Indoor Soccer Rules of Play

Number of Players:

The indoor game consists of two teams of five players on court. Interchange is made when one player leaves the court and the substitute player may then enter the field of play. An infringement of this rule – (if the players leaving the court interfere with play) it will result in an indirect free kick to the opposition.

Goal Keeper/Keeping:

The goal keeper has 4 seconds to clear the ball when in possession. Possession includes the area from the goal line to the red line. If caught in possession an indirect free kick will be given, from where play was stopped.

If the keeper takes the ball back into goal area the count continues up to 4 seconds. The referee can tell the keeper to play the ball. If it is not played instantly, a foul is called and an indirect free kick is taken anywhere on the red line.

A goal is scored when the whole of the ball crosses the goal line. If the player kicking the ball at the time enters the goal area it is a no goal.

DIRECT FREE KICK	GOAL CAN BE SCORED
INDIRECT FREE KICK (IFK)	BALL MUST BE TOUCHED BY 2 PLAYERS - REFEREES ARM IS RAISED

Keepers can only travel and kick the ball within their side of the red line. A foul occurs if the keeper kicks the ball from over the line. An IFK is given for this offence.

Playing the ball while over the red line to a player of the goal keepers own team will incur an IFK.

Back passing is not permitted between goal keeper and defender.

If a goal keeper deliberately handles the ball outside of his box and or takes a player out, in a goal scoring opportunity, a penalty kick awarded against the goal keeper and may also incur a card penalty.

TWO TOUCH RULE - When the ball is played to the keeper by one of his own team then played back again to the same player, before it can be played back to the keeper it must be passed to another member of the same team. When a player attempts to kick a goal and the ball hits any part of the goal post the same kicker cannot kick it again until it is touched by another player.

Basic Rules

Goals are scored when the ball is completely over the goal line between the goal post and cross bar. Ladies are able to cover their chests using the normal cross arm system in all competitions; arms held hard up against the body.

A FREE KICK is awarded to the opposing side if a player commits one of the following offences:

Hand ball, Kicking, Tripping and Slide Tackling.
Kicking or touching the ball whilst lying on the ground.
Net abuse of any kind.
Holding of the net to gain an advantage will result in a free kick.
Ball raked out or attempted to be raked out of the dead ball area marked in each corner of the playing field.
When ball is deliberately played into the dead ball area by a defending player a penalty kick from anywhere on the red line will be applied (referees choice).
When the ball is deliberately played into the dead ball area by an attacking player the goalkeeper can take a free kick or throw from inside the goal area.

Any unnecessary bouncing or pushing off the net will result in a DIRECT PENALTY KICK.
Goal keeper slides out of their goal area in an attempt to play the ball.

Goals cannot be scored from the goalkeeper throwing or kicking the ball directly from
one goal area to the other without the ball having touched a player (defender or attacker).

INDIRECT FREE KICK - An indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a player, in the opinion of the referee, commits any of the following three offences:

Plays in a dangerous manner.
Impedes the progress of an opponent.
Prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from his hands.

DEAD BALL - The Ball remains alive except when the referee calls it dead and that is when:

The ball is caught between the net and the goal post. Restart with a goal kick by the defending team.
A goal is scored. Restart with a centre kick by the non-goal scoring team.
Ball goes out of the netted area. Restart drop ball from where the ball left the netted area.
The ball stopped in the dead ball area marked in each corner of the playing field.

MISCONDUCT:

Any deliberate fouls, rough play or unfair play will result in a direct penalty kick and or time in the sin bin (time in the sin bin is at the discretion of the referee).

Any foul language or verbal abuse to opposing players or the referee by the players on court, substitutes or spectators will result in a direct penalty kick. Anyone sent from the court for misconduct, including the sin bin, may cost their team one or more premiership points.
(One point = 3 goals).

CARDS:

Yellow card is a warning only, and is followed by a blue card.

Blue card a minimum of 5 minutes sin bin, and is followed by a red card.

Red card is off for the remainder of the match and a report to management for further action.

A RED CARD IS A MINIMUM 1 WEEK SUSPENSION

MIXED PLAY:

All general soccer rules apply with one addition; there must be a minimum of two females to form a team.

If a team has only one female they must play short.

The minimum age limit of 15 is required to qualify playing in senior grades.

Hard kicking will not be tolerated, a direct free kick will be awarded and a yellow card issued.