The Basics of Intramural Soccer

Game Length and Overtime

Two 15 minute halves. In the case of a tie at the end of regulation; a shoot-out, 5 minute Golden Goal overtime or a draw may be declared to decide the match. The supervisor will decide based on the time remaining.

Number of Players

Each team will have 6 players, including the goalie. Teams may start and finish a match with a minimum of 4 players. There must always be a designated goalie.

Mercy Rule and Sportsmanship Rule

The match will end if one team is ahead by 7 goals any time in the 2nd half by the Mercy Rule.The Sportsmanship rule states that if one team receives 3 unsportsmanlike penalties (yellow or red cards) in one match that team will forfeit regardless of the score.

Co-Ed Rules

Co-Ed teams must have an equal or greater number of women to men on the field at all times.

Sliding

There is no sliding in NU's Intramural Indoor Soccer. The minimum penalty for sliding is a yellow card.

Yellow Cards

Players that act in a reckless, dangerous or unsportsmanlike manner will be cautioned by the officials. A yellow card warns the player about behaving in an unacceptable way. A yellow carded player will step off the field for 2 minutes and their team will play shorthanded. The team can be returned to full strength at the end of the penalty or if a goal is scored upon them. For severe plays that are not quite bad enough to qualify for an ejection, the penalty can be increased to 5 minutes.

Red Cards

Players receiving a red card will be automatically ejected from the match. The team will play shorthanded for the remainder of the match. A player receiving a 2nd yellow card will also be shown the red card and ejected from the match.

The Officials

Indoor soccer is officiated by three referees with full authority and ability to regulate the play anywhere on the field. Each official can issue cards, signal infractions or kicks, and award a legal goal. The official that conducts the captains meeting will be the Lead Official and be stationed on the same side of the field as the table.

The Lead Official

This official will conduct the Captains meeting and be the final arbitrar of any on field issues, the other two officials will be subordinate to this official's authority for the duration of the match.

Regulating Contact

Indoor soccer is a non-contact sport. However, with twelve moving bodies some incidental contact will occur. It is the officials' duty to enforce the rules and to call fouls when the contact places one player at a disadvantage. Players may not use their arms or bodies to dislodge another player, or to stop them from advancing. Contact away from the ball, or when the ball is dead, is not permitted and must be penalized.

Boundaries of Play

All indoor games will be played in the Cabot Cage. The black netting surrounding the field will be considered the sidelines. If the ball touches any of the netting it is out of bounds. The end lines are marked with black lines at the goal line. The half circle around each net is the goal area where the keeper may legally use their hands. The ceiling supports and netting are out of bounds.

Basic Positioning

There will be two officials on the side of the field closest to the score table. There will be one official on the far side of the field. The Lead official will be on the table side of the field.

The officials must move with the play and always be fighting for the best position possible. The official closest to the play should officiate the ball and the closest defenders. The other two officials should support the near official and watch the remaining players.

No players should be outside the vision of all three officials. Officials farther away from the play should only make a call across the field if there is an obvious foul that was missed or if unsportsmanlike conduct has occurred.

THE BASIC STARTING POSITION FOR ALL THREE OFFICIALS.