Bosnian translation available by clicking here. French and Spanish translations will also be available in the future.
Last Revised July 2023; Effective beginning the Fall 2023 Season
****SISL does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, nationality, creed, color or religion****
SISL is committed to providing a safe and fun environment for players and officials. The following rules and guidelines are intended to support these goals. These rules/guidelines are in addition to FIFA rules for 7 v 7 and 11 v 11 play. Be sure to read all the rules, both the FIFA rules and these rules/guidelines—there are some special rules for some divisions.
- PLAYER Rules and Guidelines
1.1 Player Qualifications to Register
1.1.1 While the league is primarily geared toward adult players, players who are or become 16 through 18 during the calendar year may register with written parental consent.
1.1.2 For age-based divisions (Over 28 Women, Over 30 Men, Over 30 Men, Over 40 Men, Over 40 Women, Over 50 Men), players may register if they turn the minimum age within the calendar year. For example, a player born on October 21, 1994 may register for the Over 30 division in the spring of 2024, because the player will turn the minimum age before December 31, 2024.
–EXCEPTIONS TO AGE-BASED DIVISION QUALIFICATION: :
1.1.2.1 Over 28 Women: Goalie can be as young as 16 (with parental consent.)
1.1.2.2 Over 40 Men: Goalie can be as young as 30.
1.1.2.3 Over 50 Men: Goalie can be as young as 48.
Below-age goalies may ONLY play goalie.
1.1.3 Under-minimum age players and their teams are subject to sanctions for violating the minimum age qualification. [Link to Disciplinary tab for potential sanctions.]
1.1.4 Players may change to an equal or higher division team only once per season. Players may not move to a lower-division team.
1.2. Player Responsibilities (Enforced by Referees)
1.2.1 Players must wear shin guards. Shin guards must cover at least half of the leg shin. Socks must cover shin guards.
1.2.2 All team players must wear the same-colored jerseys with numbers on the back of the uniform. Duplicate numbered jerseys are not allowed.
1.2.3 The jersey number should match the number listed for the player on the roster.
1.2.4 Jewelry and fitness wearables, such as Fitbits, Garmins, Smart watches, must be removed before play. A referee may allow the items to be covered instead of removing them if the referee decides it’s safe to do so.
1.2.5 Players who are not on the team roster on game day may not play.
1.2.6 Players cannot play for more than one team in any division/league. EXCEPTION: Players in Premier, Divisions I, II, or III, may also play in the Over 28/30 division, the Over 40 division, the Over 50 division, co-ed league, or Walk Soccer.
Players cannot play on more than one team in any league. O30, O40, O50 are all leagues managed by SISL
1.2.7 Players may only change teams once during the season and may not change to a team in a lower division mid-season. When O28 and O30 divisions have A & B divisions, premier players may not play on B-division teams.
- TEAM Rules and Guidelines
2.1 Team Qualifications
2.1.1 Team registration typically opens approximately five weeks before the beginning of each season. Teams must register by the registration deadline. Because SISL is an invitational league, there is no guarantee that your team will be accepted. In deciding to accept a registration, SISL considers the following factors:
– Is the team in bad standing in the league?
– Were disciplinary actions taken against a team’s players during the prior season?
– Are the brackets even in the divisions requested by a team?
– Is there space to add a team?
2.1.2 – Are there enough fields and referees to handle the number of teams?
A complete team registration consists of timely submittals of:
2.1.2.1 A completed online team registration form
2.1.2.2 Team registration fee. Fees may be paid online through SPORTS CONNECT, through a cashiers check, money order or cash. At this time, digital payments through apps such as PayPal and Venmo are not accepted. Personal checks are not accepted at any time.
2.1.3 Outstanding fines or fees must be paid by the end of each season.
2.2 Team Responsibilities
2.2.1 A letter-sized (8.5 x 11) color hard copy of the roster, dated within the week of a game, must be submitted to the center referee prior to the beginning of each game. The roster must include the team name, individual players names, player photos and jersey numbers. The hard copy must have a printed date stamp. A referee may allow a team until half time to provide the hard copy if a digital copy of the roster is available at the start of the game.
2.2.2 Teams must bring a SISL-approved net and two corner flags to each game. Corner flags must be 50-inches tall with flag and must be in good repair. The net must be in good repair, must be secured to the goal frame and have at least five ground fasteners/stakes.
2.2.3 Teams must pay referees in cash prior to each game and must be recorded before kickoff. A 15-minute grace period is allowed. If payment is not made within the grace period, the game is forfeited. See 2.2.7 Forfeiture rules, below. Division fee structures can be found here [add link to sislsoccer.com/Referees.html].
2.2.4 A team captain must be assigned to each game and must wear the CAPTAIN armband provided by the league. The team captain must monitor player behavior on and off the field. ONLY the player wearing the captain armband may speak to game officials during the game.
2.2.5 When both teams have the same primary jersey color, the Home Team will have the choice of jersey color. The team listed second must have alternate-colored jerseys available. Check the Team List prior to games to avoid conflicts with jersey colors.
2.2.6 All members of the team are responsible for player behavior. When teams enter the field in bench-clearing-type actions, they will be sanctioned for team violence even if punches are not thrown.
2.2.7 Teams are responsible for keeping the areas around the soccer fields clean. If you bring it—remove it. Failure to keep fields clean may subject a team to sanctions. [Disciplinary Rules link.]
2.2.8 Rescheduling Games: Teams wishing to reschedule league games must contact the League Scheduler [link] a minimum of four days prior to the game to be rescheduled. The team receiving the request must agree to reschedule the match. A non-refundable $40 rescheduling fee, payable by the team requesting the game be rescheduled.
2.2.9 Forfeits. A team forfeits a game when:
– The team does not show up for a league-schedule game within 15 minutes of the start of the game. NOTE: Confirm the field location the day of the game. Soccer field locations may sometimes change at the last minute.
– The team has fewer than seven players on the field for an 11 v 11 game or four players on the field for a 7 v 7 game within 15 minutes of the start of the game.
– A team does not have a printed color roster with photos and numbers by half time.
– A team uses ineligible players. In this case, the forfeiture fee is increased by $40. The team and the ineligible player may also be subject to a separate sanction. [Link to Disciplinary Tab.]
– A team that does not have the referee fees in cash at the beginning of the game or by the end of the 15-minute grace period.
– A team or team’s fans are involved in an altercation, or the referee calls the game for inappropriate behavior. The team and fans may also be subject to other sanctions. [Link to Disciplinary Tab.]
2.2.9.1 Game Forfeiture Fees/Sanctions
If a game is forfeited, the center referee must notify the Disciplinary Chairperson and request payment of the referee fees. The team forfeiting the scheduled game must pay the full cost of the referee fees (they are normally shared 50-50 by the two teams), plus a $10 administrative fee. Payments must be made to the Disciplinary Chairperson at least 48 hours prior to the next scheduled game.
2.2.9.3 Multiple forfeitures will place the team in bad standing with the league and additional sanctions may apply.
2.2.10 Teams are also responsible for their fans’ behavior. Fans are not allowed on the field immediately before, during, or after the game. Fan misbehavior may lead to sanctions against the team. [Add Disciplinary rules link.]
- SPECIAL RULES FOR SISL GAMES/DIVISIONS:
3.1 Referee Respect Policy: SISL does not tolerate abuse of its game officials. Aggressive communication or physical abuse directed at a referee or AR is unwelcome and is subject to sanctions, which may include criminal prosecution. [Add Disciplinary rules link.]
3.2 Players with bleeding wounds must leave the field immediately. The player may return, with referee approval, when blood is removed, and the wound has stopped bleeding.
3.3 Player substitutions can be made at any stoppage of play (at the referee’s discretion), after goals scored, or to substitute an injured player.
3.4 OVER 28 WOMEN AND OVER 40 WOMEN DIVISIONS ONLY: The goalie cannot cross the half-line into the offensive half of the field.
3.5 OVER 28 WOMEN, OVER 40 WOMEN, OVER 40 MEN AND OVER 50 MEN ONLY: No slide tackling. Note: A slide with no players in close proximity is not a slide tackle. An improper slide tackle will result in a yellow card and an indirect kick for the opposing team.
3.6 OVER 28 WOMEN ONLY – MERCY RULE: If a team is ahead by more than 7 points, the leading team will remove one player from the field. If the point spread exceeds 10 points, the leading team will remove two players from the field. If the point spread is reduced to below the 7- or 10-point threshold, the leading team may add 1 or 2 players, respectively, back to the game.
3.7 CO-ED 7 v 7 ONLY:
3.7.1 Each team must have a minimum of three women and a maximum of 3 men on the playing field, excluding the goalie.
3.7.2 Penalty kicks, free kicks, and throw-ins may be taken by either sex, but a penalty kick shall always count as one goal.
3.7.3 No individual male player may score more than three points in any one game (including overtime).
3.7.4 All drop balls must be taken by two women players.
3.8 All 7v7 leagues
3.8.1 Goalkeepers– Can return the ball into play by either kicking the ball and by using an underhand throw. Can not drop kick or punt the ball.
3.x 11v11 LEAGUE: Rosters may have up to 25 players. 7v7 Leagues: Roster maximum is 17.
Contact the SISL Executive Board for roster adjustments: board@sislsoccer.com.