player in the process of catching the ball and feeling or anticipating a two-hand touch from the opposition may turn the catching motion immediately into a passing motion and the ball may remain eligible for catching.

A player with the ball in their hands may not perform a self-pass in order to avoid a two-hand touch by a player from the opposing team.

A player is deemed out-of-bounds if the player touches the ground beyond the sideline or endline.

A player regains in-bound status by touching the ground inside the field lines after leaving contact with the ground outside the field lines.

The ball is deemed out-of-bounds if it touches the ground outside the field lines, or is touched by a player who is currently out-of-bounds.

A player may reach or jump from in-bounds and retrieve the ball as it travels in the air past the field lines to return it in-bounds before that player touches the ground out-of-bounds.

If the ball goes out-of-bounds across a sideline, the team who did not touch it last prior to it being called out-of-bounds gets a throw-in from the spot where the ball crossed the sideline. There are no restrictions on the style of throw-in, whether with one or two hands, or overhand or underhand. The thrown-in ball is eligible for catching.

If the ball travels across an endline, the team who did not touch it last prior to it being called out-of-bounds gets the ball and returns it to play:
 – The defensive team puts the ball back into play from the Goalkeeper Crease (see Goalkeeper Crease below). The goalkeeper may opt to throw or kick the ball back into play, but may not run the ball. The offensive team must remain outside the dashed Goalkeeper Crease Marker circle (see Goalkeeper Crease below) until the goalkeeper releases the ball.
 – The offensive team puts the ball back into play with a corner throw-in.

In all these cases (throw-in, keeper-ball, corner-throw) the players do not need to wait for a whistle from the ref to proceed, they may put the ball into play as soon as they have the ball in position.

A straight line is drawn across the field from sideline to sideline measured from the endline 25% of the length of the field. This line is called the offsides line.

The referee may call an offensive player offsides when that player is past the offsides line and there is not a defensive player other than the goalkeeper also behind the line, unless the offensive player is in possession of the ball, or actively contending for the ball, or is after a loose ball already behind the line.

If the offsides player attempts to play the ball, or otherwise affect the play, then the defending goalkeeper is awarded the ball to put back into play with a throw or kick.

An offsides player regains onsides status by crossing back over the offsides line.

Substitutions may be made at any time, subject to the exceptions under the Power Play (see below), and do not need preapproval from the referee. There is no limit on the number of substitutions.

Any player on the team’s bench may replace any other player on the field. The player on the field must exit the field of play by crossing any of the sidelines or endlines prior to the substitute entering the field. The substitute must enter the field of play by crossing the sideline in front of the team’s bench. The player leaving the field of play must return to the team’s bench while remaining outside the boundaries of the field lines before being allowed to substitute back into the game.

A goalkeeper may be assigned for each team. While the goalkeeper is behind their own Offsides Line, they may pick up the ball from the ground and are not subject to the two-hand touch rule. The goalkeeper may pass, kick, or run with the ball.

Players may not rough the goalkeeper. Roughing the goalkeeper may result in the ball being awarded to the goalkeeper to put back into play with a kick or throw, and the referee may call a Power Play (see below) on the roughing player.

Players may pass the ball to their own goalkeeper who may play the ball normally without additional restrictions. The referee may verbally caution a goalkeeper who uses such passes and possession to delay the flow of the game to deny the other team of opportunities to play and score; if it continues the referee may award a point to the other team and/or call a Power Play on the goalkeeper.

Players may swap in and out of the goalkeeper position during a dead-ball, but must inform the referee of the change. 

To minimize contact between other players and the goalkeeper in order to prevent potential injury, the field may be marked with a Goalkeeper Crease. Doing so is optional and is up to the discretion of the local organizers based on the age, conditioning, and style of play of the participants.

The Crease is the circular area around the goal marked by the solid line (see diagram below).

Only the goalkeeper is allowed to make plays inside this area. However, it is to be expected that due to momentum some field players may occasionally enter the crease. This is permissible as long as the play (offensive shot or defensive block) was made outside the crease and that the player, upon regaining control of their momentum, exists the crease at the nearest part of the circle.

If an offensive player takes a shot on goal from outside the crease then crosses the crease line due to momentum but fails to make the goal, the ball remains in play, but the player must exit the crease before attempting another play on the ball.

If the play an offensive player makes prior to entering the crease is a pass to a teammate back outside the crease then the defensive team is awarded the ball for the keeper to put back into play with a throw or a kick. This is to minimize the opportunity for injury from congestion within the crease while both teams are still contending in front of the goal.

If a defensive player other than the goalkeeper while within the crease interferes with the ball entering the goal, the offensive team is awarded points based on the kind of shot taken.

1 point for throwing the ball into the goal.

2 points for kicking the ball into the goal, or using any other part of the body besides the hands or head.

3 points for heading the ball into the goal.

If a player carrying the ball in their hands wants 2 points for a kicked goal then they must drop the ball so it touches the ground prior to their kick, otherwise it counts for 1 point as if thrown in.

A player may not perform a self-pass in order to head the ball to score 3 points. A headed-in goal that results from a self-pass will count only for 1 point.

When an offensive player makes a goal attempt and the ball touches or bounces off a defending player or the goalpost before entering the goal, points are awarded based on the way the offensive player took the shot.

A goal scored by a mis-directed kick or throw by a defensive player, not a rebound off a shot from an offensive player, will count as 1 point.

After a goal, play resumes with a kickoff from within the center circle of the field by the team scored upon. The player kicking off may only take one touch to pass the ball. The initial touch on the ball must be with the foot, may be in any direction, and may be on the ground soccer-style or chipped into the air for a catch.

Neither team is obligated to take position in any particular area of the field prior to the kickoff, with the exception that after the goal is scored and prior to the kickoff, the scoring team must vacate the center circle and may not encroach on the ball until it is kicked off.

The scoring team also may not interfere with the ball being passed from the goal up to the center circle.

Flagrant violations of these rules by the scoring team may, at the discretion of the referee, result in a Power Play (see below) or in 1 point being awarded to the team scored against, who will also retain the current opportunity for the kickoff.

The team kicking off does not have to wait for a whistle from the referee to proceed, they may kickoff as soon as the ball is in the center circle. However, the referee may blow their whistle to force the kickoff in order to prevent a delay of game. 

Ties are not permissible, they will be decided by a tiebreaker shootout.

The visiting team chooses whether to shoot or defend first. Each team nominates 4 shooters and a goalkeeper. The teams alternate shooting at and defending the goal. Each shooter may choose to either kick or throw the ball. Kicks and throws are taken from the offsides line.

Kicks: The ball may be placed on the ground, may be drop-kicked, or dribbled and then kicked, but the kick must occur at or behind the offsides line. The shooter may cross the line after making the kick. Kicked goals count for 2 points unless a shooter drop-kicking the ball does not allow it to touch the ground first, in which case it counts for 1 point. A goal resulting from a kick made from inside the offsides line does not count.

Throws: The shooter may make an approach but must release the ball at or behind the offsides line. Throws count for 1 point. A goal resulting from a throw made from inside the offsides line does not count.

Goalkeepers must start anywhere on the goal line and between the goal posts. They may defend the goal with any part of the body. The attempt to score is not over until the ball has come to a complete stop or is in possession of the goalkeeper; a bouncing or rolling ball may still cross the goal line and count as a goal. Shooters, nor any teammates, may not make a second contact with the ball to attempt to score.

The referee confirms that the goalkeeper is ready and whistles to signal the shooter may take their shot. The shooter must wait for that whistle or the shot and any goal is forfeit and not re-taken.

The referee communicates calls and changes in the play on the field with the whistle.

A two-hand touch requiring a carried ball to be dropped to the ground is a series of short staccato blasts until the ball carrier drops the ball.

Any stop in the play, such as a goal, an out-of-bounds, a foul hand ball, end of a period, etc is a longer steady blast.

The referee may communicate additional information or call for a player’s attention with subsequent whistle blasts and/or verbal instructions.

A hand ball occurs when a player touches the ball with their hand after it has touched the ground but not yet been kicked back into the air.

If the foul occurs in the open field and does not dramatically affect the flow of the game or team possession then the referee may allow play to continue.

If the hand ball potentially changes the outcome of a particular play then the referee stops play and recalls the ball to the spot of the foul where the opposing team puts the ball back in to play with a throw. The offending team may not encroach on the throw.

If the hand ball occurs by a defensive player other than the goalkeeper and prevents a potential goal then the points are awarded to the offensive team for the goal. The referee may also call a Power Play (see below).

The referee may use discretion to allow a new player more leniency as they learn the rules. Repetitive infractions by a player or team may result in a Power Play.  

Any dangerous play that could cause injury is prohibited and results in a Power Play (see below). This includes slide tackles.

Delay of game occurs when a team in possession of the ball does not put it back in to play in a timely manner. The referee may award possession to the other team and may also call a Power Play (see below).

A Power Play is called when a player commits a gross foul or repetitively commits lesser fouls.

The offending player must go to the nearest sideline and commence a lap around the field of play while remaining outside the boundaries of the field lines. When that player has returned to the spot where they exited the field of play they may re-enter and resume play.

There is not a time limit, the player can complete the lap at any pace. They may walk, job, run, or sprint at their discretion. The team may not send in a substitute for this player during their lap. This results in the offending team having one less player on the field and a Power Play for the opposing team for the duration of the lap.

Violations of the Power Play may result in a second Power Play being called with a second lap.

The referee has authority to eject a player or a fan for any gross or violent behavior or language. The referee has authority to extend the ejection for a specified number of games. The referee has authority to opt to not allow substitutions on the field for the ejected player.