Pelham Futsal League Rules
General Rules
- · There are 5 players per side (4 field players and 1 Goal Keeper (GK))
- · No offside
- · Two 24 minute halves with 1 minute halftime
- · One 30 second time out per half per team.
Substitutions
- · Free substitutions are made "on the fly" – field player should be OFF before new player goes ON
Kick off
- · Opposing players must give 5 yards until ball is in play.
- · Kick off does not have to go forward first.
Kick-in
- · A ball kicked out over the touch line (side line) by one team becomes the other team’s ball.
- · The team kicking in has 4 seconds to get the ball back in play or it becomes opponent’s kick in. Defense must give 2 yards distance.
- · The referee will give a visual count with his hand.
- · Players taking kick-in cannot step into the field while kicking ball back into play.
- · Goals cannot be scored from kick-ins.
- · If the ball hits the ceiling or basketball net, a kick in is taken at the closest point on the nearest sideline.
Goal Clearance
- · When the offensive team puts the ball over the end line, the other team gets the ball for a goal clearance.
- · The goalie must throw the ball within 4 seconds of retrieving it and put it back into play by throwing it. This is up to the referee’s discretion as to when the count starts.
- · Goalie cannot use his hands to control or pick up a ball that is passed back to him by a teammate.
- · The goal clearance must leave the penalty area.
- · Opposing team must stay out of penalty area during a goal clearance.
- · If anyone touches ball before it leaves penalty area, GK retakes the throw.
- · The ball cannot be thrown in the air into the other team’s penalty arc.
Corner Kick
- · Kick is taken at the corner
- · Defense must give 2 yards distance
Fouls and Misconduct
Indirect Kick Fouls - An indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team for the following offenses:
- · The GK touches or controls the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a teammate.
- · The GK touches or controls the ball with his hands after he has received it directly from a kick-in taken by a teammate.
- · A player deliberately impedes the progress of an opponent when the ball is not being played.
- · A player prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from his hands.
- · A player commits any other offense, not previously mentioned above for which play is stopped to caution or dismiss a player.
- · The indirect free kick is taken from the place where the infringement occurred, unless this was in the penalty area, in which case the indirect free kick is taken from the penalty area line at the place closest to where the infringement occurred. 3 yards of distance from kicker to set up wall, and ball is in play after it has been touched. If the kicking team takes more time than 4 seconds to take the kick, it becomes the opposition’s indirect kick.
Direct Kick Fouls
- · Kicking or attempting to kick an opponent, Tripping or attempting to trip an opponent, Jumping at an opponent
- · Charges an opponent, Strikes or attempts to strike an opponent, Pushing an opponent, Holding an opponent
- · Spits at an opponent
- · Slide tackles
- · Handles the ball deliberately (except for the goalkeeper in his own penalty area)
6th Accumulated Foul - Accumulated fouls are those sanctioned by a direct free kick.
- · Upon a team’s 6th accumulated foul in each half, the defending team cannot build a wall to block the kick. A penalty kick is taken from the top of the goalie area (3 point line)
Slide Tackle Exceptions
- · The GK is allowed to slide with hands first in an attempt to clear or save the ball, if in referees’ judgment, his slide is an attempt only to make contact with the ball and not the opponent
- · If GK slide is reckless (a foot in air, a hook, rolling tackle) it is a foul and may result in a penalty kick
Cautionable Offenses - A player is cautioned if they commit any of the following offenses:
For any of these offenses, an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team, to be taken from the place where the infringement occurred. If the offense was committed within the penalty area the indirect free kick is taken from the penalty area line at the place nearest to where the infringement occurred. A caution is also given provided that no graver infringement of the Laws has been committed.
- · Guilty of unsporting conduct
- · Shows dissent by word or action
- · Persistently infringes the Laws of the Game
- · Delays the restart of play
- · Fails to respect the required distance when play is restarted with a corner kick or free kick (including kick-ins and direct/indirect restarts.
Penalty Kick
A penalty kick is awarded against a team which commits any of the offenses for which a direct free kick is awarded inside its own penalty area and while the ball is in play.
- · There are two penalty marks. 6 yards (free throw line) and 8 yards (top of penalty area which is the 3 point line).
- · The penalty kick is taken at the 6 yard mark for any foul occurring in the penalty area.
- · Penalty kicks are taken from the 8 yard mark for accumulated fouls starting with the 6th when they occur in the defensive half.
- · Additional time is allowed for a penalty kick to be taken at the end of each half or at the end of each period of extra time.
- · For penalty kicks from the second mark the goalkeeper is allowed to be 2 yards off his line and can move backwards or side to side.