Outdoor Rules

Revised March 13, 2024

  1. STANDARD FIFA LAWS APPLY WITH MODIFICATIONS AS NOTED BELOW.
  1. PLAYER CARDS 
    1. All players must have a physical Player Card in order to play in the league.
    2. Player Cards are valid from January 1 – December 31 of each year, requiring a new Player Card every year.
    3. Player Cards may be purchased at the Dome Front Desk, on Monday – Friday, 7AM – 7PM.
    4. Players are required to show their Player Card to the Referee at the beginning of each game. 
    5. Referees will not accept a picture of your card on your cell phone or pulling it up on the DASH app.
    6. Player Cards will be returned to players after the game unless a red card is issued. In this instance, the Referee will turn in the Player Card to the Dome Front Desk. The player may pick up their Player Card once their suspension is complete on Monday – Friday, 7AM – 7PM. See Section 8 for more details.
    7. If a player forgets or loses their Player Card, a replacement may be purchased from the Dome Front Desk on Monday – Friday, 7AM – 7PM.  
    8. If a player is discovered playing without a Player Card, that player will receive a minimum one-month suspension.
  1. MANAGER AND PLAYER RESPONSIBILITIES
    1. KEEP THE BENCH AREAS CLEAN
      1. Players, teams and coaches are responsible for removing all items from their bench area after every game, including but not limited to used tape, water bottles, sports wrap, etc.
    2. FOOD
      1. Players are not allowed to chew gum or tobacco, or eat anything at any time on the turf surface; no food products are allowed on the turf surface.
      2. All empty bottles and containers must be removed or thrown away after every game.
    3. SPITTING
      1. Spitting on the turf is prohibited.
    4. FOUL AND ABUSIVE LANGUAGE
      1. Foul language will not be tolerated.
      2. Any F*** related words directed or questioned at Referees or Soccer Alaska Officials will result in an immediate red card.
      3. Other dissenting language may result in a Player receiving a yellow card.
    5. TAUNTING
      1. Taunting will not be tolerated.
    6. SPECTATORS
      1. Spectators, including children, are not allowed anywhere on the turf at any time before, during or after the game.
      2. The Referee or league officials will ask spectators to return to the stands if they are on the turf.
      3. Should spectators not leave, the Referee will terminate the game and notate a Forfeit against the offending team.
      4. This rule is aimed at keeping all spectators safe.
    7. ROSTERS
      1. Soccer Alaska does not currently utilize rosters, however teams should endeavor to include all their players on their team on DASH.
      2. Generally, substitute players may be added to a team, provided they have a Player Card.
      3. Referees have absolute authority to disallow substitute players or remove said player during the game if the Referee deems:
        1. The substitute player is playing at a higher skill level and outplaying most players on the field.
        2. The substitute player is committing too many fouls in the Referee’s opinion.
  1. GAME OF PLAY
    1. ELIGIBILITY
      1. Players must be 18 years or older to play in the league.
    2. GAME DURATION
      1. Games start promptly at the time scheduled. 
      2. Games will be forty-minute halves with a five-minute half-time.
      3. Time will be extended for the taking of a Penalty Kick at halftime or the end of a game.
      4. All teams must sit on the same side of the field.
    3. FORFEITS
      1. A fifteen-minute grace period will be given to a team without the minimum number of players to start the game. This grace period will count as part of the game time. The clock is running. The team that is short players will have fifteen minutes to field the minimum number of players.  If, after fifteen minutes, the team is still short, that team will Forfeit the game.  If both teams are without the minimum number of players after the fifteen-minute grace period, the game is terminated.
      2. Any team with multiple forfeits will be subject to disciplinary action, including possible season suspensions for the team, manager and/or players.
    4. NUMBER OF PLAYERS
      1. Must have a minimum of seven players at the start of the game, including one designated goalkeeper.
      2. May have maximum of eleven players, ten field players and one designated goalkeeper.
      3. If a team, through injuries and/or red cards falls to six players, including the goalkeeper, the game will be terminated. 
      4. Coed Teams Only: Must have no more than five male field players on the field during the game, with the exception of the goalkeeper (5 male + 1 female + keeper is okay to start).
    5. SUBSTITUTIONS
      1. Normal FIFA rules apply.
      2. The existing player may exit the field at the nearest touchline or goal line.
      3. The incoming player must enter the field at center line and may not enter the field until the existing player has left the field of play.
      4. If a team is found to have more than the maximum number of players on the field, the extra player(s) entering the field shall receive a yellow card. 
      5. The Referee must be notified of a goalkeeper change.
    6. SLIDING
      1. Sliding at or near any player is not allowed.
      2. A violation of this rule will result in an IFK for the non-offending team.
      3. Any tackle that would normally warrant a DFK, yellow card, or red card must be penalized as such.
      4. Exceptions:
        1. Goalkeepers may slide as long as their slide takes place, or begins, inside the penalty area.
        2. Sliding is allowed for Men’s A division only.
    7. GOALKEEPERS
      1. The goalkeeper will wear a jersey of a distinctive color different from any other player on the field.
      2. If a goalkeeper touches a ball with their hands on a pass back or throw in from a teammate, an IFK will be awarded at the spot of the infraction for the opposing team.
      3. The goalkeeper may handle the ball within his/her penalty area for up to six seconds after controlling the ball. The goalkeeper may take unlimited steps inside his/her own penalty area before releasing the ball. Releasing means throwing or rolling the ball to anyone including him/herself or dribbling the ball with the feet.
      4. If the goalkeeper retains the ball for more than six seconds, an IFK will be awarded to the opposing team at the spot of the infraction.
      5. The goalkeeper is allowed to drop kick or punt the ball. 
  1. PLAYER EQUIPMENT
    1. UNIFORMS
      1. All players will wear shorts, shin guards, socks, shoes and have matching jerseys/shirts.
      2. Leggings are allowed but shorts must be worn over the leggings.
      3. Pants, including warmups, are not allowed, with the exception of goalkeepers.
      4. All teams must have matching jerseys/shirts.  A plain shirt the same color as teammates jersey/shirt is not considered acceptable; it must be an exact match.
      5. The referee shall not let the game commence until all members of the team on the field have matching jerseys/shirts.  Shirts may be traded with substitute players if need be.  If a team does not have enough matching jerseys/shirts, the referee shall notate a Forfeit against the offending team.
      6. If a team does not have enough matching jerseys/shirts, the team may check-out Pinnies for that game from the Dome Front Desk for free.  Pinnies must be returned with 24 hours of the conclusion of that game.  
      7. If a team needs Pinnies for the whole summer, they may also pick them up at the Dome Front Desk at the beginning of the season.
      8. When two competing teams have the same color, the home team will change to a contrasting color.  
    2. BLEEDING / BLOOD ON THE UNIFORM
      1. A player with a bleeding injury must be substituted for immediately. 
      2. That player may not re-enter until the bleeding has stopped and the injury is bandaged. 
      3. A player may not play with blood on the uniform.
    3. SHIN GUARDS
      1. Commercially manufactured shin guards are mandatory for all players. Shin guards must be completely covered by the socks.  Cardboard, Styrofoam, napkins, paper towels, and similar materials stuffed into socks do not replace shin guards.  
      2. Players will not be allowed to play without shin guards.
    4. CASTS/BRACES
      1. No plaster casts or metal braces shall be allowed unless wrapped safely in 1/2″ soft padding. It is up to the discretion of the Referee whether or not the padding is sufficient.  
      2. Exception: ACL and similar braces are allowed.
    5. SHOES
      1. Indoor, turf and molded cleats are all acceptable equipment. There will be absolutely no baseball, football or metal cleats allowed.
    6. JEWELRY
      1. Players are encouraged to remove all jewelry while playing.
      2. If a player chooses to wear jewelry, it must not pose a risk of injury to players. A jewelry item that can scrape, gouge, entangle, or otherwise injure any player, including the wearer, is not allowed. Examples of prohibited jewelry include but are not limited to: jeweled or rough rings (smooth rings are permissible), large or rough watches (fitness tracker watches are permissible provided they have smooth edges and are tight against a player’s wrist), large or rough necklaces, and sharp or oversized earrings.
      3. Referees may require any item of jewelry worn to be taped to the skin for safety or removed completely, at the referee’s discretion, if he or she believes it may pose a risk of injury to players.
  1. RESTART OF PLAY MODIFICATIONS
    1. FOR ALL RESTARTS
      1. All opposing players must be at least 10 yards away from the ball on all restarts.  
      2. Players are required to give the minimum distance without the other team asking for distance.  
      3. If a player deliberately does not give the minimum distance and ball is played and touches the defensive person within the minimum distance, a yellow card may be given to that player.
    2. KICK OFF
      1. The kickoff is a DFK.
      2. The ball may be kicked in any direction, but must move to be considered in play.
      3. The kicker may not play the ball again until another player has touched it.
    3. OFFSIDE
      1. Normal FIFA rules apply.
    4. BALL OUT OF PLAY ACROSS TOUCHLINE
      1. Results in a throw in.
      2. The team has five seconds to restart play.
      3. The ball must re-enter the field of play within one yard of the throw in spot.
    5. BALL OUT OF PLAY ACROSS GOAL LINE
      1. Normal FIFA rules will apply for both goal kicks and corner kicks.
    6. INDIRECT FREE KICK (IFK)
      1. Normal FIFA rules apply.
    7. DIRECT FREE KICK (DFK)
      1. Normal FIFA rules apply.
    8. PENALTY KICK
      1. Normal FIFA rules apply.
      2. The ball will be placed at the penalty kick spot.  All field players will be outside of the penalty box and arc.  The goalkeeper must have both feet in contact with the goal line and may not move forward from the line until the ball is kicked.  The ball must be kicked in a forward direction.  The kicker may not play the ball a second time until another player has touched it.  Time will be extended for the taking of a penalty kick at halftime and at the end of a game.
  1. YELLOW CARD (CAUTION)
    1. All FIFA rules apply.
    2. Two yellow cards to one player (or the goalkeeper) results in a red card.
    3. There is no two-minute penalty rule for the Summer Outdoor Season.
  1. RED CARD (SEND-OFF)
    1. All FIFA rules apply.
    2. The offending team must play with one less player on the field for the duration of the game, even if the red card was due to two yellow cards to a single player.
    3. When a player is ejected, they must immediately leave field for the entire day.
    4. The Referee will withhold the ejected players Player Card and the player’s full name will be recorded by the referee in the game report.
    5. The ejected player is not allowed to participate in any Soccer Alaska games, regardless of the team, for a minimum of eight (8) days or until they’ve missed their next scheduled game with the team in which they received the ejection – whichever is longer.
    6. The ejected player may be subject to further disciplinary action by the League.
    7. Once their suspension is complete, the player may pick up their Player Card at the Dome Front Desk on Monday – Friday, 7AM – 7PM.
    8. Referees have discretion on how separate players that have been ejected during the same instance.
    9. Should a player be caught playing while being suspended, that player’s suspension will be extended for a period of no less than one month and may face expulsion from the league.
  1. REFEREE OFFICIATING 
    1. Referees shall enforce these rules.
    2. When two or more referees work together they will wear uniforms that are the same color and style. If any referee’s uniform is the same color as any team, the referee will change.
  1. GAME RESCHEDULING 
    1. In the event that a Referee cannot be found, teams should play against each other at their scheduled game time. 
    2. Soccer Alaska will do its best to reschedule the game but will not issue refunds or account credits if a Referee was unable to officiate the game.
  1. RELEGATION
    1. Soccer Alaska embraces the philosophy of Relegation.  
    2. After each season, Soccer Alaska will move the top teams from each division up one division, and the lower teams down one division, based on the standings.
    3. Soccer Alaska retains the ability to move team between divisions, both prior to the start of a season or during the season if, in the League’s sole discretion, it is deemed a team should be registered in a higher or lower division.
  2. CODE OF CONDUCT
    1. All participants in Soccer Alaska must adhere to its Code of Conduct found at https://socceralaska.com/conduct/.
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