FOR PLAYERS ( BOTH  BOYS & GIRLS OVER THE AGE OF 6 & UNDER 11 )

Please note : Where Leagues operate Under 11 Mini-Soccer events,

 they must follow these laws

    Except where other provision, in these Laws are made, the Laws of Association football apply.  Each Lawis numbered to 
    correspond with the appropriate Law of the Game.  These Laws are mandatory unless special permission is granted by 
    The Football Association.

 
                    LAW 1.  PLAYING AREA 

 
    Recommended Size of Pitch
 
Under 10s/9s
 
Under 8s/7s
 
Width
Metres
Yards
Metres
Yards
 
Min.  27.45
Min. 30
Min. 18.30
Min. 20
 
Max. 36.60
Max. 40
Max. 27.45
Max. 30
Length
Min. 45.75
Min. 50
Min. 27.45
Min. 30
 
Max. 54.90
Max. 60
Max. 45.75
Max. 50
 
             Penalty Area
             Length   9.15m - 10 yards
             Width  16.47m— 18 yards
 
             Penalty Mark
The penalty mark is 7.32m ( 8 yards ) from the Goal Line opposite the Centre of the Goal. 
 
             Halfway Line
The field of play is divided into two halves by a halfway line. The centre mark is indicated at the mid-point of 
               the halfway line.
 
Goal Size
The distance between the posts is 3.6m ( 12 foot ) and the distance between the lower edge of the cross bar 
and the ground is 1.88m (6 foot).
 
WARNING 
In view of a number of accidents that have occurred, it is necessary to ensure that portable goals of any size 
are either pinned or weighted to prevent them from toppling forward.


        LAW 2.   THE BALL

The ball should be no larger than size 4. Size 3 is recommended for Under 8’s. It should be safe and made of leather
or another suitable material. 





 
                       
                         LAW 3.     NUMBER OF PLAYERS  
                                   
               Number per team (including goalkeeper) 
                                  Over 6 and Under 8’s                      4 v 4 and 5 v 5  
                                   Over 8 and Under 10’s                    6 v 6 and 7 v 7 
 
          Players must play with and against players only from their own age range - within a two year age band. Players 
          should not be allowed to begin to play until the Season of their 7th birthday.
 
          Each team must not have a squad greater than double the size of the team per age. 
 
          Any number of substitutes, without being named, may be used at any time with the permission of the referee or
          game leader. Entry into the field of play will only be allowed during a stoppage in play. A player who has been
          replaced may return to the playing area as a substitute for another player.
 
                     
                      LAW 4.  PLAYING EQUIPMENT

          Players must wear shinguards and goalkeepers must wear a distinguishing playing strip.
 
          Shinguards must be covered entirely by the stockings.



 
                      LAW 5.   REFEREES
          The Authority of the Referee
 
          Each match is controlled by a referee who has full authority to enforce the Laws of the Game in connection with 
          the match to which they have been appointed.
 
          Powers and Duties 
           The Referee:
          a) Enforces the Laws of the Game
          b) Controls the match in co-operation with the assistant referees / time keeper
          c) Ensures that the ball meets the requirements of Law 2
          d) Ensures that the players’ equipment meets the requirements of Law 4
          e) Stops, suspends or terminates the match, at their discretion, for any infringementsof the Laws
          f) Stops, suspends or terminates the match because of outside interference of any kind
          g) Stops the match if, in their opinion, a player is seriously injured and ensures that they are removed from the 
          field of play.
          h) Ensures that any player bleeding from a wound leaves the field of play
          i) Allows play to continue when the team against which an offence has been committed will benefit from such an
          advantage and penalises the original offence if the anticipated advantage does not ensue at that time
          j) Takes disciplinary action against players guilty of cautionable and / or sending-off offence
          k)Takes action against team officials who fail to conduct themselves in a responsible manner and may, at their discretion, expel
          them from the field of play and its immediate surrounds
          l) Ensures that no unauthorised persons enter the field of play
          m) Restarts the march after it has been stopped
 
               Decisions of the Referee
               The decisions of the referee regarding facts connected with the play are final
 
               The referee may only change a decision on realising that it is incorrect or, at his / her discretion provided that play has not restarted. 
 

                 LAW 6.   TIMEKEEPER / SCORER / ASSISTANT REFEREE    
          Duties 
           A person may be nominated to assist the referee to :-
          (a) Record goals scored 
          (b) Act as timekeeper and signify to the referee by an agreed signal when time of eace half has expired;
          (c) Suspend time on an instruction from the referee for all stoppages and add that time to the end of the each half;
          (d) Supervises the use of rolling substitutions;
          (e) Carry out any other dutised as prescribed by the referee; If an independent timekeeper / scorer is not nominated,
these duties are the responsibility of the referee.



 
                        
                    LAW 7.     DURATION OF GAME
              In any one day, no player shall play more than the stipulated period outlined below.
              Within this maximum the recommended duration of games is provided.
 
             Recommended Number of:                Maximum duration ofminutes each half       Participation per day per player
              Over 6 and under 8                           10 minutes                                                     45 minutes 
              Over 8 and under 10                         15 minutes                                                     60 minutes 
 
 
               Each league / tournament will determine its own playing time within the maximum time permitted. The half time interval 
              must not exceed 5 minutes.

 
                    LAW 8.    START AND RESTART OF PLAY 
           Procedure
 
          A kick-off is taken at the centre of the playing area to start the game and after a goal has been scored, opponents must be 4.5m 
          ( 5 yards ) away from the ball, and in their own half of the field. The ball must be played forward.
 
          Special Circumstances
           A dropped ball to restart the match after play has been temporarily stopped inside the penalty area takes place on thepenalty area 
          line parallel to the goal line at that point nearest to where the ball was located when the play stopped.
 
           A goal cannot be scored direct from the start or reset of play.
 
 
                    LAW 9.   BALL IN AND OUT OF PLAY
           Ball out of Play
          The ball is out of play when:
           ·      It has wholly crossed the goal line or touch line whether on the ground or in the air.
            ·      Play has been stopped by the referee
 
          Ball in Play
              The ball is in play at all other times, including when:
                  ·      It rebounds from a goal post, crossbar or corner flag post and remains in the field of play.  
                  ·      It rebounds from either the referee or an assisstant referee when they are on the field of play
 
 
                       LAW 10.       METHOD OF SCORING      
             Goal Scored
              A goal is scored when the whole of the ball passes over the goal line, between the goalposts and under the crossbar, 
          provided that no infringement of the Laws of the Game has been committed previously by the team scoring the goal.
 
             Winning Team
 
             The team scoring the greater number of goals during a match is the winner. If both teams score an equal number of 
          goals, or if no goals are scored, the match is drawn.
           
             Competition Rules
              For matches ending in a draw, tournament rules may state provisions involving extra time, or other procedures
          approved by the International F. A. Board to determine the winner of a match.
 
             Please note this must be included within the maximum participation time.

 
                       LAW 11.      OFFSIDE
             There is no offside.






                     

  
                   LAW 12.      FOULS AND MISCONDUCT
              In Mini Soccer all free kicks are direct.
              A free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any of the following offences in a manner considered 
          to be careless, reckless or using excessive force:
               ·        Kicks or attempts to kick an opponent
           ·        Tripsor attempts to trip an opponent
           ·        Jumps at an opponent
           ·        Charges an opponent
           ·        Strikes or attempts to strike an opponent
           ·        Pushes an opponent
 
          A free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any of the following offences:
            ·        Holds an opponent
            ·        Spits at an opponent.
             ·        Handles the ball deliberately ( except for the goalkeeper within his / her own penalty area )
            ·        Plays in a dangerous manner
            ·       Impedes the progress of an opponent
             ·        Prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from his / her hands
             ·        Commits any other offence, not previously mentioned in Law 12, for which play is stopped to caution or dismiss a player
 
                Penalty Kick
                A penalty kick is awarded if any of the above offences is committed by a player inside his /   her own penalty area, 
                irrespective of the position of the ball, provided it is in play.
                A free kick is awarded to the opposing team if the goalkeeper:
           ·       Takes more than 6 seconds to release the ball from his / her hands
            ·       Touches the ball again with his / her hands after it has been released from his / her possession and has not 
          touched any other player.
             ·       Touches the ball with his / her hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him / her by a team mate
            ·       Touches the ball with his /her hands after he / she has received it directly from a throw in taken by a team 
          mate
 
 
          For all these offences, the free kick should be taken from the penalty area line, parallel  with the goal line, at the nearest point 
          to the offence.   
 
          Cautionable Offences
          A player is cautioned and shown the yellow card if he / she commits any of the following seven offences:
          1.          Is guilty of unsporting behaviour
          2.          Shows dissent by word or action
          3.          Persistently infringes the Laws of the Game
          4.          Delays the restart of play
          5. Fails to respect the required distance when play is restarted with a corner kick or free kick     
          6.          Enters or re-enters the field of play without the referee’s permission