PLAYER REGISTRATION: All players must be registered on their teams’ registration form before the tournament begins. Any team or player determined by the event director to have falsified age or skill level will be dismissed from the tournament. All players must carry proof of age.

ROSTERS: All rosters are final upon completion of the team’s first game.

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: SIX (6) is the maximum number of players on a team; three field players at one time. Players may only play on one team per division. There are no goalkeepers in 3-v-3 soccer. Substitutes may occur at any dead ball situation, but players must get referees attention and enter and exit at the half-field mark only.

EQUIPMENT: All players must wear shin guards. Any player without shin guards will not be allowed to play. Teams are responsible for providing game balls. Preferred Ball Size for U8-U12 = #4; U13 and up = #5. In the event that age divisions are combined, the teams should use the older division’s ball size.

UNIFORMS/PROTECTIVE CASTS: All players must wear jerseys/shirts during play and each team must bring both a light and dark colored jersey/shirt. If both teams are wearing the same color, a coin flip in pool play will determine which team must change. In playoffs, the higher seed will have the option. The Tournament Director and/or referee assignor must approve players wearing protective casts. If the referee on the field of play deems a player’s protective cast is unsafe in any way, the player will not be allowed to play until The Tournament Director, Athletic trainer, and/or referee assignor re-approve the wearing of the protective cast. No jewelry will be allowed, including earrings of any type, rope necklaces and bracelets. The only exception will be players wearing medical bracelets.

FIELD DIMENSIONS: Length - 40 yards, Width - 30 yards.

GOAL BOX: The goal box, eight feet wide by ten feet long, is directly in front of the goal. No player may touch the ball within the goal box, however any player may move through the goal box. Any part of the ball or player’s body on the line is considered in the goal box; the player is an extension of the box. If a defender touches the ball in the goal box, a penalty kick is awarded to the offensive team. If an offensive player touches the ball within the goal box, a goal kick is awarded to the defensive team. If the ball comes to a complete stop in the goal box, regardless of which team touched it last, a goal kick is awarded to the defensive team. The goals are approximately 4 feet high by 6 feet wide.

GAME DURATION: The game shall consist of two 10 minute halves separated by a two minute halftime period, OR the game shall end when a team reaches a 10 goal lead. Games tied after regulation play shall end in a tie. Except Playoffs, this will be a 3 minute golden goal period followed by a shootout.

GOAL SCORING: A goal may be scored from a touch on the offensive half on the playing field.

SCORING (IN POOL PLAY): Games will be scored according to the following: 3 points for a win; 1 point for a tie and 0 points for a loss.

TIEBREAKERS: In pool play, ties between two or more teams will be broken by; 1) head to head results between tied teams; 2) goal difference in pool play; 3) Fewest goals against in Pool Play; 4)playoff team shootout with 3 on the field.

PLAYOFF OVERTIME: TEAMS WILL HAVE A 3 MINUTE “GOLDEN GOAL” OVERTIME PERIOD. If the score is still tied, the winner shall be decided by shootout with the 3 players on the field at end of golden goal period.

NO OFFSIDES IN 3-V-3 SOCCER AND NO SLIDE TACKLING IN 3-V-3 SOCCER FIVE YARD RULE: In all dead ball situations, defending players must stand at least five yards away from the ball. If the defensive player’s goal area is closer than five yards, the ball shall be placed five yards from the goal area in line with the place of the penalty. 

SUBSTITUTION: Substitutions may be made during dead-ball situations, regardless of possession. Teams must gain the referees attention and players must enter and exit at mid-field. Substitutions should not be made on the fly!

HAND BALL CLARIFICATION: Deliberate handling of the ball that denies a team of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity will result in the following: (1) A penalty kick (at the discretion of the referee) (2) A yellow or red card given to the player committing the hand ball (at the discretion of the referee).

DELAY OF GAME: Any player may be cautioned with a yellow card if it is deemed by the referee that the player is intentionally wasting time .e.g.: if a player intentionally kicks the ball long distances away from the playing field in order to waste time.

KICK-INS: The ball shall be kicked into play from the sideline instead of throw in. INDIRECT KICKS:All dead ball kicks (kick-ins, free kicks, kick-offs) are indirect with exception to corner and penalty kicks.

GOAL KICKS: May be taken from any point on the end line, and not in the goal box area.

KICK OFF: May be taken in any direction.

PENALTY KICKS: Shall be awarded if, in the referee’s opinion, a scoring opportunity was nullified by the infraction. It is a direct kick taken from the top of the center circle (15ft. line) on the offensive side of the midfield line with all other players behind the midfield line. If a goal is not scored, the defense obtains possession with a goal kick. Penalty kicks are not live balls.

PLAYER EJECTION (YELLOW/RED CARD): Referees have the right to eject a player from the game for continual disobedience or as a result of an incident that warrants sending the player off.
RED CARD suspension = Rest of game PLUS next game. Tournament Director may eject player for rest of tournament. Teams still play with 3 on the field

FORFEITS: Teams are given five minutes before a forfeit is issued by the referee. All forfeits must be approved by the Twilight 3v3 Soccer Tournament Director before the game is considered an official forfeit. The Tournament Director has the option to replay a forfeited game if deemed necessary. Any team forfeiting two games during pool play will be removed from the tournament. Any team forfeiting one game during the playoffs will be removed from the tournament.  A forfeit shall be scored as 5-0.

SPORTSMANSHIP: Players, coaches and spectators are expected to act in the nature of good sportsmanship at all times. Abuse of the referees will not be tolerated. Any instance of such conduct will disqualify the responsible team from the event.

ALL PARTICIPANTS MUST CARRY PROOF OF AGE: e.g. PLAYER PASS, DRIVERS LICENSE OR BIRTH CERTIFICATE. SITUATIONS OR OCCURRENCES THAT THESE RULES DO NOT ADDRESS SHALL BE LEFT TO THE SOLE DISCRETION OF THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR.