League Rules

*Shepherd Sports Futsal League will be played under the FIFA soccer rules with the amended Shepherd rules court adjustments listed below: 

• There are four field players and a Goal Keeper (GK).
• No offside rule.
• GK can only play the ball (by feet or hands) for 4 seconds in their own goalie box. The goalie box is defined by the basketball three-point line. If they are outside their box, GK must play as a regular fielder. Once the GK plays the ball out, they cannot touch the ball a second time in their half of field unless an opponent has touched it, or is outside of the penalty box.
• A GK may not use his hands on a pass from their own teammate. 
• All goal kicks will be thrown by the GK. GK rules apply. 
• Two 20-minute running halves. 3 minutes for half time and each team may call (1) one-minute time out per half (use or lose) when in possession of the ball. Both teams will be awarded (1) time out each for overtime periods. Time out requests are made to the referee. Two five-minute halves for overtime – No breaks in between.
• Overtime will only be played during play-off games where a winner must be decided. 
• Each team is required 1 Female player be in the game at all times. If a girl is needed – the Captain can pick up a girl currently in the league with the approval of the opposing team.
• If the ball is hit higher then 10 feet (Basketball Goal), an indirect kick for the opposing team will be awarded from the half court line. 
• There is absolutely no slide-tackling. Any player going to the ground with any part of his body will automatically be the other teams ball from the point of contact. 
• On indirect free kicks, 3 paces of distance from kicker must be given before opposing team can set up a wall. If the kicking team takes more time than 4 seconds after the ref signals for the kick, it becomes the opposition’s indirect kick.
• Substitutions: Free substitutions are made "on the fly". Player can only enter or leave the game in the substitution areas marked by the score table. A player may only enter a game after the player they are replacing has left the playing area field. Failure to do so results in a caution and an indirect free kick is taken from where the ball was situated when the game was stopped.
• Kickoff: Home team takes possession in the first half and the away team will have the kick off for the start of the second half. During kick off, all opposing players must be outside the thick white line around center court logo and must be on their own half. 
• Kick in: A ball kicked out over the touchline (sideline) 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 the opponent’s kick in. Defense must give 3 paces from the ball on any kick in. The referee will give a visual count with his hand. Ball will be played from point of exit with at least part of the ball sitting outside the sideline. (Goals cannot be scored from kick-ins directly. The ball needs to be dead still and behind the blue before kicking it in.
• Corner Kicks will be taken inside the corner arc. Corner Kick is taken at the point where goal line and touch line meet (at the corner). 5 paces still must be given from opposing team. 
• Last two Minutes of the game – the time will only stop if someone is down and hurt, ball goes out of reach, and on dead-balls such as free-kicks and penalty kicks.

Fouls and Misconduct

• Player contact may occur during the game, as long as it is done in a legal manner. It cannot be done carelessly, recklessly, or with excessive force.
• If contact is made with an opponent in a careless, reckless or excessive force a player will be assessed a card. This will also result in a Direct Free-Kick for the opposing team. The forming wall must be 10 paces from the ball.
• Any player kicking over waist high or deemed dangerous will be assessed a card. This will also result in a Direct Free-Kick for the opposing team. 
• Upon a team’s 6th accumulated foul over the course of the entirety of the game, the other team is awarded a free kick taken from the top of three-point line (if the foul was committed outside of the penalty box) or where the infraction occurred - where it’s in a more favorable spot. The defending team cannot build a wall to block this kick. The player taking the kick must be clearly identified, and must attempt at the goal. All other players must be on the other side of half court.
• Foul Language is an automatic yellow card.
• Any negative verbal talk towards an opposing team, the ref or administration will not be accepted. 
• The team will also be awarded a card if anyone in the stands belonging to their party commits the third and 2nd to last misconduct points. The Captain will then need to take action upon receiving the card whether a Yellow or a Red and apply the penalty mentioned below.

Awarded Cards

• Blue Card: Awarded as a cautionary action. 

- Two blue cards equal the equivalent of a yellow card.  

• Yellow Card: Awarded when fouls and or misconduct are committed. Included swearing.

 - Player who was been awarded the yellow card must step out of the game for two minutes. The team will play down a man until the two minutes has been completed or the opposing team has scored a goal. 

- Two yellow cards equal the equivalent of red card. 

• Red Card: Awarded when an excessive foul or misconduct is committed.   

- A red card or two yellow cards will result in the removal of that player for the rest of the game. That team will also play a man down for 5 minutes or until the opposing team has scored a goal. 

- If reason for the red card or a red card on top of any blue or yellow card in the same game, that player must also sit out the teams following game. 

Release of Players from the Penalty Box

• At the expiration of their full time. Penalty time will carry over to the next time of play (i.e. the second half or overtime periods.). 
• After a goal is scored against their team if they are shorthanded. However, if more than one person from a team is in the penalty box, only one player can come out per goal. 
• Substitutes for ejected players must serve the full five minutes. 

Bench Penalty

• Unsportsmanlike conduct from a team box or their fans will result in a verbal warning against the team. Should the conduct persist a bench penalty (yellow or red card) will be issued against the offending team. The team Captain must then remove one of the field players to serve the appropriate time penalty.

To view the CoEd (Futsal) Soccer's rules and regulations as a PDF, click Here!