• Emphasizes having fun, sportsmanship  and respecting the facility/spectator areas.
• Spectators are asked to refrain from incessant yelling and stay in designated areas.
• We want to have positive support for all players, coaches, referees, and staff 

• Ball: A futsal ball will be used (smaller, heavier, stays on the ground), which is the reason for the "no heading" rule.
• Footwear: In door shoes, Futsal shoes, and Turf cleat are allowed. No Out Door Cleats of any kind will be allowed
• Uniforms: Pennies will be supplied by SUFC on game day. All Pennies need to be turned in before leaving that day
• Shin Guards: Mandatory for all players. 

• Games are two 20-minute halves with a running clock (no stoppages unless injuries/issues). With a 5 minute halftime break.
• Teams have 5 minutes to clear the  court for the next teams.
• Each team can use 1 time out per half if needed. Timeouts are allowed when the team is in possession and ball is out of play.

General Rules

• Teams are comprised of four outfield players and one goalkeeper.
• There are no throw-ins in futsal. A kick-in will be used to restart play.
• There is no offsides in futsal. 
• There are no goal kicks in futsal. Goalkeepers restart play by distributing ball with their hands.
• Substitutions may occur any time during the run of play. Substitutions must be made through the technical area in front of the team's bench, not at half court.
• Direct free-kick fouls are accumulated in each half. Beginning with a team's 6th foul, and each foul thereafter, the the opposing team will be awarded a direct free-kick from  10 meter mark.
• Goalkeepers may not use their hands on a deliberate pass back from a teammate. Restart is an indirect free kick from the spot where the keeper touches the ball or, if inside the goal area, the closest spot on the goal area arc.
• No punting or drop kicks. Restart is an indirect free kick by the opposing team at the half line. Goalkeepers may throw the ball or put the ball down and play with their feet. The ball can pass across the halfway line.
•  No sliding or playing while on the ground. This will result in an indirect kick (U10-U12) or a direct kick (middle school & older) for the opposing team. Goalkeepers are permitted to slide in and around the goalkeeper box

Substitutions

 Substitutions occur on the fly. You may substitute at any time, but the player must wait until the player they are replacing leaves the field. A player coming off may not attempt to play the ball as they are leaving the field. If substituting a keeper, the keeper coming on must be ready with their gloves and bib. A stoppage of play should NOT occur due to waiting for keepers to switch

Restarts

Kick-offs: The game is started with a kickoff and following a goal. To start a game, the visiting team (listed second on the match report) will kick off. All kickoffs will start at midfield following the referee’s whistle. A goal may be scored directly against the opponent from the kick-off. The ball is in play when it is kicked and clearly moves.

Kick-ins: are indirect. The ball must be placed on the line and the kick must be taken within 4 seconds.  A kick-in that goes directly in the opposing goal is a goal kick for the opposing team. A kick-in that goes directly in the defensive goal is a corner kick of the opposing team.  If the kick-in does not enter the pitch or if the kick is not taken within 4 seconds, the ball is turned over to the opponent.

Goal kicks: are awarded when the ball exits the court beyond the end-line. The ball is thrown or released from any point within the penalty area by the goalkeeper of the defending team. The ball must be released within 4 seconds (either at referee signal or as goalkeeper is ready). Opponents must be outside the penalty area until the ball is in play.

Corner Kicks: are direct. The ball must be placed in the corner arc area and the kick must be taken within 4 seconds. If the kick is not taken within 4 seconds the restart becomes a goal clearance for the opposing team.

Free Kicks: may be indirect or direct. The ball must be stationary before the kick may be taken.

Penalty Kicks: are taken from the penalty spot and must be taken by a clearly identified kicker. Defenders may not be nearer to the ball than 16 feet and even or behind the ball when the kick is taken.

Fouls and Misconduct

Indirect Free Kicks: When a player plays in a dangerous manner, impedes an opponent, prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball with her hands, goalkeeper takes more than 4 seconds to release the ball when in possession in his own half, plays the ball again within his own half after releasing the ball and the ball doesn’t touch an opponent or has gone out of play, or commits any offense for which play is stopped to caution or eject a player, an indirect free kick is awarded.

Direct Free Kicks: When a player kicks an opponent, tackles an opponent, trips an opponent, jumps at an opponent, charges an opponent, strikes an opponent, pushes an opponent, holds an opponent, spits at an opponent or handles the ball deliberately, a direct free kick is awarded.

Yellow Card / Caution: The offending player is shown a yellow card. If a player is shown two yellow cards in a match, he is shown a red card.

Red Card / Send-off: The offending team plays with one less player for two full game minutes unless the team with fewer players is scored upon before the two-minute penalty expires. The offending player serves a minimum one-match suspension.

Accumulated Fouls: All direct free kick fouls are recorded on the scoresheet and on the scoreboard. If one team accumulates 4 or more direct free kick fouls in one half, the opposing team will take a direct free kick without a wall. If the foul occurs farther from the attacking goal than the second penalty spot, the Direct Free Kick Without a Wall is taken from the second penalty spot. If the foul occurs nearer to the attacking goal than the second penalty spot (but outside the penalty area, of course), the attacking team may choose whether to take the Direct Free Kick Without a Wall from the second penalty spot or from the spot of the foul. All Direct Free Kicks Without a Wall must be kicked with the intention of scoring a goal by a clearly identified kicker. The defending team may not make a wall and may not be nearer to the ball than 16 feet and even or behind the ball when the kick is taken. The goalkeeper may be off the goal-line but may not be nearer than 16 feet from the ball. Accumulated fouls are reset to zero at the beginning of the second half and carry over into extra-time if being played.

Penalty Spot: 5 meters (~16 feet) from goal-line and the center of the goal and placed at the top of the penalty area line.

Advantage: Advantage is applied in Futsal. Direct free kick foul will count as accumulated fouls if advantage is applied even if play is not stopped by the referees. If the referee gestures with both arms, the foul was a direct free kick foul and will be counted accordingly. If the gesture is with one arm, the free kick would have been indirect and will not count as an accumulated foul.

The Goalkeeper

• Must wear a different color shirt.
• He/She may wear long pants and/or other padding as deemed safe by the match referee.
• May receive a kick-in directly.
• May kick the ball directly over the half-way line.
• May score directly with his/her feet during the run of play.
• May not possess the ball for more than four seconds in his/her own half.
• May throw the ball directly across the half-way line.
• May not score a goal by using the hands (cannot throw or hit the ball directly into the goal)
• Cannot touch the ball again in any way within their own half after releasing the ball into play unless an opponent has touched it or it has gone out of play.

Stokes United extra Rules

• If the ball hits the basketball backboard or ceiling it is deemed out of bounds.
• Kids are allowed to play on another team and help sub. This should be cleared with staff on site.
• If a team is winning by a margin of 3 goals at any point, the losing team will be allowed to add 1 extra player on the field.
• The losing team may then add another player if an 6-goal margin is reached. The addition of extra players will end at 2. Once, or if, the margin drops below 3 or 6 the extra player(s) must leave the field.