Tournament Rules and Policies

2020

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

All participating teams must be properly registered and in good standing with their sanctioning national organization and their State Association (as appropriate). Only Club Teams with a maximum of three (3) guest players are accepted. Each team must submit an approved Team Roster at the time of registration composed of no more than a maximum of 14 players (U9 & U10 (7v7),  a maximum of 16 players U11 & U12 (9v9), and a maximum of 22 players for U13 – U19. All USYS teams outside of Region 1 are required to present an approved permission-to-travel form as filed with their state association, if required. US Club Soccer teams are not required to present a travel form. All teams must also present a medical release form for each player on the roster or guest player, at registration. NO EXCEPTIONS TO THESE REQUIREMENTS MAY BE MADE.

All players must be born in the year of their age classification or later. Player registration cards duly authorized by a team’s sanctioning organization shall be required as proof of age and eligibility. Player passes are verified against the roster at Registration and before each match if requested by a coach or tournament official. No player is allowed to be registered with more than one team or to transfer from one team to another once the tournament has begun. A player must play for the team to which they are primarily rostered if that team is in the tournament.

TOURNAMENT AGE GROUPS

Boys U9 through U19 for the seasonal year 2019-2020

REGISTRATION AGES

·         Under 09: after January 1, 2011

·         Under 10: after January 1, 2010

·         Under 11: after January 1, 2009

·         Under 12: after January 1, 2008

·         Under 13: after January 1, 2007

·         Under 14: after January 1, 2006

·         Under 15: after January 1, 2005

·         Under 16: after January 1, 2004

·         Under 17: after January 1, 2003

·         Under 18: after January 1, 2002      

·         Under 19: after January 1, 2001

AWARDS

One award per player is presented to first and second place teams in each class of competition.

TOURNAMENT RULES

The Tournament is played in accordance with the FIFA Laws of the Game Guide for Referees: United States Soccer Federation, except as modified in this document (see the end of this document for small-sided age group-specific differences). Potomac Soccer Association intends to apply the rules as presented in this document, but reserves the right to rule as it deems necessary on any situation. Potomac Soccer Association is not responsible for any expenses incurred by any Team or Club if the Tournament is canceled in whole or part.

Law II: The Ball

Under 09 through Under 12: Size 4

Under 13 through Under 19: Size 5

Law III: Number of Players

Unlimited numbers of substitutions are allowed at the discretion of the referee. Substitutions are allowed, at the discretion of the referee, after any goal, at any kickoff or goal kick, by the team in possession of a throw-in, and at the time of an injury. In addition, teams may substitute at time of an opponent’s possession of a throw-in, presuming that the team in possession of the throw-in also is substituting, at the referee’s discretion.

U13, U14, U15, U16, U17, U18 & U19 Rule Modification: U13, U14, U15, U16, U17, U18 & U19 teams may have up to a maximum of 22 players on their tournament approved roster, which may include up to a maximum of 3 guest players. Prior to each match the team must provide to the field marshal their chosen 18 man roster for that particular match. Only these 18 players may remain in uniform in the bench area during the match.

Law IV: Players Equipment

Each player must have a different number, which must coincide with the number on the team’s Tournament Roster. All teams must have two jerseys of different colors. In case of color conflicts, the first team listed in the Schedule must change.

Laws V and VI: Referees & Assistant Referees

All referees are certified by the USSF. Small-sided games (7v7 or 9v9) use a 1-referee system, and full-sided (11v11) games use a 3-referee system. If less than two assistant referees appear at a game, the referee and Field Marshal shall solicit, and the coach of each team shall offer volunteers. The referee shall select the best qualified person(s) and explain the role of the assistant referee to the volunteer(s).

At the conclusion of each game, the referee submits an official game report to the Field Marshal, including the final score, the name and number of all players cautioned and/or sent off and the reason why, and the signature of each team’s coach or manager is required on each game report.

Law VII: Duration of the Game

25-minute halves: U09-U10 (7v7), U11-U12 (9v9)

30-minute halves: U13 - U15

35-minute halves: U16-U19 

The interval between halves is five (5) minutes

CONDUCT

A player or coach (whether he/she is actually shown a card or not) who receives an ejection from a game or is shown a red card (straight red or 2 yellows in one game) is required to sit out of the next game in which his team actively participates (forfeited games do not qualify), without regard to the importance of the game to player, coach or team.

Potomac Soccer Association does not tolerate disruptive behavior on or off the field or at area hotels, by players, coaches, parents or other spectators. No alcoholic beverages may be present or consumed at the field sites. Players, coaches, managers, parents and spectators are expected to conduct themselves in a responsible manner at all times. No team official or spectator may enter the field of play regardless of the circumstances unless the person has been given permission to do so by the referee.

Note: No smoking is allowed at the MD SoccerPlex. It is a smoke free facility by county law. No pets are allowed at the Maryland SoccerPlex facility. Any individual bringing a pet will be asked to remove that pet from the premises, immediately, by the Park Police.

POSITION OF PLAYERS AND SPECTATORS ON THE FIELD

Players and coaches for both teams shall occupy one side of the field, while spectators affiliated with those teams shall occupy the side of the field opposite that of the teams. All persons affiliated with a team are permitted on the sidelines only, not behind the goal line, and must remain at least 3 yards from the field of play at all times. No individual may stand closer to the end line than the 18-yard line. The home team listed first or on top in the Schedule has choice of sides.

FORFEITS

A team shall forfeit if it is not prepared to play with seven players within 10 minutes of the scheduled kick-off time (five players in the case of U9-U12 age groups). In no case shall a team which forfeits a game be declared a Round Robin Division Winner or Runner-Up or Wildcard Team.

If a team forfeits one Round Robin Game, it forfeits all its games in the Round Robin, even if one or more games have already been played. The winning teams will be awarded a 3-0 win. The forfeiting team may play all remaining Round Robin Games with referees as official exhibitions. Teams are requested to be present at least 30 minutes prior to scheduled kick-off time.

TOURNAMENT PROTESTS

No protests are accepted.

INCLEMENT WEATHER

In the event inclement weather forces cancellation of a game after at least one half of regulation time (or at the discretion of the tournament director) has been played, the game shall be considered official and the score at the point of cancellation shall be the final score. The decision on whether a game has been canceled or will be recommenced if weather improves (and if the referee agrees to resume play) is made by tournament officials, and communicated via the Field Marshal. If a game must be stopped before one half has been completed, tournament officials will rule on its potential rescheduling. Such a game may be temporarily halted and recommenced, picking up where play stopped. Regardless of weather conditions, coaches and their teams MUST appear on the field of play ready to play as scheduled unless officially notified not to appear by the Tournament Director. Failure to appear (unless notified) results in forfeiture of the game. In case of inclement weather, the Tournament Director or the Field Marshal may reduce the length of the game (no halftime break except to switch ends of the field). The Tournament Director or the Field Marshall or the referee may postpone or cancel any game. If the decision is made to postpone or cancel, that decision is final. Teams that continue to play shall be suspended from the Tournament.

TOURNAMENT STANDINGS AND TIE BREAKERS

1. In Round Robin play, teams receive a maximum of three (3) standings points per game, as follows:

·         three (3)points for a win

·         one (1) point for a tie

·         zero (0) points for a loss

If at the end of round robin play two teams are tied in standings points, the following will be used to determine the group winner:

Head-to-head result

Most wins

Total goal differential (goals for minus goals against) in all games (up to +/- 5 per game)

Fewest goals allowed

Penalty Kicks (in accordance with FIFA penalty kick tie break procedure)

If at the end of round robin play three or more teams are tied in standings points, the following will be used to determine the group winner:

Total goal differential (goals for minus goals against, up to +/- 5 per game)

Fewest goals allowed

Penalty Kicks (in accordance with FIFA penalty kick tie break procedure)

If one team has an advantage over all other "tied teams" after application of the first tiebreaking criterion, that team is declared the winner. If no advantage exists, the second criterion is applied, and so on until at least one team "falls out" of the tie. If at least one team "falls out" of the tie, without a winner yet being declared, the remaining "tied teams" shall return to have the first tiebreaking criterion applied (either for a 2-team tie or multi-team tie, as appropriate). If ultimately a tie between a number of teams greater than 2 still exists after all criterion have been applied, we will draw lots to determine team A, team B, etc. Team A v Team B will do FIFA kicks and the winner will play Team C, etc. to determine the winner.

2.             A.            In flights where there are three groups of four teams, each of the three 1st place teams advances to the semifinals, along with the 2nd place team (Wild Card) with the most standings points. If two or more 2nd place teams have the same number of standings points, tiebreakers above are used to break the tie (without regard to commonality of opponents). The group winner with the most standings points (Group Winner 1) shall play the Wild Card team in the semifinals, unless they both come from the same group. In that event, the group winner with the second-most standings points (Group Winner 2) shall play the Wild Card team in the semifinals, and Group Winner 1 shall play Group Winner 3.

                B.        In flights where there are 6 teams, each team in bracket A plays the other 3 teams in Bracket B. At the conclusion of group play the 4 teams with the highest accumulation of points plays in the semifinals as 1st v 4th, 2nd v 3rd.

                C.            In flights where there are 10 teams, each team in bracket A plays the other 3 teams in bracket B and the 3 teams in bracket B plays the 3 teams in bracket A. The 4 teams in bracket C play within their bracket. At the end of group play, Bracket C winner advances to the semis, the top 3 teams in accumulation of points advance to the semis. Bracket C winner plays the lowest seed #3, and the seed #1 plays seed #2 unless the #3 seed comes from bracket C in which case the bracket C winner plays seed #2.

                D.            In U15, U16, U17, U18 & U19 age groups ONLY:  8 team flights will play three group games with each group winner advancing directly to finals.

3. If Elimination Round Games end in a tie, two (2) periods of overtime shall be played to full time (i.e., no "golden goal"), each consisting of 5 minutes. The score at the conclusion of both overtime periods shall stand. If the game remains tied at the conclusion of the overtime periods, referees shall proceed to FIFA Penalty Kicks to determine the winner of the game.

4. If the Final ends in a tie, two (2) periods of overtime shall be played to full time (i.e., no "golden goal"), each consisting of 5 minutes. If the game remains tied at the conclusion of both overtime periods, referees shall proceed to FIFA Penalty Kicks to determine the winner of the game.

Players, coaches or spectators receiving a red card (or ejected for the match for any reason) or two yellow cards in a match will be sent off for the rest of that match and must sit out the next match that their team plays (this is a minimum sanction, as additional sanctions may be imposed by the tournament, as deemed appropriate). In addition, suspended players may not be present at the vicinity of the field before, during, or after any game. This applies to all group, semifinal and final games. NO EXCEPTIONS, NO PROTESTS AND NO APPEALS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES REGARDLESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MATCH TO ANY INDIVIDUAL OR TEAM.

U9 & U10 (7v7)-SPECIFIC DIFFERENCES AND INFORMATION

1. Number of Players: 7-a-side (6 plus goalkeeper)

2. Field Size: approximately 45-50 yards x 65-75 yards

3. Goal Size: approximately 6.5 feet x 18 feet

4. Roster Size: Maximum number of registered players is 14

Build Out Line

When the goalkeeper has the ball, either during play (from the opponent) or from a goal kick, the opposing team must move behind the build out line until the ball is put into play.  Once the opposing team is behind the build out line, the goalkeeper can pass, throw or roll the ball into play (punting is not allowed). After the ball is put into play by the goalkeeper, the opposing team can cross the build out line and play resumes as normal.  If a goalkeeper punts the ball, an indirect free kick should be awarded to the opposing team from the spot of the offense.  The buildout line will also be used to denote where offside offenses can be called.

U11 & U12 (9v9)-SPECIFIC DIFFERENCES AND INFORMATION

1. Number of Players: 9-a-side (8 plus goalkeeper)

2. Field Size: approximately 45-50 yards x 65-75 yards

3. Goal Size: approximately 6.5 feet x 18 feet

4. Roster Size: Maximum number of registered players is 16

 U9, U10 & U11 SPECIFIC DIFFERENCES AND INFORMATION

Heading the ball is prohibited in U11 games and younger. At age group divisions U11 and younger, whenever the ball strikes a player in the head, play is stopped.  If deliberate, then the proper restart is an indirect free kick to the opposing team.  If this occurs within the goal area, the indirect free kick should be taken on the goal area line parallel to the goal line at the point nearest to where the infringement occurred.  If the play by the head is deemed inadvertent, then the proper restart is a dropped ball.

SPECIAL MESSAGE REGARDING VIDEO EQUIPMENT AND DRONES

Drones and Arial video and photography and the use of HI-Pod (or similar) video camera equipment are not permitted at any facility used for the Potomac Memorial Tournament.

CANCELLATION

In the event of tournament cancellation, there is no guarantee of refunds.