5-A-Side Rules

* 1 Goalkeeper and 4 field players.

* All Players must be the appropriate age. Any team caught using overage players will be disciplined. The ruling will be made by the rules committee and could include the forfeit of games.

*NO OFFSIDES rule.

* Substitutions are "on the fly." This means that you can send a player
on the field when the player you call off the field is running toward your
sideline. The player running off the field cannot touch the ball or a direct
free kick will be awarded at the location where the player touched the ball.

*All free kicks are DIRECT.

*The ball does not have to go forward on the kick off, it can be played back.

* Walls must be at least 5 yards from the ball

* No throw-ins, all restarts will start from the ground except for goalkicks.

* Penalty kicks will be given for fouls that stop obvious goal scoring opportunities inside the penalty box (deliberate hand balls, slide tackling from behind, etc.).
A direct free kick will be given at the top of the box for all other fouls inside the penalty box.

A 1v1 with the goalkeeper at the top of the arc will be given for any player being taken down on break away situations.
Ultimately the final decision is made by the referee, so please be understanding and respectful with the referee’s. They are human just like us.

* Goal keepers are not allowed to punt the ball. They must throw it. A free kick is given at half field if the goal keeper throws the ball past half field without touching a player.

*All goal kicks are started from the goalkeeper’s hand. No goal kicks from
the ground.

*If a red card is issued, the player is out for the rest of that game and
the first half of the next game. If a player receives a second red card, it will be reviewed by the CSA committee and the player will receive one full game suspension and possible expulsion from the tournament.

*Team listed first on the game card chooses which goal they want to defend, the other team gets kick off.

* Scoring:
a. Win - 6 points
b. Goal - 1 point per goal up to a maximum of 4 goals
c. Shutout - 1 point
d. Tie - 3 points

Maximum points in one game is 11 (win plus 4 goals plus a shutout point).

* In group play, ties will stand. In the playoffs, there will be a 5 minute golden goal period, followed by MLS style shoot outs, with 3 instead of 5.

* In tournament play, all games are started and stopped by the horn unless there is a serious injury. Games are 15 minute halves with a 2 minute half time.