Campus Recreation

Intramural Sports - Sport Rules
 

Indoor Soccer

Clemson University IM Sports follows the rules established by FIFA with minor modifications:

I. TEAM COMPOSITION

1. Players can compete on one men's/women's team, regardless of league classification and one Co-Rec team (if available).
2. Five (5) players, including the goalkeeper, constitute a team. A team must have three (3) players to begin a game.
3. Team composition in Co-Rec:

A team with 2 or 4 field players must have equal number of male and female field players.

A team with 3 field players must have at least 1 male and 1 female field player.

4. Unlimited substitutions are permitted. The official does NOT have to be notified before a substitution can occur (i.e. subs are on the fly). Players entering and leaving the field must do so at the team’s bench. Any player ejected from the game may not be replaced.

II. EQUIPMENT

1. The goalkeeper must wear a different color jersey than either team on the court.
2. Players are strongly encouraged to wear shin guards, however, they are not required.
3. Players are not allowed to wear hard-billed caps or bandanas; knit caps are allowed.
4. Visible jewelry of any kind (earrings, studs, etc) is strictly prohibited and may not be worn during the game. Taping of jewelry is not permitted. Jewelry must be removed or the player will not be permitted to play. Casts or any items deemed dangerous by the official may not be worn during the game. A player is subject to ejection for failure to comply after their first warning.

III. GAME TIME & LENGTH

1. A game will be divided into two (2) periods of twenty (20) minutes each, with a five (5) minute halftime. Time runs continuously unless there is an injury or unexpected interruptions. At the conclusion of each half, the teams reverse ends. There are no time outs. Time will be extended to allow for penalty kicks (only in playoffs). Game time is kept on the field by an official. Injury time may be added to the second half only (maximum 2 minutes).
2. Regular season games that are tied at the end of regulation time will remain tied. No overtime is played during the regular season. Playoff games that are tied at the end of regulation time will proceed into overtime (one half for 10 minutes) and, if needed, a shootout to determine a winner. The overtime and shootout procedures are outlined below.
3. If a playoff game is stopped after the first half is completed, due to inclement weather, the game will be considered over with the current score acting as the final score. If the game is stopped before the first half is completed, the game will be rescheduled and a FULL game will be played in its place. Regular season games stopped because of inclement weather are generally not completed; no win or loss is recorded in this case.

IV. RULES

The official rules of FIFA govern all play except as follows:
1. A one official system will be utilized. The official will ref from the sidelines, as to not interfere with play.

V. KICKOFF PROCEDURE 

1. A coin toss before the beginning of the game will determine which team kicks off and which has the choice of ends. The team not receiving the ball first will have possession to begin the second half. 
2. The official's signal starts the game and resumes play following a goal with a kick from the center of the field.  
3. At the kickoff, all players must be within his/her half of the field. Opponents of the kicking team must be outside of the 3-yard center circle until the ball is kicked. A teammate of the kicker may be anywhere within his/her half of the field. 
4. The ball must NOT be kicked forward, one revolution, for the ball to be in play, but can be kicked straight back. 
5. The kicker cannot play the ball a second time until another player (of either team) has touched the ball. The penalty for this violation is an indirect free kick.

VI. OUT OF-BOUNDS & RESTARTS

1. A goal is scored when the ball wholly crosses the goal line, between the goal posts and under the cross bar.
2. After the ball has wholly crossed the sidelines, either on the ground or in the air, the team that did not touch the ball last is awarded the kick-in, as there are NO throw-ins. 
A. A goal cannot be scored directly from a kick-in. An improper kick-in will result in the award of the throw to the other team.
B. The ball must come to a complete stop before it can be kicked-in.

3. A goal kick is awarded when the ball crosses the goal line, either on the ground or in the air, and was last touched by an offensive player. The ball is then placed anywhere within the goal area (box). 

  1. The ball is not in play until it has gone outside the penalty area. In this instance, the ball must be rekicked by the kicking team.

  1. The player taking the goal kick cannot retouch the ball until another player has touched it.

4. A corner kick is awarded when the ball crosses the goal line, either on the ground or in the air, and was last touched by a defensive player. The ball must be placed on the ground on the quarter circle near the corner post. 

  1. A goal may be scored directly from a corner kick. The kicking team must ask for FIVE yards space before the ball is kicked.  

  2. The kicker cannot retouch the ball until it is touched by another player (either team).

  3. Corner posts (flags or cones) cannot be removed to take a corner kick.

5. Any ball striking an official, goal post, or corner post and remaining on the field is in play. After the ball has wholly crossed the sideline or goal line, or whenever the game has been stopped by the official, the ball is out of play.
6. When restarting the game after a temporary suspension of play (i.e. injury), except on a free kick or kick-in, the team that was clearly in possession of the ball at the time of the suspension is awarded an indirect free kick from the spot the ball was at the time of the suspension.

  1. If neither team was in clear possession of the ball, the official will drop the ball at the place where it was when play was suspended, and the ball is in play when it touches the ground. If play was stopped with the ball in the goal area, the ball is dropped at the nearest point outside the goal area.

VII. GOALKEEPING

1. The goalkeeper has possession (control) of the ball when he or she is TOUCHING the ball.
2. From the moment the keeper takes control of the ball with his/her hands within his own penalty area, he/she is to be penalized if he/she takes more than six seconds without releasing the ball into play.
3. A keeper may not, after releasing the ball into play, touch the ball again with his hands before it has been touched by another player of the same team outside the penalty area or by an opposing player either inside or outside the penalty area. If the goalkeeper plays the ball to a teammate and the teammate passes the ball back to the goalkeeper, he/she may NOT use his/her hands to play the pass. Penalty for violation of this rule is an indirect free kick.
4. The goalkeeper cannot touch the ball with his/her hands via a kick-in from his/her own team or a deliberate kick by a teammate. Penalty is an indirect free kick.
5. The goalkeeper may not throw the ball past half court in the air. The result of this foul will be a direct kick for the opposite team from half court.

6. The goalie may not punt or drop kick.

VIII. OFFSIDES

There is NO off-sides in Indoor Soccer/

IV. SLIDE TACKLING

All slide tackling is prohibited. However, a player may slide if a play is made on the ball and no other players are around.

X. FOULS AND MISCONDUCT

The word "kicks" in the text below refers only to circumstances where a player plays the ball with the foot or feet. Similarly, a deflection with the foot or feet is permitted in circumstances where it is not intentional (involuntary deflection or miskick from a teammate).
1. A player who commits any of the following offenses will be penalized by the award of an indirect free kick or direct free kick (as noted) to be taken by the opposing team from the spot where the infraction occurred:
      A. Dangerous play - In the opinion of the official, all high kicks above the waist  in a dangerous manner will be prohibited. (Indirect)
      B. Charging a player not in possession of the ball - A player may not intentionally  charge an opponent unfairly or a goalkeeper who is not in possession of the ball.  (Indirect)
      C. Obstruction - Obstruction is the intentional act by a player, not in possession of  the ball or not attempting to play the ball, to run between an opponent and the ball  or use the body as an obstacle. (Indirect)
      D. Goalkeeper infractions - Goalkeepers are not permitted to hold the ball longer  than six (6) seconds after he/she receives it. Furthermore, they may not touch the ball with his/her hand when receiving a throw-in or deliberate kick from a  teammate, unless it is played with the head (Indirect).
      E. Interfering with the goalkeeper - No player of the opposing team may interfere  with a goalkeeper in possession of the ball. (Indirect)
      F. Delay of game - No player or team may unnecessarily delay the playing of the  game. (Indirect)
      G. Kicking or striking an opponent - A player may not intentionally attempt to kick or strike an opponent. The goalkeeper may not intentionally strike or attempt to strike an opponent by throwing the ball at the opponent. (Direct)
      H. Jumping at or tripping an opponent - A player may not intentionally jump at or  intentionally trip an opponent. (Direct)
      I. Charging a player in possession of the ball – An infraction occurs if a player  intentionally charges an opponent violently and/or dangerously or charges from  behind. (Direct)
      J. Holding, pushing, or impeding an opponent - A player may not use his/her  hands or arms to hold, push, or impede an opponent. (Direct)
K. Hand ball (Handling) - A player will be penalized for intentionally handling, carrying, striking, or propelling the ball with a hand or arm. Unintentional handling occurs when the ball strikes the hands or arms of a player who has not moved the hands or arms to play the ball. Unintentional handling will not be penalized. (Direct)
2. In addition to the above penalties, an official may issue a yellow (caution) or red (ejection) card for the following offenses:
3. Yellow card offenses
      A. Unsportsmanlike conduct.
      B. Persistent infringement of the rules of the game.
      C. Showing dissent (disagreement) towards an official's call, including objecting by word of mouth or action.
4. Red card offenses
      A. Excessive foul or abusive language.
      B. Persistent misconduct after receiving a caution.
      C. Violent or serious foul play.
      D. Intentionally impeding an opponent through unlawful means during an obvious  goal-scoring opportunity - If a player who is moving toward his/her opponents'  goal with an obvious opportunity to score a goal is intentionally impeded by an  opponent through unlawful means (an offense punishable by a free kick or penalty  kick), thus denying the attacking player's team the goal-scoring opportunity, the  offending player will be sent off the field for serious foul play.
      E. Intentionally handling the ball within his/her own penalty area during an obvious goal-scoring opportunity - If, in the opinion of the official, a player, other than the goalkeeper within his/her own penalty area, denies his/her opponents a  goal, or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by intentionally handling the ball,  he/she will be sent off the field of play for serious foul play.
      F. If at any time a team has 2 players ejected from the game for unsportsmanlike conduct, the offending team will immediately forfeit the game. 
5. A team caution, a disciplinary action facing an entire team as a result of a violation by a player of that team, may be assessed by the official in the following instances:  
      A. Encroachment on free kicks 
      B. Intentional hand balls by the defense 
      C. Unnecessary delay.  
Once a team caution has been issued, if any player from that team commits the same foul, that player will be ejected.

XI. FREE KICKS

1. An indirect free kick is a free kick from which a goal may not be scored unless the ball is touched by another player from either team.
2. A direct free kick is a free kick from which a goal may be scored against the offending team.
3. The free kick may be taken by any player of the offended team on the field of play at the time of the offense.
4. When a direct or indirect free kick is awarded, all opposing players must be at least ten yards away from the spot where the free kick is to be taken, unless they are standing on their goal line between the goal posts.
5. When a player is taking a free kick from within his/her defensive penalty area, the ball must be kicked beyond the penalty area and all opponents must be outside the penalty area.
6. The ball must be stationary when a free kick is taken. The kicker may not play the ball again until it has been touched by another player (either team). The ball may be kicked in any direction.

XII. PENALTY KICKS

1. A penalty kick is awarded after a serious or intentional rule infraction takes place in the penalty area by the defensive team. A penalty kick can be awarded regardless of the position of the ball, if the infraction by the defending team is committed in the penalty area. It is not awarded for infractions that call for an indirect free kick.
2. The penalty kick may be taken from anywhere on the penalty mark.
3. The penalty kick may be taken by any player of the offended team on the field of play at the time of the offense. In Co-Rec play, the person taking the penalty kick must be of the same gender as the person who was fouled originally.
4. All players except the goalie must stay outside the penalty area and at least 5 yards from the penalty mark
5. The goalkeeper must stand on the goal line and may not move forward until the ball is kicked. The goalkeeper may move laterally.
6. The kicker must wait for the official to start the play. The kicker must kick the ball forward. If the ball is not put into play properly, the kick will be retaken. Any action to deceive the goalkeeper by the kicker is illegal.
7. Following the kick, the ball is deemed in play if it remains on the field of play; however, the kicker cannot play the ball a second time until it has touched another player (either team).
8. For any infringement by the defending team, the kick will be retaken if a goal has not resulted. For any infringement by the attacking team other than by the kicker, the kick will be retaken if a goal has resulted.

XIII. OVERTIME AND SHOOTOUTS (only during playoffs)

1. Overtime will consist of one 10 minute "golden goal" periods. The choice of ends and the kickoff will be decided by a coin toss. 
2. If the game remains tied at the end of the overtime period, the game will proceed into a 6-person shootout.  
3. A coin toss will occur to determine which team kicks first in the shootout. The winner of the coin toss has the option of shooting first or last. 
4. Each team captain designates three (3) players to shoot for his/her team. The designated players must have been on the field of play (in the game) at the end of the overtime period. The goalkeeper may be one of the shooters. 
5. Goalkeeper changes may occur only at the beginning of the shootout and as long as the new goalkeeper was a player on the field at the end of the overtime period. 
6. Each team has a total of three (3) shots. Teams will alternate after each shot. Each shot must follow the procedure for a penalty kick as outlined above. In Co-Rec play, the order of the shooters for each team must alternate gender. Either a male or female may kick first. 
7. If the score remains tied following the first three (3) shots by each team, a sudden death victory shootout will occur in which the game is won if, after ANY equal number of shots, the tie is broken.  
8. During the sudden victory shootout, teams must supply shooters different from their first three shooters. All eligible players --those on the field at the end of the overtime period -- must be a shooter in the shootout before any player may shoot again. In Co-Rec play, the alternating of genders must continue with the 4th shooter being the same gender as the 2nd shooter, and so on. Teams will continue to alternate shots as initially determined. 

XV - Difficult Calls

  • One supervisor for both courts

  • One referee per court

    • Keep score

    • Makes all calls from outside playing area

  • No walls will be used. Playing area will be the width of the court with taped line extending court to goal-line

  • Injury time will be added (a maximum of 2 minutes)

  • 20 minute halves; 5 minute halftime

  • All restarts will be played with kicks. No throw-ins, but kick-ins.

  • Keeper may not throw the ball past half court. A keeper may NOT pick up the ball on a back pass.

  • 5 V 5; one keeper and 4 field players. Must have 3 players to start a game.

  • 10 limit roster

  • Subs may be made on the fly

  • NO slide tackling

  • NO off-sides

  • Both indirect and direct kicks will be used. Fouls inside the box will result in a P.K.

  • Corner kicks will be utilized