Outdoor Soccer Rules

Game Length

  • Games are 55 minutes in length, teams should switch half way through.

  • Games start and end according to your online CSSC schedule.

  • If games start late, games must finish at the scheduled time

General Rules

  •  In general, standard soccer rules apply. Notable exceptions are listed below:

    1. Teams are comprised of 6 players (including goalie).

    2. Each half and after each goal starts with one team initiating play by making a forward pass from the centre of the field.

    3. If a ball is kicked out of bounds along the sidelines, a kick-in is awarded to the opposite team.

    4. If a ball is kicked out of bounds along the goal line by the offence, a goal kick is awarded to the defending team

    5. If a ball is kicked out of bounds along the goal line by the defense, a corner kick is awarded to the attacking team. Offensive players, please be in control of your bodies when going for balls on corner kicks. Crashing the goalie can result in a dangerous play.

    6. Substitutions should be made only when a stoppage in play has occurred i.e. no changing on the fly

    7. A handball infraction occurs when the ball hits a player's arm from the ELBOW down (as opposed to the shoulder). In addition players may use their arms to block the ball from hitting their groin area, and women can also use their arms to block the ball from hitting their chest. This rule will reduce the number of stoppages in play. Please don't abuse this rule.

    8. All free kicks are indirect. To score off an indirect kick, the ball must be touched by another player (offense or defense, but not the goalie).

    9. Defensive players cannot be within 8 feet of the ball when an indirect kick is being taken.

    10. The offending player should call their own infractions, however any players involved with the incident can also make a call.

    11. When a foul is called, play must stop as there is no "advantage".

    12. Teams may call a one (1) minute time-out per half if needed

    13. Each team should bring both light and dark coloured shirts to each and every game.

    14. A game can end in a tie during the regular season. In the playoffs, a game that is tied at the end of regulation time is decided by a five-minute sudden death overtime period. If still tied, a shoot-out will commence. Teams should extend their nets to 4 full length goal posts for the shoot-out. This is for the safety of goalies as shooters are encouraged to aim the ball, rather then blast it as hard as they can. Also shots will be taken at a distance of 12 paces (approx. 25 feet).

    15. Each of the five players on the field takes one shot each

    16. Only the players on the field at the end of the game can participate and the goalie that finished the game remains the goalie for the shoot-out. After five shots, if still tied, teams continue taking single shots until one team has scored (and the other team does not). The order of shooters must be maintained.

    17. Metal cleats are not allowed.

    18. Even if contact is made with the ball first, slide tackling is not allowed under any circumstances (even if an opponent is not in the vicinity).

Off-sides

  • There are NO off-sides. However, a strategy of consistently "cherry-picking" is considered to be unsportsmanlike.

Rough Play

  • ANY ROUGH OR PHYSICAL PLAY MAY RESULT IN IMMEDIATE EXPULSION FROM FURTHER LEAGUE PLAY.

  • It is recognized that incidental contact between players is inevitable – however, all players should go out of their way to avoid creating an unsafe play. This rule supersedes all others.

  • Please remember that you are playing in a self-officiated, co-ed, social league, so any arguments or disputes should be kept to a minimum.

Discrepancies/Disputes

  • If an infraction is disputed, a kick-in from the sideline is awarded to the offensive team.

  • If a goal is disputed, an indirect kick is awarded to the offensive team from where the original shot was taken.

More Questions?