LAWS
FOR MINI-SOCCER
FOR PLAYERS (BOTH BOYS AND
GIRLS THE AGE
OF
7 AND UNDER 10
Please
note:
where Leagues operate under 11’s Mini-Soccer events, they must follow these
Laws.
Except where other provision, in these Laws are made, the Laws of
Association Football apply.
Each Law are numbered to correspond with the appropriate Law of the
Game. These Laws are mandatory unless special permission is granted by The
Football Association.
LAW
1 PLAYING AREA
Width
Minimum
30 Yards Maximum
40 Yards under 9’s and 10’s.
Length
Minimum
50 Yards Maximum
60 Yards under 9’s and 10’s.
Penalty
Area
Length 10 Yards Width 18
Yards.
Penalty
Mark
The penalty mark is (8 Yards) from the Goal Line opposite the Centre of
the Goal.
Halfway
Line
The field of play is divided into two halves by a halfway line. The centre mark
is indicated at the mid-point of the halfway line.
LAW
2.GOAL SIZE
The distance between the posts is (12 feet) 3.6m and the distance
between the lower edge of the cross bar and the ground is (6 feet)1.88m.
WARNING
In
view of the number of accidents that have occurred, it is necessary to ensure
that portable goals of any size are either pinned or weighted to prevent them
from toppling forward.
LAW
3. THE BALL
The ball should be no larger than size 4. It should be safe and made of
leather or another suitable material.
LAW
4. NUMBER OF PLAYERS
Players must play with and against players only from their own age range
- within a two year age band. Players shouuld not be allowed to begin to play
until the season of their 7th birthday.
(a)Teams shall play 7 a-side, which may include male and female players
and mixed teams should be encouraged..
(b)Teams shall consist of 7 (seven) players of which one must be a
goalkeeper.
(c The number of substitutes allowed for each team shall be 7 (seven)
..(d)There will be no restriction on how many times players shall be
allowed to leave and re-enter the field of play (repeat substitutes) subject to
the substitution being carried out in accordance with F.A. Law 3. League Rule 10
(ii).
LAW
4. PLAYING EQUIPMENT
Players must wear shinguards and goalkeepers must wear a distinguishing
playing strip. Shinguards must be covered entirely by the stockings.
LAW
5. REFEREE’S
THE
AUTHORITY OF THE REFEREE
Each match is controlled by a referee who has full authority to enforce
the Laws of the game in connection with the match to which they have been
appointed.
(a)Each team shall have a person to act as a assistant referee equipped
with a flag.
(b)Each team shall have a whistle at each match.
DECISIONS
OF THE REFEREE
The decisions of the referee regarding facts connected with play are
final.
LAW
6. TIMEKEEPER/SCORER/ASSISTANT REFEREE
DUTIES
A person may be nominated to assist the referee to:-
(a) Record
goals scored.
(b) Act
as timekeeper and signify to the referee by an agreed signal when the time of each half has expired.
(c Suspend time on an instruction from the referee for all stoppages and
add that time to the end of each half.
(d) Supervise the use of repeat substitutes.
(e) Carry out any other duties as prescribed by the referee.
If an independent timekeeper/scorer is not nominated, these duties are
the responsibility of the referee.
LAW
7 DURATION OF GAME
In any one day, no player shall play more than the stipulated period
outlined below. Within this maximum the recommended duration of games is
provided.
RECOMMENED
NUMBER OF MINUTES OF EACH HALF
The Under 9’s and 10’s shall play 25 minutes each way
In any one day, players should not play more than 60 minutes of
competitive league football.
MAXIMUM
DURATION OF PARTICIPATION PER DAY
PER PLAYER
Each
league/competition will determine its own playing time within the maximum time
permitted. The half time interval must not exceed 5 minutes.
The
Extra
time in Cup Fixtures shall be 5 minutes each half.
If
scores are still equal after extra time, penalties shall be taken (in accordance
with F.I.F.A. Rules) to decide the winner. In
the Cup-Finals if the scores are equal after extra time the honours and Cup will
be shared.
LAW
8. START AND RESTART OF PLAY
PROCEDURE.
A kick-off is taken at the centre of the playing area to start the game
and after a goal has been scored, opponents must be 4.5 (5yards) away from the
ball , and in their own half of the field. The ball must be played forward.
Special
Circumstances
A dropped ball to restart the match after play has been temporarily
stopped inside the penalty area takes place on the penalty area line parallel to
the goal line at that point nearest to where the ball was located when the play
stopped.
LAW
9. BALL IN AND OUT OF PLAY
BALL
OUT OF PLAY
The ball is out of play when:
It has wholly crossed the goal line or touch line whether on the ground
or in the air.
Play has been stopped by the referee.
BALL
IN PLAY
The ball is in play at all other times, including when:
It rebounds from goal post, crossbar or corner flag post and remains in
the field of play.
It rebounds from either the referee or an assistant referee when they
are on the field of play.
LAW
10 METHOD OF SCORING
GOAL
SCORED
A goal is scored when the whole of the ball passes over the goal line,
between and under the crossbar, provided that no infringement of the Laws of the
Game has been committed by the team scoring the goal.
LAW
11. OFFSIDE
Please
Note: There is no offside.
LAW
12. FOULS AND MISCONDUCT.
Please
Note:
In Mini Soccer all free kicks are direct.
PENALTY
KICK.
A
free kick is awarded to the opposing team if the goalkeeper:
(a) Takes more than 6 seconds to release the ball from his or her hands.
(b) Touches the ball again with his or her hands after it has been
released from his or her possession and has
not touched any other player.
(c Touches the ball with his
or her hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him or her by a team mate.
(d) Touches the ball with his or her hands after he or she has received
it directly from a throw in taken by a team mate.
For all of these offences, the free kick should be taken from the
penalty area line, parallel with the goal line, at the nearest point to the
offence.
LAW
13.FREE KICKS
For all free kicks opponents must be 4.5m (5 yards) from the ball.
LAW
14. PENALTY KICKS
A penalty kick is awarded for offences, as described in Law 12
Position
of the Ball and the Players
All players except the defending goalkeeper and kicker must be outside
the penalty area and at least 4.5m (5 yards) from the penalty mark. The ball
must be kicked forward.
LAW
15. THROW-IN
A goal cannot be scored directly from a throw-in.
LAW
16 GOAL KICK.
Procedure
A player from the defending team kicks the ball from any point within
the penalty area
Opponents must remain outside the penalty area and at least 4.5m (5
yards) from where the kick is taken until the ball is in play.
Please note: The goalkeeper cannot kick the ball from his or her hands from a goal kick
LAW
17. CORNER KICKS
The opposing players must remain at least 4.5m (5 yards) from the ball
until it is in play.
The kicker may not touch the ball again until it has touched another
player. If he or she does a free kick is awarded against them.
The ball is in play immediately it enters the field of play.
GOALPOST
SAFETY
For safety reasons goal posts (including
those which are portable and not installed permanently at a pitch or practice
field) must always be anchored securely to the ground.
Goal posts which are home made or which have been altered from their
original size or construction should not be used. These have been the cause of a
number of deaths and injuries.
It is strongly recommended that nets should only be secured by plastic
hooks or tape and not metal cup hooks. Any metal hooks should be if possible be
removed and replaced. New goal posts should not be purchased if they include
metal cup hooks which cannot be replaced.
MEMORANDA
TO CLUB SECRETARIES
(1) Club teams officials must notify their opponents and Referee four
clear days before a match.
(2) Club team officials must notify their opponents and Referees if a
match is postponed.
(3) Club officials must telephone their results of home games to the age
group representative.
(4) Advise the Fixture Secretary of your outside fixture commitments and
results.
(5) Home teams are responsible for providing goal posts and nets.
(6) Ensure your Clubs team sheets are forwarded to the Press Reports
Officer within four days of any fixture.
(7) All monies (unless otherwise arranged) must be paid to the league
Treasurer, who will issue a receipt.
(8) All complaints, protests, etc must be sent in writing to the League
Secretary.
(9) All correspondence must be forwarded via the Clubs Secretary to the
League Secretary.
(10) Please read your rule book carefully failure to do so may cost your
Club money.
(11)
Please
do not hesitate to seek advise from the League Secretary.
Transfers shall be actioned in accordance with F.A. Rule 19(a) and
B.C.F.A. Rule 27.
A player who does not hold a written contract with a Club shall not be
approached, except during the period from May 31st to July 15th
inclusive. Any Club wishing to approach a player during the season must
give at least seven days notice in writing to the Secretary of the Club for
which the player was last known to have played. The notice must be forwarded by
registered post, recorded delivery or a written acknowledgement otherwise
obtained and the negotiations with the player must cease at the expiration of
twenty-one days from date of such notice being given . A second notice shall not
be given by the same Club in respect of the same player during the current
season. When a player is concurrently a playing member of a Sunday Club formal
notice of approach need only be given to the Sunday Club or Clubs for which the
player is a playing member. The approaching Club shall not give notice of
intention to approach more than one player of a Club at the same time and shall
not give notice of intention to approach another player of the same Club within
twenty-eight days of a prior notice. If the first approach is made