The rules of this tournament shall be in accordance with, FIFA Laws Of The Game (LOTG), except as modified and approved herein. The State Championship utilizes USYS Birth-Year matrix to determine age group. The oldest player on the team determines age group.

ELIGIBILITY AND NUMBER OF PLAYERS

CARDS ISSUED BY LOCAL FUTSAL LEAGUES OR OTHER FUTSAL ASSOCIATION THAT ARE NOT VIRGINIA FUTSAL ASSOCIATIONS ARE NOT VALID FOR TEAM CHECK IN AS THESE CARDS ARE NOT AGE-VERIFIED.  ONLY VIRGINIA FUTSAL PASSES ARE VALID.

Players may not play on, or register for, more than one team in the  tournament. NO EXCEPTIONS!  Players may only play with the team they are registered to. Player may not play in multiple age groups.

All reports of roster or player eligibility violations will be dealt with by VYSA for action after the team is disqualified from championship play.

THE PUBLIX VIRGINIA FUTSAL CHAMPIONSHIP IS THE ONLY WAY TO QUALIFY FOR THE US FUTSAL NORTHEAST REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN WILDWOOD, NEW JERSEY.

Virginia Futsal has sole discretion as to the teams accepted and reserve the right to add, combine or delete divisions and place team as best suited for the tournament.  Teams that are champions of “qualifying” tournaments will receive automatic acceptance into their respective age group.

All teams are required to present their Virginia Futsal player passes and rosters at team check in and/or prior to check in as requested by the Tournament Director.

HEADQUARTERS AND STAFF

Virginia Futsal/Virginia Youth Soccer Association
10705 Spotsylvania Ave, Suite 201
Fredericksburg, VA  22408

Tournament Director:  Jessica Cottet ([email protected])

Official futsal goals will be utilized.  All courts are marked accordingly to the Laws of the Game. 

SCHEDULES AND STANDINGS

Will be sent to teams at least 5 days prior to the tournament. 

TEAM OFFICIALS AND PLAYER REGISTRATION

Team officials can consist of a coach, assistant coach, team manager, team trainer, or other individual for a total of three (3) team officials.

All teams must register on-line in the tournament registration system on the tournament website.  After registering their team on-line, each team manager will receive an e-mail confirmation of receipt of their application to the State Championship.  In some cases, the State may be fully subscribed or a division may have an unworkable number of teams in an age groups, such as 7 or nine teams.  The tournament director has final say as to teams accepted.

Each of the three (3) team officials previously mentioned must have a Virginia Futsal team official pass and be listed on the Official Tournament Roster.  If a team official manager or coach is ejected, an assistant may conduct the team.  If the assistant is also ejected, or there is no assistant, the game will be forfeited.  In no case will a team be allowed to participate without a properly registered team official.   Each team is limited to three coaches on the bench all of which must be on the Official Tournament Roster.

Teams have until 3 working days prior to the tournament to make any roster changes.  At that time, tournament staff will print out the Official Tournament Roster, which will be used at team check-in.    

TEAM CHECK-IN

Team check-in will be done electronically 1 week prior to the tournament. 

The following will be needed at check in:

1.     US Futsal Player Passes

2.     US Futsal Roster

Medical Releases will need to be kept on hand by the Manager or Coach during the duration of the tournament.  Tournament staff may conduct credential checks and compare the printed roster to the player identification presented. An Official Roster will be presented to coach/ team manager at check in. The Official Tournament Roster is to be carried throughout the tournament and presented to the referee staff prior to each match. 

LAWS OF THE GAME

All games shall be accordance with the FIFA “Futsal Laws of the Game”, except as modified below.  Competition sanctioned by the association shall abide by the “Laws of the Game”

LAW 4:  Players’ Equipment

Player equipment must conform to FIFA LOTG.  All players will wear shin-guards (under the socks).  Players wearing a permanent orthopedic cast shall not be eligible to participate in any game.  However, soft braces can be worn as long as they are properly wrapped.  The safety of all players and final decision on safety is at the discretion of the referee.

Teams must wear uniforms of matching design and color with a minimum of six (6) inch numbers affixed to the back of the uniform shirt.  No two players may have identical uniform numbers.  The first team listed on the schedule is considered the Home team.  The Home team is to wear light color uniform tops.  If the Home team has on its light color kit and there is a discrepancy with the visiting team, the visitor must change their uniforms.

Substitutes will wear a bib while on the bench.  When substituting, the players will hand off the bib to the player they are going on the court for.

The uniform of the goalkeeper must be a distinctly different color from the basic colors of the competing teams and the referee. The active playing goalkeeper is the ONLY player to wear long pants while on the court of play.

LAW 5: The Referee

Referees are required to sign and complete an official USSF or tournament specific game report to the Tournament staff as well as a Red Card report containing any information relating to any game incidents involving players/coach, spectator misconduct, or injuries. 

LAW 7:  The Duration of the Match

The duration of the game will be:

Two (2) twenty (20) minute halves

3 minute Halftime

Each team is given one 1-minute time-out per half with the stoppage of the clock.

It is the discretion of Virginia Futsal to make adjustments to length of games and half time in order to best schedule all teams and matches. 

HOUSE RULES OF THE GAME

·       Unlimited substitutions

·       Goalkeeper may not punt or drop kick

·       Heading is prohibited ages 11U and under

·       Abandoned matches will not be replayed

·       Home team will kick off to begin first half and visiting team will kick off to begin 2nd half

·       Cross rostering is NOT permitted

HOME TEAM

The team listed first on the schedule is the Home team.  The Home team is to wear white/lighter color jerseys.  If home team complies and there is a conflict, the visiting team must change jerseys.  If home team does not comply and there is a color conflict, then home team must change colors.

GAME BALL

Game ball is provided by the tournament

U9 – U12 teams will use a size 3 futsal ball
U13 and older teams will use a size 4 futsal ball

SCORE TABLE

Each score table will be comprised of 1 individual provided by the tournament to run the clock and score machine.

CONTROL OF SIDELINE CONDUCT

Roster players, team officials and spectators are expected to conduct themselves within the letter and spirit of the “Laws of the Game”.  The Tournament Staff has the authority and the responsibility to remove any person(s) from the tournament for abuses of conduct, in addition to any specific disciplinary action brought about by any other authority.  In addition to good manners, the following rules will apply to USYF Tournaments:

Tournament staff will designate a sideline to be for the sole use of the players listed on the game roster and a maximum total of three (3) team officials from each team, with one team occupying one side of the mid field and one team, the other. All team officials will remain seated except for one (1) who may stand to provide instruction. At halftime, teams will switch benches so as to substitute from their defending area.  While the game is in progress team official must remain on their respective benches and may not roam the sidelines.

Artificial noise making devices are prohibited.

The team official will be responsible for the behavior of their fans and the referee and VYSA staff will have the authority to warn and ultimately send off, any team official and spectator(s) who behave in an abusive or disruptive manner.

EJECTION

If a roster player/team official/spectator is ejected from a match they are required to leave the building until the conclusion of the match.          

The ejected team official is not eligible to coach or sit on the bench with any other team until the one game suspension has been fulfilled with the team they received the rejection with. 

POST GAME PROCEDURES

As a mutual courtesy, both teams will meet at the center circle and congratulate each of the opposing team members for a game well played.  Team officials of both teams will insure their respective sideline areas are clean and that all trash is in containers. Please clear the court immediately after congratulations so the following match can begin on time. 

It is the responsibility of the team officials to retrieve their Official Tournament Roster card from the referee at the conclusion of the match.

DISCIPLINE

A team official ejected will follow previously stated EJECTION policy. All referee rulings stand.

A roster player will have an automatic minimum one (1) game suspension regardless of the cause of the ejection.  All referee rulings stand.

Depending upon the severity of the unacceptable conduct, a suspension of up to the duration of the tournament may occur.

If a team official or rostered player are sent off, a report shall be filed with Tournament Staff.  The Official Tournament Roster will be placed with the red card report and turned in to the administrative desk to be marked with the next game information.  The team official may pick up their roster card and take the card to their next match. Any suspended team official/roster player will be noted on the roster card.  A Red card suspension can only be served with the team with which the suspension was earned in games played by their team.

DETERMINATION OF STANDINGS

No overtimes unless necessary to determine a champion.  Standings will be determined by:

3 points for a win

1 point for a tie                       

0 points for a loss

If two teams tie in points, the division or pool winner will be determined by:

1.         Head to head result

2.         Net goal differential, a maximum of seven (7) goals differential per game 

3.         Fewest goals allowed

4.         Kicks from the penalty mark following FIFA procedures.  Best of 3 kicks from each team

Determination of Champions: Champions will be determined by various criteria depending on the number of teams entered in a particular age group. Specifics will be provided when schedules are posted.

If a Semi-final or Final Championship match is scheduled and tied at the end of regulation, two - 3 minute halves will be played.  At the end of the half will be a 2 minute half-time and each team will switch sides.  The full overtime will be played (no golden goal).  If the score is still tied at the end of overtime, kicks from the penalty mark following FIFA procedures with the best of 3 kicks taken by both teams. 

FORFEITED GAMES / CANCELLED GAMES / PROTESTS

A minimum of three (3) players is necessary to start a game. Games will start at the scheduled time. In case a team does not have three (3) players present, there will be a maximum of a 5-minute grace period while the clock runs before awarding the game to the opponent.   A forfeit will be scored as 3-0

PROTESTS

There will be NO PROTESTS.  Referee and Tournament Staff decisions are final.

TERMINATED GAMES

If the referee terminates a match for reasons other than field conditions, the Tournament Disciplinary Committee will decide the result of the match after reviewing the match report and written testimony of both coaches.

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL CEREMONIES

After the completion of group play, an awards ceremony will take place in the medal area.  Teams should proceed as quickly as possible to this area after the final match.  Medals will be given to both Champions and Finalists. Champions will be provided information on registering for the United States Futsal Eastern Regional Championships as representatives of Virginia.

GENERAL RULES

Products and behavior prohibited by the facility are not allowed in the facility, including but not limited to animals except service animals, outside beverages and food, verbal abuse, etc.  The tournament reserves the right to remove and or ban individuals violating the general rules

REFUNDS

No refunds will be given EXCEPT, in the event the Virginia Championships are canceled due to weather, a partial refund may be provided after all tournament expenses are paid.  Refunds will be given to registered teams if the number of registered teams does not allow for a bracket to be forms and played.

HOTELS

All age groups will complete play in one day so no hotel stays are required, but teams may wish to stay in the Manassas area the night prior to their scheduled group play.