FORMAT OF TOURNAMENT

Each Division will set up with group play (and possibly an elimination game) and a Championship game.

The Adult Competitive, Adult Recreational, and Under 18 Divisions will be 7 vs 7 including a goalkeeper with unlimited substitutions.

The Youth Divisions will be 4 vs 4 with no goalkeeper with unlimited substitutions.

Game Length for Youth Divisions

Under 8 & Under 10 games
All games will be two halves of 10 minutes (plus injury time at the referee’s discretion) with 2-minute half-time breaks. Substitutions are allowed at every stoppage with the referee’s approval. Players entering during play will be cautioned.

Under 12 & Under 14 games
All games will be two halves of 12 minutes (plus injury time at the referee’s discretion) with 2-minute half-time breaks. Substitutions are allowed at every stoppage with the referee’s approval. Players entering during play will be cautioned.

Game Length for Adult & U16 - U18
All games will be two halves of 15 minutes (plus injury time at the referee’s discretion) with 2-minute half-time breaks. Substitutions are allowed at every stoppage with the referee’s approval. Players entering during play will be cautioned.

Offsides Rule (Adult & Under U16 - U18)
The offsides rule will only be applied for the Adult and Under U16 - U18 Divisions. Please note, that there will only be one official for each field. Officials will call what they see.

Youth Division Specific Rules (Under 8, Under 10, Under 12 & Under 14):
First pass is free during a goal kick in the offensive teams half

Kick-ins from out-of-bounds
No goalies
Defensive and offensive players are not allowed to enter the red-arc that encompasses the goal mouth
No headers for both age groups
Offsides is allowed

Standings and Tie-Breakers in Group Play
Each team will be awarded 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and no points for a loss. In the event of 2 or more teams being level in group standings, the following procedures, in order listed, will determine the positions:

1. Team with the most wins;

2. Winner of the match played between the tied teams. If three or more teams are tied for the group lead, this step will not be used;

3. Only if three or more teams are tied then the number of points accrued from games involving just those teams;

4. Highest net goal differential (Goals scored minus goals allowed), from all group games;

5. Only if three or more teams are tied then Highest net goal differential (Goals scored minus goals allowed), from games involving just those teams;

6. Total number of goals scored in all group games;

7. Only if three or more teams are tied then Total number of goals scored in games involving just those teams;

5. Fair Play Points based on # of red and yellow cards. See * Below

6. A separate Penalty shoot-out on the Championship field (FIFA laws, see below) and if three or more teams are tied, an elimination Penalty Shootout competition will be held, involving the drawing of lots to determine draw and format, and managed at the discretion of the Tournament Commissioner.

***For Under 8 - Under 14 the penalty kicks will be taken from the 15 yards out.

Knock out/Championship Games
In the event that a championship round match is tied at the end of regulation, the winner will be determined as follows:

1. Two five-minute Extra Time periods will be played to completion. If the match is still level after ten minutes of Extra Time, then there will be a Penalty Shoot-out (using the FIFA system).

2. Penalty Shoot-out elimination. Players are not required to be on the field at the conclusion of the Extra Time periods to be eligible for taking penalty kicks. A coin flip will determine who goes first (visiting team calls). Five penalty kickers per team, alternating kicks per team. The most goals scored after five kicks for each team wins the tie breaker. If the score remains tied after five penalty takers, teams will alternate takers on a sudden death basis (i.e. until there is an unmatched goal between the teams). After all eligible players for either team have taken kicks, teams will start with another round/s (regardless of whether either team has more eligible players) and in the same order that the team used in its initial round of penalty kicks.

Match Delays, Suspensions, Cancellations
If a match is temporarily suspended due to weather, field conditions, or other situations beyond control, each team must check with Tournament Commissioner for further instructions. A match interrupted in the first half will resume play from the point where the match was stopped and play the match to full completion, or to completion of at least the first half and record the score as complete, at the decision of the Tournament Commissioner. A match interrupted in the second half can resume play from the point where the match was stopped and play the match to full completion or can be recorded as a complete match with the score at the point the match was stopped, at the decision of the Tournament commissioner.

Conduct and Discipline
1. There shall be no dissent between players and/or coaches, shown toward any referee. Questioning a referee's call is considered dissent.

2. Coaches and Captains are responsible for the actions of their fans and are expected to demand their support in monitoring and enforcing this policy.

3. There will be no verbal abuse of anyone.

Ejections
A player or coach sent off during a match is not allowed to play or coach in the next match. The Tournament Commissioner may take additional disciplinary action against a team or individual for serious offenses, including suspension from the remainder of the tournament. Suspended coaches will be allowed on the spectators’ side of the field

but may not coach or communicate with the team in any manner. Suspended players may sit with the team but may not be in uniform.

Accumulation of Yellow Cards
Any player or coach who has accumulated two yellow cards will be suspended for the next game. Standard rules apply that a single player receiving two yellow cards in a single match will receive a red card and be ejected.

Pets
No pets of any kind are permitted at some game fields while games are being played. This does not apply to service animals that are actively working. Violators risk being cited by Gahanna or other local Police Departments. While CESA is no longer able to enforce the no-pets rule at The Fields at Easton, we do encourage pet owners to leave pets at home. If pets are brought to the fields, CESA requires strict control and clean-up for all pets.

Fair Play Points system
Each team begins the tournament with zero points and loses points for each carded foul given by a referee.

Teams lose:
one point for each yellow card
three points for each secondary yellow that leads to a red card
four points for a straight red card
five points for a yellow card and straight red card

After that, CNC Tournament Commissioner totals the number of points each team has lost, and the one with the fewest violations wins the tiebreaker.