Intramural soccer rules - indoor
INDOOR SOCCER RULES
Updated April 2022
DISCLAIMER
This is intramurals: recreational sports organized within a particular institution or a set geographic area. Players come with different levels of expertise and intensity. Have fun, play hard, but avoid unnecessary aggression and/or contact. Everyone wants to play; Nobody wants to get hurt.
Enrollment Agreement
The intent of the McGill Intramural program is friendly competition. Self-control and proper conduct are required at all times. Unacceptable behavior will not be tolerated and may result in suspension from further participation in the program. McGill University and its administration are not responsible for any and all claims of loss, damage or injury to persons or property, however caused to any party arising directly or indirectly from participation in the Intramural Program. Use of the facilities and participation in the Intramural program are entirely at the participant's own risk. It is the captain's responsibility to communicate the above statement with their team members. It is also the captain's responsibility to have an adequate sized roster.
ID. CARDS
• Each player must show their validated I.D. card and vaccine passport to the referee (ref) prior to the start of the game and indicate the team that they are on.
• After the ref has confirmed your I.D. card, take the appropriate colored pinnie and report your number to the ref.
• After the game is played, return your pinnie to your captain. The captain is responsible for returning all pinnies to the refs.
DEFAULT RULE
• A ten (10) minute delay to the start of the game will be granted if a team has an insufficient number of players.
• The amount of time that the start of the game was delayed will be subtracted from the first half of the game.
If a team still has too few players after the delay, they will default the game.
EQUIPMENT
• Pinnies will be issued to each team at the game site. Goalkeepers will not wear a pinnie, so that they can be distinguished from the other players.
• Regulation (FIFA approved) soccer balls are supplied and used in all games
SHOES: Metal or replaceable cleats are NOT permitted.
WEATHER
• Regardless of the weather, players are asked to always show up at the game site. Rain or snow will not necessarily result in a game being canceled.
RULES
• Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) rules apply during all Intramural soccer games, with the following exceptions and amendments:
SIGNING UP
• Staff and Alumni must be Sports Complex Members to participate, and will pay a $25 Intramural fee. Students do not have to pay this extra sign up fee.
PLAYERS
• Indoor Soccer is played with teams of 5 players (goalie included).
• This is a CO REC league and both sexes MUST be represented on the court – at least 1 girl and 1 boy.
• Players CANNOT play for two teams. If a player wants to fill in, the opposing team must agree upon the terms before the game starts (e.g., “if we are losing by 5 goals by the second half, can we bring on this player?”)
RESCHEDULING OR POSTPONING a game
The Captain must request through the Coordinator at least 48 hours before the scheduled game.
ELIGIBILITY for Playoffs
A player is eligible if they have played in at least 2 of the regular season games. Players who wish to change teams may do so within 2 weeks from the start of the season only. They must make their request with the League Coordinator. After 2 weeks, no transfer will be allowed.
GAME TIME
• Games will consist of 2 halves of 25 minutes of continuous time (not stopped when the ball goes out of play), with a 1-2 minute half-time interval.
• The game is officially over once the clock buzzer has sounded. Should a goal be scored after the buzzer sound, the goal will not stand.
DEFAULT RULE
• A five (5) minute delay to the start of the game will be granted if a team has insufficient number of players to begin. The delay time will be subtracted from the first half.
• If a team still has too few players after the delay, it will default the game.
EQUIPMENT
• Clean, non-marking athletic shoes and shin guards are highly recommended for all players. Use of running shoes instead of flat indoor soccer shoes increases risk of sprained ankles.
• Colored and numbered Pinnies will be issued to each team.
• GOALKEEPERS: will not wear a pinnie, so that they can be distinguished from the other players.
Note: All goalkeepers should nonetheless pick up a pinnie when they register for the game and leave it beside their goalpost, so that they can put it on rapidly should they decide to trade places in goal with another player.
RULES - Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) rules apply during all Intramural Soccer games. FIFA laws of the game can be obtained from the FIFA website. The following exceptions and amendments apply to Mac Intramurals:
BALL IN AND OUT OF PLAY
• The ball may be bounced against the walls however the ball is out of play when the whole ball crosses the net under the balcony. A corner or a goal kick will be given if a ball hits or goes over the balcony depending on which team touched it last.
• If the ball touches any part of the ceiling infrastructure, basketball hoops, or crosses the pipe line on the wall, an indirect free kick will be assessed in accordance with rules outlined in the Direct & Indirect Kick section.
PLAYOFFS: GAME TIED at the END of REGULATION TIME
• For playoff games which remain tied after regulation time, the game shall proceed to a penalty shootout. Five (5) penalty kicks will be taken by each team, followed by sudden-death penalty kicks. Penalty kicks may be taken by any team member who has signed up on the game sheet, regardless of whether the player was on the field at the completion of the game. The first two shooters must be a male and female on either team.
• Once a player has taken a penalty kick, he/she may not go a second time until all other players have gone once.
Special rule during the FINAL only, should the game be still tied after regulation time, the game will proceed to two five (5) minute halves of overtime, which will be played in full (no golden/silver goal). Should the overtime not be enough to break the tie, the game will proceed to a penalty shootout.
SUBSTITUTIONS
• Player SUBSTITUTION is unlimited, and may take at any time during the game, “on the fly”. Substitute players must remain behind the net, under the balcony.
• Goalkeeper switches must be signaled to game officials. The ref will then wait for a dead-ball situation to allow the substitution to be made.
• If the substitute enters the field of play before the outgoing player has exited the field, and the substitute touches the ball or becomes involved with play, an indirect free-kick will be awarded and the offending player will receive a Yellow Card.
HANDBALLS
Yellow card for a handball:
If player deliberately handles ball to prevent an opponent from getting to it.
If player attempts to score by deliberately handling the ball
Red card: if player deliberately handles the ball and prevents an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.
• ALL handballs that are called will result in DIRECT free kicks. Handballs inside the box = penalty kick.
• Goalkeepers: Keep in mind that handball rules also apply to goalkeepers who handle the ball outside the penalty box
OFFSIDE There is no offside in indoor soccer.
FREE-KICK DISTANCE On free-kicks, as well as corner-kicks and kick-ins, all opponents must be at least 5 yards away from the ball until it is in play.
PENALTY SHOTS
• Penalty shots shall be taken from the center spot at the top of the penalty area. All players except the shooter and the goalie must remain outside the penalty area, behind the ball, and at least 5m away from the ball.
• Also recall that GOALKEEPERS must remain on the line, and can move sideways, but cannot move forward when a penalty kick is taken.
KICK-IN
To be taken in place of the throw-in when the ball goes out of bounds
The ball is placed two feet away from the wall.
The kick-in must be taken within 4 seconds; if it is not, the kick-in is given to the opposing team.
The kicker cannot play the ball a second time until it has been played by another player; infringement of this rule entail an indirect free kick to the opposing from the point of infringement.
Players on opposing team must be at least 5 yards away from the point of kick-in.
A goal cannot be scored directly from a kick-in.
KICK-OFF
Opponents of the team taking the kick-off must be at least 3 yards away from the ball (outside the red lines closest to center court).
The ball shall be deemed in play from the moment it is kicked and moves forward (i.e. can’t pass the ball backwards from kick-off).
Players may not play the ball until the referee has blown his/her whistle.
THE KICK-OFF IS AN INDIRECT KICK.
GOALKEEPING
Goalkeepers are now allowed to propel the ball with their hands out of the defensive zone, without the necessity of contact being made by another player (from either team), prior to its leaving the zone.
Goalkeepers may not touch the ball with their hands OR feet in their own half for more than four (4) seconds. If not followed, an indirect free-kick will be given to the opponent. Ultimately, this 4s count falls under the discretion of the specific referee.
The goaltender is considered as an outfielder in the opponent’s half and has no limitations.
The goalie may not score by throwing the ball into the opposing net.
GOAL CLEARANCE
The goal clearance is a method of restarting play, and replaces the “goal-kick” from outdoor soccer. Unlike goal-kicks, goal clearances are thrown by hand.
• A goal clearance shall be awarded when the ball, having last touched a player of the attacking team, crosses the goal line or goes behind the net.
Procedure
• The ball shall be thrown from any point inside the penalty area by the goalkeeper.
• Opponents shall remain outside the penalty area until the ball is in play. The ball shall be deemed in play when it is thrown directly out of the penalty area.
• The goalkeeper may not play the ball a second time (with his/her hands or feet) until it has been touched by an opponent OR has crossed the halfway line. Any infringement of this rule will result in an indirect free-kick to the opposing team, from the place where the infringement occurred.
Additional notes:
• A goal may not be scored directly from a goal clearance.
• If the goal clearance is not taken within 4 seconds of the goalkeeper taking possession of the ball, an indirect free-kick shall be awarded to the opposing team.
SLIDE TACKLES
• Slide tackles are NOT permitted in indoor soccer, and will be dealt with in the following manner.
a. All slide tackles will result in a Yellow Card and a direct free kick.
b. All slide tackles from behind will result in a Red Card and expulsion of the offending player from the game
FOULS & MISCONDUCT
A Yellow Card results in a 10-minute penalty substitution for the player given the card. The player given the card must be replaced by another player on the team and cannot come back into play until 10-minutes have elapsed.
Any Red Card results in the expulsion of the offending player for the remainder of that game - and an additional two game suspension, depending on the severity of the infraction.
A player who accumulates three (3) Yellow Cards during the season will be suspended for one (1) game. If a player receives a fourth (4th) Yellow Card he/she will be suspended for two (2) games. If a player receives a fifth (5th) Yellow Card he/she will be suspended for the remainder of the season (including playoffs).
• A player who receives his/her second (2nd) Red Card of the season will be suspended for the remainder of the season (including the playoffs).
• Yellow/Red Cards may be given to players on the sidelines.
INJURY & ACCIDENT REPORTING PROTOCOL
Should an injury or accident occur during an Intramural game, the following steps should be taken:
all major injuries/accidents that require an ambulance:
call 911 and security's emergency line (514-398-7777)
fill out incident/accident report in the office
call Jill (514-220-4352)
all minor injuries/accidents that require first aid, assistance leaving the premises, or any head injuries
Call security if you feel uncomfortable handling the injury on your own (514-398-7770)
find someone to accompany the injured party if they cannot get home on their own
fill out accident/incident report