Rules - Challenge 3v3 Tournaments

PLAYER REGISTRATION: All players must be listed on their teams' roster form before the tournament begins. Any team or player determined by the event director to have falsified age or skill level will be dismissed from the tournament.

ROSTERS: No changes or substitutions to rosters after the start of a team's first game. All rosters are final at the start of the team's first game.

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: SIX is the maximum number of players on a team; THREE field players at one time. Players may only play on one team in the tournament. There are no goalkeepers in 3v3 soccer. Substitutes may occur at any dead ball situation, but players must get referees attention and enter and exit at the half-field mark only

TEAM UNIFORMS & EQUIPMENT: All players must wear jerseys/shirts during play and each team must bring both a light and a dark colored jersey/shirt. If both teams are wearing the same color a coin flip in qualifying play will determine the team to change uniforms. In playoffs the higher seed will have the option. All players must wear shin guards. Any player without shin guards will not be allowed to play. Teams are responsible for providing game balls. Here are the following sizes for each group: U6-U8 = Size 3; U9-U12 = Size 4; and U13 & up = Size 5.

FIELD DIMENSIONS: maximum Length - 40 yards, Width - 30 yards.  U8 and Under will play on smaller fields, minimum dimensions 30 x 20.

GOALS & GOAL BOX: The goal box, 12 feet wide and 8 feet deep, is directly in front of the goal. No player may touch the ball within the goal box, however any player may move through the goal box. Any part of the ball or player's body on the line is considered in the goal box; the player is an extension of the box. If a defender touches the ball in the goal box, a goal is awarded to the offensive team. If the defender OR the ball is in the box and contact is made, a goal is awarded. If an offensive player touches the ball within the goal box, a goal kick is awarded to the defensive team.  If the ball comes to a complete stop in the goal box, regardless of which team touched it last, a goal kick is awarded to the defensive team. The goals are maximum of four feet high by eight feet wide..

GAME DURATION: The game shall consist of two 12 minute halves separated by a two minute halftime period OR the first team to reach 12 goals, whichever comes first. Games tied after regulation play shall end in a tie except in playoffs. A team, at the discretion of the referee and the tournament director will be forfeited at game time if they are not present. Teams are responsible for waiting until their seed for playoffs has been determined. There are no time outs in 3v3 soccer.

GOAL SCORING:   Goals can be scored from anywhere on the offensive half of the field of play.   The ball must last be touched (either by offense or defense) within the attacking team's offensive half of the field. 

SCORING (IN QUALIFYING PLAY): Games will be scored according to the following: 3 points for a win; 1 point for a tie and 0 points for a loss.

TIEBREAKERS:(after qualifying play) Ties in standings between two teams will be broken by; 1) head to head results between tied teams; 2) goal difference in qualifying play; 3) goals scored in qualifying play; 4) least goals allowed, 5) shootout.   Ties between three or more teams will be broken by; 1) goal difference in qualifying play; 2) goals scored in qualifying play, 3) least goals allowed, 4) shootout with 1 team receiving a first round bye by random draw.. If the criteria for 3 or more teams eliminates all but 2 teams, the criteria for a tie between two teams (above) will be used to determine the rank of the two teams. A forfeit will be entered as score of 6-0.

PLAYOFF OVERTIME: Shall consist of sudden death overtime period, maximum length of three minutes, with a coin toss to decide kick-off direction. The first team to score in overtime is the winner. If no team has scored in the three minute-overtime period, the winner shall be decided by shootout. A coin flip will decide which team starts the penalty kick round. The three players from each team remaining on the field at the end of overtime will alternate with each penalty kick, with the higher scoring team winning after the first round. If the score remains tied after the first round of penalty kicks the same field players will rotate in a sudden death penalty kick format until one team scores unanswered.

NO OFFSIDES and NO SLIDE TACKLING IN 3V3 SOCCER

FIVE YARD RULE: In all dead ball situations, defending players must stand at least five yards away from the ball.  If the defensive player's goal area is closer than five yards, the ball shall be placed five yards from the goal area in line with the place of the penalty. 

KICK-INS: The ball shall be kicked into play from the sideline instead of throw in.

INDIRECT KICKS: All dead ball kicks (kick-ins, free kicks, kick-offs) are indirect with exception of corner and penalty kicks.

GOAL KICKS: May be taken from any point on the endline, and not in the goal box area.

KICK OFF: May be taken in any direction.

PENALTY KICKS: Shall be awarded if, in the referee's opinion, a scoring opportunity was nullified by the infraction. It is a direct kick taken from the middle of the half-field line with all players behind the half-field line. If a goal is not scored, the defense obtains possession with a goal kick. Penalty kicks are not live balls.

PLAYER EJECTION (RED CARD): Referees have the right to eject a player from the game for continual disobedience or as a result of an incident that warrants sending the player off. The team may then continue with the remaining players on their team. If the ejected player was on the field, he may be replaced by an eligible rostered player on the team. The tournament director will decide the number of games in the suspension.

FORFEITS: Any team forfeiting two consecutive games in qualifying play will be removed from the tournament. Any team forfeiting a game in playoffs will be removed from the tournament.

PROTESTS: There will be no protests.

SPORTSMANSHIP: Players, coaches and spectators are expected to act in the nature of good sportsmanship at all times. Abuse of the referees will not be tolerated. Any instance of such conduct will disqualify the responsible team from the event. 

GENERAL: The Tournament Committee, and/or host organization will not be responsible for any expenses incurred by any team due to the cancellation in part or whole of this tournament.

SITUATIONS OR OCCURRENCES THAT THESE RULES DO NOT ADDRESS SHALL BE LEFT TO THE SOLE DISCRETION OF TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR.

06-23-08