Rules of Play

 Modified FIFA Laws of the Game, Specific to  ASA League (alphabetical)

**All recommendations represent the newest in US FUTSAL Laws and Law Changes

Accumulated Fouls | Each team is allowed to give away 5 direct free kicks (DFK) in each half. On the 6th DFK foul and all DFK in that half is awarded to the opposing team and the offending team is not allowed to position any players (other than the goalkeeper) between the ball and the goal.

• 6th DFK foul and on, if behind the 10 meter (32.5 foot) mark, the DFK w/o a wall is taken from the 10 meter (32.5 foot) mark. For U13 and above or 6th Grade and above, the goalkeeper may start anywhere inside the arc, however still 5 yards away from the kick. U12 and below or 5th grade and below goalkeepers must stay on the endline.
• 6th DFK foul and on, if in front of the 10 meter (32.5 foot) mark, the DFK w/o a wall is taken from either the 10 meter (32.5 foot) mark or from the location of the foul if outside the penalty area. The opposing Goalkeeper must remain on the goal line between the goal posts facing the court. For U13 and above or 6th Grade and above, the goalkeeper may start anywhere inside the arc, however still 5 yards away from the kick. U12 and below or 5th grade and below goalkeepers must stay on the endline.
• 6th DFK foul committed in the penalty area will result in a penalty kick.
• All players (on both teams) must be 5M from the ball, except the kicker
• The player taking the kick may not pass the ball to a teammate
• Ball is live again after it touches the goalkeeper, goalpost, crossbar or left the court

Age Groups and Divisions | The league committee reserves the right to combine age groups based on the number of registrations received in each age group.

Ball | A futsal ball is weighted and has approximately  30% less bounce than a standard soccer ball

• 1st Grade – 5th Grade teams will use a size 3 futsal ball
• 6th Grade and older teams will use a size 4 futsal ball

Ball in and out of Play | Ball out of play: When it has wholly crossed the goal line or touchline; when the game has been stopped by a referee; when the ball hits the ceiling (restart: kick-in at the place closest to where the ball touched the ceiling).

• Lines: Touchlines and goal lines are considered inside the playing area.
• Ball hitting the ceiling: kick-in is from the nearest touchline spot

Conduct | Any actions, verbal or physical, that are detrimental to the health and safety of coaches, players, referees, spectators or any individual are strictly prohibited and can lead to ejection of an individual or team. These actions include but are not limited to verbal or physical threatening behaviors, entering the court of play without consent and other inappropriate actions.

• Failure to leave the court or facility in a timely manner is subject to review and additional game suspensions and game forfeits.

Court | Games will be played, primarily, on marked hard courts with proper boundaries.

• For the 2022 Futsal League, secondary surfaces may include turf fields if the weather conditions are unsafe for hard court outdoor surfaces.

Ejections and Cards | Player and Coach

• Minimum penalty is the player/coach missing the immediate next match
• Maximum penalty is expulsion from the entire League. (at the discretion of League staff).
• Dual rostered players receive a straight “hard” or two yellow ‘soft’ red cards are suspended for all games they are rostered for until they serve the mandatory suspension, with the team where they received the red card.

Example A:

• Player A, Team A - receives a red card (sits out the remainder of the current game)
• Player A, Team B - has a game, player A must sit
• Player A, Team A - has a game, player A must sit
• Player A, Team B - has a game, player A can play
• Player A, Team A - has a game, player A can play

Example B:

• Player A, Team A - receives a red card (sits out the remainder of the current game) - Last game of tournament
• Player A, Team B - has a game, player A must sit
• Player A, Team B - has another game, player A must sit

• Coaches who receive a straight “hard” red card are suspended for all games they are rostered for as a coach until they serve the mandatory suspension, with the team where they received the red card and/or the league has had time to review the case.

Equipment | Players are required to wear shin guards in accordance with the Laws of the Game. Players must wear non-marking indoor soccer, futsal, or athletic shoes.

• For the 2022 Futsal League, when secondary surfaces use turf fields, turf shoes are strongly encouraged. Cleats are allowed but discouraged.

Failure to Show and Forfeits

• A game may not start with fewer than three (3) properly uniformed players on each team for a match.        
• Once a game has started, it may not continue with fewer than three (3) players        
• If a match cannot start or continue because of a team having fewer than the minimum, that team shall forfeit the game
• A team shall have a ten (10) minute grace period from the scheduled kick off time before the match is awarded to their opponent as a 5-0 win.

• For regular season games, if a team is short players to start the game, a team may add a player from the opposing team or any other player age eligible who is present within the 10 minute grace period IF both teams agree.  The score will stand and once agreed, can not be reversed.
• IF the opposing coach does not agree, they can share players and scrimmage for the remainder of the allotted 45 minutes.    
• Referees can not officiate scrimmages played after a forfeit has been given, due to liability insurance  

• In the case of a late start, game length may be adjusted by the referee in order to maintain the league schedule.

Game Time

• Youth Games | 40 minute game. Two 20 minute halves running clock with a 3 minute halftime.
• Championship games will stop the clock when the ball is out of play during the last 2 minutes of the game.
• The clock does stop For a 60 Second  team time out or referee request.

Goalkeepers and Goal Clearance | A goal clearance must be thrown (and not kicked) and the goalkeeper cannot touch the ball again unless he is across midcourt (he cannot touch the ball in his defensive half even if he or the ball has crossed midcourt) or touched by another player or a member of the opposing team has touched the ball.

• All ages: A throw may cross midcourt without bouncing or touching a player
• Goal clearances must leave the penalty arc OR be touched by an attacking player before they can be touched by the defending team.  If this is violated, the GK will restart the goal clearance with the ball in their hands and a reset of the 4 seconds.
• NEW:  Goal clearances DO NOT have to leave the penalty arc

Goalkeeper Punt or Drop Kick  (after a save) | Not allowed.

It IS considered LEGAL if the ball bounces TWICE before being kicked or the GK shoots/passes the ball on his/her SECOND touch once the ball is dropped

Heading | No intentional or unintentional heading of the ball in PreK through 5th Grade age groups. At 6th Grade players can head. This is for safety concerns with a heavier ball

• If judged as 'intentional' | An indirect free kick will be awarded to the opposing team at the spot of the offense.
• If judged as 'unintentional' | a drop ball rolled to a player of the non heading team will restart play. No players of either team may be within 2m of this player.
• IF inside the penalty area and headed by the team in their attacking half, the restart will begin with a goal clearance
• IF inside the penalty area and deemed intentional by the defensive team the offensive team will take an indirect free kick from the second penalty mark.

Kick-Ins | Restarts after the ball has gone out of play, the ball is kicked into play from the touchline. The ball must be placed stationary on the touchline or one ball length behind, and the planting foot of the player taking the kick-in must not cross the line. The whole foot can not cross the line.  Opposing teams must stand 3 yards away and the kick is indirect.  You can NOT score directly off a kick in.

Kick-Off | A kick-off is a way of starting or restarting play

• The opponents of the team taking the kick-off are at least 3m from the ball until it is touched and moves
• The ball must be stationary on the center mark
• The kick off can go in any direction
• The kickoff is an indirect kick. You can not score directly off a kick-off

Offside Rule | There is no offside rule in Futsal.

Passbacks | 1 passback to the goalkeeper’s feet per possession in the team's defensive half. A goalkeeper throw counts as the 1 passback per possession.

Penalty Kick |  To be taken from the penalty mark on the mid-point of the 6-m-line.

• All players must be out of the penalty area, behind the ball and players must also be at least 5 m from the penalty spot.
• The kicker shall not play the ball a second time until it has been touched by another player.

Playoff Games & Kicks From The Penalty Mark (KFTPM) | There is no playoff games for the recreational league

PreK and Kindergarten | Prek and Kindergarten game environments will be adjusted for player experience and level to include the following

• Coed and Girls only divisions
• Three 10 minute periods plus 10 minute warm up/technical skills
• More live play and keeping balls in play
• Smaller goals
• No referees

Referees | Each game will be scheduled to have at least one referee

Restarts | Goals may not be scored directly on restarts (not including corner kicks, penalty kicks or direct free kicks) which include:

• From kick-ins (touchline)
• Drop Ball
• Goals may not be scored directly on kick-off's (start a game, after a goal, start on the 2nd half and overtime)

Rosters | Roster size is recommended at 10 players. Minimum roster is 7. Maximum roster is 12 players. (For a roster of less than 7 or more than 12 players, league approval is required)

• Players may roster on more than one team, if they are in separate divisions
• Minimum number of players to start a match is 3.
• Minimum to continue the game is 3.
• League approves use of guest players
• For championship games only players listed on official rosters may play

Score Table | Home team is required to have 1 person at the score table for youth games. Away team may also offer up a volunteer to fill this role.

• Operate the game clock and scoreboard

Shoulder Charge | Not allowed

Sliding Tackling | Sliding tackles are not allowed  in this Futsal League.

• Players are allowed to slide on the court (e.g., to stop a ball from going out of play, to direct a pass towards the net, etc.)  

Substitutions | Players must enter and leave the court from the designated area by their team bench. “Flying substitutions” allow substitutes and players to enter and exit as they please, however the player must exit before the substituting player can enter.

• This includes goalkeeper substitutions.
• There is no limit to the number of substitutions you can make in a game.

Team Benches | Teams start the game positioned in their teams defensive half. Teams will switch benches at half-time to stay in your defensive half. Coaches MUST: 1) Sit on their bench, 2) Stand Beside the bench, or 3) Stand behind the bench.  They may NOT stand in front of the bench. They can quickly stand to give direction then re-sit.

Timeout | Each team has 1 -60 second timeout per half

• The clock does stop on a team time out

The 4 Second Rule | Applied for direct free kick, direct free kick without a wall, kick-in, penalty kick, corner kick, goal clearance, kick off, penalty kick, and goalkeeper in possession in their own half. The player in possession of the ball has 4 seconds to restart play, the referee will count off four seconds using fingers in the air. If play is not restarted within four seconds an indirect kick will be awarded to the opposing team. The goalkeeper is not allowed to control the ball for more than four seconds in his/her own half.

• If play is not restarted within 4 seconds for a Corner Kick, direct free kick, direct free kick without a wall, indirect free kick or penalty kick restart an IFK will be awarded to the opposing team.
• If play is not restarted within 4 seconds for a Kick-In, The Kick-In is awarded to the opposing team
• If the ball is not put into play properly by the goalkeeper:

• During a goal clearance becomes an IDFK for the opposing team at point closest on the penalty arc.
• Possession of more than 4 seconds in their half, than opposing team is awarded an IFK from the location of the 4 second violation
• Put the ball into play (leaving the penalty area) on a goal clearance, than opposing team is awarded an IFK top of penalty area from spot of 4 second violation

Time Outs | Each team is allowed one, 60 second timeout per half (two total per game). Only the team in possession can REQUEST a timeout and coaches must let the referee know prior to calling for a timeout. The timeout will be given at the NEXTopportunity when the ball has gone out of play,  and in possession of the team calling the timeout, . The clock stops for all timeouts. Teams MAY NOT call a timeout when a foul is called to use to set up for a free kick, only when the ball goes out of play for a Kick In or Kick Off after a goal.

The 5M Rule | Direct free kick, direct free kick without a wall, indirect free kick, penalty kick, corner kicks.

Kick-ins and Kick Offs only require the opposing team be 3M away.

• Players are required to keep 5 yards from the player in possession of the ball. Players must immediately give 5 yards (and not wait for the referee’s direction).  For Kick-ins and kick-offs players need only give 3M (10ft).

League/ Tournament Standings will be based on the following:

        - Win = 3 points

        - Tie = 1 point

        - Loss = 0 points

Uniform 

• When the uniform colors are similar, the designated home team will change colors. The home team is listed first on the schedule
• Uniforms need to have numbers on the back