Fives Premier League 5-A-Side Rules & Conduct

Fives Premier League Indoor Soccer Rules And Code Of Conduct.

Please make yourself familiar with the rules and regulations that apply when playing at Fives Premier League as they may differ from other arenas.

• Game Rules:

1. 1. A team can have a maximum of nine players for a five-a-side team or ten players for a six-a-side team. You may only have 5 players on the field for five-a-side, or 6 players on the field for six-a-side one of those being the goalkeeper. The other players have to wait outside the field until a swap/rolling substitution is made, and may not interfere with the game. 
      1. If your side is fielding too many players at any one point in the game, the referee will award a penalty to the opposing team. 
   2. A game is 40 minutes full time (2 x 20 minute halves), with 2 minutes for halftime swap over.
   3. No tackling from behind
   4. No two on ones. Only one person can challenge another at any time for the ball, any additional person interfering with the player with the ball will cause the situation to be deemed as a 2 on one challenge and will concede a free-kick.
   5. No slide tackles.
   6. No playing the ball on the ground. Your feet count as 2 points of contact with the ground, as soon as a third point of contact is made, be it hand, knee, etc, and the ball is played, it will be deemed as playing on the ground.
   7. No pushing, shoving and elbowing of players will be allowed. 50/50 challenges are at the discretion of the referee and challenges along the wall will be dealt with more harshly due to the risk of injury.
   8. Back passes to the keeper are allowed off the side wall only, which the goalkeeper can then handle in his box, no direct passes to the goalkeeper or passes off the back wall may be handled.
   9. Goalkeepers may only handle the ball inside his box (the semi-circular area) and then has 5 seconds to release the ball or play it with his feet.
   10. Goalkeepers may not bring the ball back into the circle area with their feet and pick the ball up again. Once outside the circle, they play as a player. If the goalkeeper brings it back in and picks it up it is a direct freekick on the edge of the box, where the keeper brought the ball back into the box.
   11. No tackles within demarcated corner markings, the player inside the circle has 5 seconds to then play the ball before an opposition player can enter into the corner to make a tackle. Once a player is in the demarcated area (solid white line), the defending player must give a minimum of a 1 metre space for the player with the ball to have space to pass. Refs will not start counting until they are happy that the defending player is at the required 1 metre. If this space is not given by defending player, the ref can blow for a foul.
       1. Once the first person enters the corner circle, the opposition player cannot enter into the corner and will concede a free-kick if they do so before the 5 seconds are up.
   12. Opposition ‘wall’ must be 2 metres from all kicks and may contain only 1 player. Any movement towards the free-kick before the player has made contact with the ball will result in conceding another.
   13. Penalties are taken with one foot beside the ball in any way you like as long as you don’t move that front foot (also known as your planted foot). One smooth striking motion is all that is allowed, not stopping your movement to fake the kick.
   14. Goals can be scored from anywhere in the court.
   15. Direct shots on goal from the kick-off are allowed.
   16. The goalkeeper cannot score by throwing the ball into the opposition goal, but can score from a dropkick (the ball must bounce before being kicked in order to be deemed a drop kick).
   17. The ball may move forwards or backwards from kick-off but the team taking the kick-off must remain behind the line before the kick is taken.

• Field conduct:

1. 1. You can use turf boots or soccer boots as long as they don’t have metal studs.
   2. No hanging on the nets.
   3. Personal belongings are allowed to be kept in the back of the goal as long as it doesn’t inhibit play (this is done so at your own risk. Alternatively there are lockers provided in the clubhouse).
   4. No verbal abuse of referees or opposition players will be allowed at all and may result in a yellow or red card.
   5. No swearing or foul language will be permitted on or off the field either towards the referee, opposition or teammates and will result in a yellow card, and if it persists a red card.
   6. Teams will be punished for their fans/supporters misbehaviour either by points deduction or a player receiving a yellow or red card due to fan/supporter misconduct.
   7. The referee’s decision is final. If you have any queries regarding a decision, please take it up with the manager on duty (however the manager will not reverse a referee’s decision). 
   8. Only the captain may approach the referee regarding a call. The referee may yellow card any player that does not follow this rule.

• Cards:

1. 1. Blue card (referee ordered cooldown): A player may be given a blue card by a referee to substitute with another player in order to cool down if the referee deems his play to be aggressive. The player told to cool down may return after 2 minutes but not before then. 
   2. Yellow card: 2 Minutes off the field. A team plays with 1 player down for 2 minutes at which point the player will be allowed to return to the field or another player in his/her place. 
   3. 2 x Yellow cards: A player receiving 2 yellow cards will then receive a red card and will not be allowed to return to the field and the team must play with a player down for 5 minutes after which point any other player may return to the field.
   4. Red card: A player may receive a red card after a second yellow or for the following reasons:
      1. Denying the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity deliberately handling the ball (except a goalkeeper within their penalty area)
      2. Denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity if you are the last man and commit a foul which would normally, only be a free-kick, if you weren’t the last man.
      3. Deliberately fouling a player with no intention to win the ball.
      4. Spitting at an opponent or any other person
      5. Violent conduct
      6. Using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures.
      7. Swearing at a referee is an automatic red card, with a three-week minimum ban. Excuses will not be accepted.

• Disciplinary action

1. 1. Any player guilty of fighting or violent conduct of any form will be suspended for a minimum of 4 weeks pending a meeting with management. Thereafter a second offence will result in an indefinite ban.
   2. A red card, in-game or post-game, holds an automatic one-week minimum ban, which may be increased according to the severity of the incident.
   3. Three yellow cards within an eight-week period (from the date of the first yellow card) holds a one-week minimum ban. After the eight weeks have passed, all yellow cards received during that period will fall away.
   4.  If a player banned within that eight-week period comes back and receives another card, that player will face a six-week minimum ban.
   5. Two yellow cards and a red card hold a three-week minimum ban. The red card will be reviewed as per red card procedure to determine if a longer ban is necessary.
   6. Two red cards in one season hold a six-week minimum ban, and the player and team captain will be called in for a meeting.
   7. During gameplay, the referee’s decision is final. After the game, captains are welcome to speak to the ref. Should a player or team captain have a grievance with a ref, the manager on duty is available to mediate post-game. Managers are not able to change a referee’s decision. 
   8. Out of respect to one another and the game, please keep your tempers in check and voice your grievance in a calm and considerate manner. It’s the responsibility of every Fives Premier League community member to treat our fellow human beings with dignity and respect

• General

1. 1. If a team is late for their start time, there will be a 3 minute grace period thereafter the opposition will get a goal for every 2 minutes that the team is late.
   2. If a team cancels (whether more than 24 hours notice has been given or not), they will lose that match 0-5 and their opponents will receive the 3 points. Please note, cancellations made with less than 24 hours notice will still be charged for.
   3. Rescheduled games:
      1. If a team wants to reschedule a game they must request it, and it has to be done at least 12 hours before the game. 
      2. Teams will only be allowed two reschedules per season. 
      3. The opposition needs to agree to reschedule the game as we cannot force a team to move from their set game time. 
         1. If the opposition agrees to reschedule we will make arrangements for the date and time of that rescheduled game. 
         2. If the opposition chooses not to reschedule, and you cannot play your game you will receive a loss for that game, and if you requested the reschedule with less than 24 hours before the scheduled game, you will still be charged for your game. 
         3. If you request a reschedule game you are liable for that game, whether it is played at a later stage or not as it is implied by the name that the game is not being cancelled but moved to another time.
   4. Due to the high number of games being cancelled over a season we are now restricting the number of games which a team may cancel in a season without being charged for the game. From 1 February 2020, a team can only cancel 2 games a season. These cancellations have to be done at least 24 hours before the scheduled game thereafter any cancelled games will be charged for. This is done to prevent teams playing too many friendlies. 
   5. Players can only play for one team in each division (one Premier League and one Championship team) per night. If these players play/help out a second team, they will then automatically concede 2 goals. If a team captain needs to get clarification regarding these goals, please do so as soon as player comes onto the field, by checking with ref.
   6. Teams are not allowed to dictate who refs their game as this is not in the spirit of football.
   7. Scores cannot be changed after the game.

The rules are subject to changes and updates 

E&OE