MINNESOTA FUTSAL LEAGUE 2024-2025 SEASON

We're Back and ready for an exciting season!

2024-2025 Futsal Certification Now Open

The US Soccer futsal certification process is now open at www.minnesotasrc.com for officials who plan to work US Soccer-affiliated futsal matches in Minnesota this winter.

1) Pay your USSF Futsal and Minnesota State Admin fee (if not already paid for soccer officiating).

2) Complete the MNSRC futsal online courses and pass the associated quizzes.

3) Contact Tim Deuitch at timdeuitch@seg.us.com to get assigned.

If you have an interest in joining the referee pool, please email us at timdeuitch@seg.us.com. To be eligible for consideration, you must be licensed with US Soccer as an outdoor referee and complete the online Futsal certification found at the Minnesota State Referee Website.

Thank you for participating in USYF.

USYF requires all staff members, registered coaches, and team managers take the U.S. Center for SafeSport.org online course link which covers sexual abuse, hazing, bullying, emotional and physical misconduct, and the new, mandated by law reporting obligations. You will receive a code to take this course for FREE and the link after you register. Upon completion of the SafeSport Course, you will need to upload your Certificate to your USYF coaching profile.

In addition, USYF now mandates national background checks for all coaches. As part of the organization's focus on player safety. USYF has selected Reference Services (RSI) through Stack Sports/U.S. Soccer Connect for Background Checks.

"A player's safety on a futsal court is of paramount importance to our entire organization," said Jon Parry, Executive Director and founder of USYF. "We want to set the highest of standards. The online training is free for USYF coaches and staff and the national background checks cost $10.00. Working together, we will provide the safest environment and raise the standards for futsal in America."

For more information - https://www.usyouthfutsal.com/player-initiatives

BACKGROUND CHECK REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS

The USYF background check process has two parts. You will be required to upload your SafeSport certificate to your background check registration. Your certificate CANNOT be more than one-year old. If you are due, SafeSport will offer you a refresher course. Please take that and upload the earned certificate.

1. SafeSport - The USYF background check process has two parts. A valid SafeSport certificate must be uploaded to your background check registration (see Step 2). If your SafeSport certificate is more than 1 year old, you MUST take the refresher course offered and upload that certificate.

First time users - to enroll in the free 90-minute course:

• Use this link: https://safesporttrained.org?KeyName=JJFAQsQPWNRj01edWcPr
• Complete information on “Sign Up” page
• If prompted, log in to the new account you just created
• Click on “Menu” and select “Catalog"
• Click the Start button for “SafeSport Trained – U.S. Soccer Federation” to complete the course
• Upload your certificate of completion

If you have already completed SafeSport and need to obtain an existing certificate that was earned within the last year, please follow these instructions. Your SafeSport certificate must be dated within the last year.

• Use this link: https://safesporttrained.org?KeyName=JJFAQsQPWNRj01edWcPr

• Please select the “Menu” icon at the top right of your page
• Select “Transcript”
• Once the transcript page displays, locate the most current completion for the course under the “Certificates” section
• Download the certificate by selecting the “Download” button at the right of the completed course
• If your certificate has expired, please take a refresher course and save the new certificate

2. USYF Background Check link: https://register.htgsports.net/default.aspx?id=12558&key=65

​Coaches/team managers should only register and pay ($10) for one background check per season regardless of the number of futsal teams they coach/manage. Please note, the background check issued through your outdoor organization is not valid for futsal.  The U.S. Youth Futsal Background Check’s comprehensive Nationwide Criminal Search reviews over 500 million records from over a thousand different databases. In addition, there is a jurisdictional search of the court records of the more than 3,347 counties in the USA for felonies and misdemeanors as well as criminal traffic offenses.  FBI, Interpol and other databases are also searched.

​

3. USYF Background Check link (International) https://register.htgsports.net/default.aspx?id=12642

If you do not have a Social Security number or live outside the US, you will need to complete an International Background check instead of a US Background check above. This process will typically take 4-6 weeks to complete so please plan accordingly.  The cost for this background check is $28 for Canadian residents and $55 for all other countries.

Venues
We will use the courts at Minneapolis Sports Center at the Midtown YWCA.  To keep the playing surfaces clean and dry, please instruct your players not to wear dirty or wet game shoes into the facilities.

Referees
We are the only United States Youth Futsal sanctioned and United States Soccer affiliated futsal league in Minnesota. We use only US Soccer futsal - certified officials to call our games, assuring the game is played the way it should. In addition, we are the only Minnesota league that uses 2 experienced officials for U16 and older age groups.

Participating Teams
The Minnesota Futsal League is one of the largest youth futsal leagues in the United States.  Our goal is to create an exciting and competitive environment to help develop our players.

Age Divisions/Groups
Boys & Girls U8 - U19. We reserve the right to drop or combine divisions or age groups as needed.

USYSA AGE GROUP CHART 2021-2022 SEASON

Team Registration
Registration is NOW OPEN. You can email play@mnfutsal.com to request information on the upcoming season.

Season Play
The season will run from November-March.

Teams will be scheduled to play 12 games throughout the winter including preseason, regular season, and post season matches.  The first 2 games of the season will be considered friendlies and final scores will not count toward the league standings.  There will then be a 10 game regular season and the top 4 teams in each division will be scheduled for playoff matches to determine League Champions.

Conflicts
If you are unable to field a team for a specific week, it will be considered a forfeit.   If you plan on participating in the USYF Midwest Regional Futsal Tournament or the USYF National Tournament, please indicate that in the conflict section of your registration. 

IMPORTANT COACH INFORMATION
There is no coaching license required to coach a team. Each team must have an adult (responsible person over the age of 18) present on the bench during games.  Any adult who is registered with the team as a coach or manager can sit the bench.  This is a great option for teams with outdoor coaches who want to take a break, but still want their teams to have fun and play.  Per USYF Safety Guidelines, all Coaches and Managers must complete a Background Check.

Coaches with multiple teams
We will do our best to accommodate coaches with multiple teams by scheduling them with back-to-back games at the same facility as much as possible.  We have been very successful in the past, so we encourage you to split your outdoor teams into two futsal teams.

Game Scorecards
Before each game, a pre-printed game card will be available from the referees. The cards will be populated with player names and numbers. Please check the cards for accuracy and then hand them back to the referees before the game begins. At the end of each game, the referee will hand the bench coaches the completed game cards. The coaches are to sign the cards and in doing so, verify the score. The scores on the signed cards are official and will be entered into the standings.

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 directly into the opponent’s penalty arc
2. No scoring directly from kick-offs.
3. No switching of benches between halves
4. Game length is two 24 minute halves
5. No sliding or slide tackling
6. No drop kicks or punts by the goalie, the ball must settle (no air under the ball) before the goalie passes or shoots the ball.
7. No Heading the ball U9, U10, U11.

League Fees
U8-U9: $1200 
U10-U15: $1500
U16+: $1600

Player Registration Fee - All players must be registered with USYF and releases signed by player/parent/guardian (P/P/G).  The fee is $13.50 per player and is completed online only.  When the team manager inputs a player into the roster, an e-mail is sent to P/P/G with instructions as to how to complete player registration. 

Roster Cards and Game Day Roster Sizes
We will institute the issuance of roster cards. To be eligible to play, each player must be listed on the approved roster card issued by the league. Roster cards are issued only after full payment of fees, signed Medical / Media Release forms have been received and all players have been registered online. We will conduct a team check-in prior to the team's first game.  Players do not need to be present.  The team manager will be asked to provide player passes (we will accept MYSA and/or US Club) or a copy of birth certificate for each player at check-in.  Rosters will be frozen as of February 1st and no additional players may be added after that point.

Pre-game Check-In
Roster cards will be checked before games.  This is to assure that all players are registered and the league remains sanctioned by US Youth Futsal and affiliated with US Soccer.  Team managers are to carry the roster cards with them for inspection before games.

Game Balls
We will provide the game ball. Size ball used by each age group:

U12 and under - size 3

U13 and older – size 4

Equipment
The wearing of shin pads will be mandatory for all players. Indoor, flat soled soccer shoes also must be worn.

Time Outs / Home Team Colors
Each team can call one time out per half (1 minute)
Home team is to wear white or lighter colors. If Home team complies and there is a conflict, the visiting team must change jerseys. If home team does not wear light/white and there is a conflict, home team must change jerseys. 

Forfeited Games
If a team fails to show for a scheduled match, the referee shall allow a 5 minute grace period. After the 5 minutes, if the team has not yet arrived or does not have enough players to field a team (3), the game will be forfeited. The game will be tallied as a 3 to 0 loss for the forfeiting team and a 3 to 0 win for their opponent.

If the referee terminates a match for reasons other than an act of God or field conditions, the Minnesota Futsal League Administrators will decide the result of the match after hearing the official reason from the referee, and both coaches.

Teams forfeiting a match will not receive a refund on their registration fee.

***Any team that forfeits more than 1 match will be considered ineligible for the league playoffs.

Minnesota Futsal League Point System and Tiebreakers
The determination within the group standings is as follows:  
3 points for a win
1 point for a tie
0 points for a loss
Forfeited games are recorded as a 3 - 0 loss

Tiebreakers

1. Total Points
2. Head-To-Head
3. Goal Difference (max 7 per game)
4. Goals against
5. Penalty Shoot Out

Ejections - Red Cards
If a player is ejected from a match, the player’s pass together with a referee’s report of the incident shall be turned over to the league administrator by the referee.

The minimum penalty for an ejection is that the player shall not be permitted to play in the immediate next match.

The maximum penalty, after review by the league administrators, may result in the individual players or teams’ expulsion from the competition.

If a player is ejected from a match the referee will hold onto the player pass, document red card on the back of the score sheet and present it to the league administrators. The player will have his/her pass returned after a minimum one game suspension.

Coach Ejections
If a coach is ejected from any match, a referee’s report of the incident shall be turned over to the league administrator by the referee.

The minimum penalty for an ejection is that the coach shall not be permitted to coach or remain on the player’s bench in the immediate next match.

The maximum penalty, after review by the league administrators, may result in the individual coach or team’s expulsion from the League.

Games Cancelled by Opponents
If an opponent cancels a game or does not show for the game, the other team may use the scheduled game time for their use. There are no refunds for games cancelled by opponents. If a team must cancel, call the league administrators as soon as possible so we can notify the referees and give the other team a chance to plan accordingly. Cancelling a game not only short-changes your team, but your scheduled opponent. 

Games cancelled by Facilities
We reserve the right to postpone or cancel games at any time for any reason. The Minnesota Futsal League plays games in all weather and only generally cancels games if the facility closes.  Cancellations are very rare events, so teams should plan on playing.  If there are games cancelled, reschedules are not guaranteed and refunds for cancelled games will not be provided.  

Referees 
If you have an interest in joining the referee pool, please email us at admin@minnesotafutsalleague.com. To be eligible for consideration, you must be licensed with US Soccer as an outdoor referee and complete the online Futsal certification found at the Minnesota State Referee Website www.minnesotasrc.com/.

Additional Questions
If you have any additional questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us at play@mnfutsal.com