SJ Futsal League Rules - Competition Format & Rules

Official futsal FIFA Rules and Regulations as stated under the Laws of The Game will be enforced. Exceptions are noted below under House Rules.

House Rules to the Laws of the Game

1.  Goalkeeper can not throw the ball into the opponent’s penalty arc.  Violations will result in an indirect free kick at the opponents 10 meter penalty mark.
2.  No scoring  directly from kick-offs.
3.  Goalkeeper can not drop kick or punt the ball.
4.  No switching of benches between halves
5.  Game length is (two) 20 minute halves
6.  No timeouts
7.  Corner kicks are under "the 4 seconds rule".  Violation will result in a goal clearance awarded to the opponent.

General Rules

There are 4 field players and a Goal Keeper (GK).

• No offside.
• GK can only handle the ball (by feet or hands) for 4 seconds in their own half.  If they are in opponents half, they have no handling restrictions.  Once the GK handles the ball, they cannot touch the ball a second time unless it has been touched by an opponent.

Substitutions

Free substitutions are made "on the fly".  Player can only enter or leave the game in the substitution areas marked by their respective benches, and a player may only enter a game after the player they are replacing has left the field.  Failure to do so results in a caution and an indirect free kick is taken from where the ball was situated when the game was stopped to caution the player.

Kick off

Opposing players must give 5 yards until ball is in play.

Ball Out of Play

Kick in

A ball kicked out over the touch line (side line) by one team becomes the other teams ball. The team kicking in has 4 seconds to get the ball back in play or it becomes opponent’s kick in.  Defense must give 5 yards distance. The referee will give a visual count with his hand.  Players taking kick in can not step into the field while kicking ball back into play. Goals cannot be scored from kick-ins.

If the ball hits the ceiling, a kick in is taken at the closest point on the nearest touchline, running parallel to the goal line.

Goal Clearance

Futsal for goal kick.  When the offensive team puts the ball over the end line, the other team gets the ball.  The goalie must throw the ball within 4 seconds of retrieving it and put it back into play by throwing it.  The throw must leave the penalty area. Opposing team must stay out of penalty area during a goal clearance.   If opposing players touches ball before it leaves penalty area, GK retakes the throw.  The GK cannot touch ball again until another player touches it.

Corner Kick

To be taken inside the corner are, If there is no arc, kick is taken at the point where goal line and touch line meet (at corner).

Fouls and Misconduct

Fouls

Slide tackling is not longer a major foul in futsal.  

Exceptions

The GK is allowed to slide in an attempt to clear the ball, if in referees’ judgment, his slide is an attempt only to make contact with the ball, not the opponent.  If GK slid is reckless (a foot in air, a hook, rolling tackle) it is a foul and possibly a  cardable offense.  A field player may slide in instances where there is not an opponent close by and no injury is likely to occur. This would most likely happen when a player is attempting to stop the ball from going out of bound or an offensive player sliding to knock the ball into the goal where the is not other defensive player close to the play. Players and coaches should use this general rule, if you slide tackle near a player, assume if will be called a major penalty.

6^th Accumulated Foul

Upon a team’s 6^th accumulated foul in each half and all other accumulated fouls within the half, the other team is awarded a free kick taken from the 10 meter penalty mark or where the infraction occured it is in a more favorable spot.  The defending team cannot build a wall to block the kick. The player taking the kick must be clearly identified and the player taking the kick must make an attempt at the goal.

Accumulated Fouls resulting in Direct Kick

- Kicking or attempting to kick an opponent
- Tripping or attempting to trip an opponent
- Jumping at an opponent
- Charges an opponent
- Strikes or attempts to strike an opponent
- Pushes an opponent
- Holding an opponent
- Spits at an opponent

Sending Off Fouls

Handling the ball deliberately, except for GK in their area. 
Denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity to an opponent moving toward the goal. Player sent off cannot re-enter the game.  Substitution is allowed after 2 minutes.
No shoulder charging.

Indirect Free Kick

5 yards of distance from kicker to set up wall, and ball is in play after it has been touched.  If the kicking team takes more time than 4 seconds to take the kick, it becomes the opposition’s indirect kick.