Co-ed 7's Soccer League - Winter 2025 Rules

Urban Rec Coed 7-aside Soccer Rules

Match Format

1.A complete starting lineup consists of 7 players; 1 goalkeeper plus 6 players on the field including a minimum of 2 women and 1 man (non-goalie players). A team may play with an incomplete starting lineup of as few as 5 players provided there is at minimum 1 woman and 1 man on the field and 1 goalkeeper.  A team with less than 5 players or without the minimum 1 woman and 1 man required, will be considered a team in default.

2.If a team shows up without the minimum lineup as mentioned above they have 10 minutes of grace before the team will be considered in default and the default policy will be applied.

3.Teams will play until the end of time (an Event Coordinator will blow the whistle). In the event of a tie score in a regular season match, the game will go into the standings as a tie.

4. Tie game in playoffs – teams will play an immediate best-of-3 shootout with the players on the field with teams alternating shots. For each team, two shooters of the same gender cannot shoot back-to-back. If still tied after 3 shooters from each team, the shootout will be sudden death.

5. Substitutions can be made “on-the-fly” – EXCEPT for the goalie, who can only be substituted for at a stoppage in play.

6. All matches are self-officiated – Team Captains are required to self-police their own teams and call their own fouls.

Equipment

1. Urban Rec will provide regulation balls, goals and nets (where not already provided) and an on- site event coordinator (EC).

  • Teams/players are required to come to each match with both a light and dark coloured shirt- the home team is always light-coloured. Goalkeepers must wear a different coloured jersey than the rest of their team as well as being different from the opposing team’s jerseys.
  • Metal cleats ARE NOT ALLOWED.
  • Shin pads are not required, but strongly recommended. If worn, shin pads must be totally covered by socks.

EASILY CONFUSED RULES

  • The player starting the play (kick or throw-in) is not allowed to touch the ball again until it has been played by another player.
  • Opposing players from the team that is kicking the ball must stay ten yards away from ball until it is in play.
  • Substitutes exit and enter the field via the middle of the field so there is no advantage provided through the substitution.
  • Players are responsible for calling all their own fouls; Team Captains are responsible for informing their team of the rules and also for enforcing them if their team is negligent in this regard. Consult the on-site EC for any indecision
  • The goalkeeper is not allowed to pick up the ball if it has been passed or thrown (via throw-in) to him from a person on his team.
  • All free kicks are to be indirect (except penalty shots), meaning the ball must touch at least two people before going into net.
  • Fouls: kicking, tripping, jumping at, charging, holding, pushing, yelling at, slide tackling, striking or spitting at an opponent, or ‘handling' the ball; all result in An indirect free kick to the opposing team from where infringement occurred unless the foul occurs in the penalty area (see PENALTY KICKS)
  • Penalty kicks are to be taken from twelve yards into field away from center of goal; occur when a defender (not goalkeeper) commits/is called for a foul of any type while inside penalty area or when game winner has to be decided if it is still a tie after full-time in a play-off game.
  • Handballs: to eliminate any debate on whether a player’s arm was in a natural position or not, the rule has been amended so that any time a player’s arm or hand from the shoulder to the fingertips contacts the ball, it is considered a handball. If the opposing team has the clear advantage after a handball, than play shall continue without stopping (please see the Advantage rule in the soccer rules online). Any handball that occurs in the defensive penalty box will result in a penalty kick for the opposing team.
  • Goalkeepers cannot punt or throw the ball over the halfway line. The ball must at least bounce one before. 

Match/Game Play

  • The game will start with a kick-off at the centre spot, with the home team kicking off to begin the game.
  • Teams will change ends at halftime and the away team will kick-off the second half.
  • A kick off will also restart the game after a goal is scored.
  • Kick offs must have the ball going in a forward direction at least one full rotation and may not be touched by the kicker again until the ball has been contacted by another player.
  • A goal cannot be scored directly from a kick off.
  • The opposing team must be at least 8 yards away from the ball in any direction on a kick off, until the ball has been put into play per rule # 4.
  • Balls that are out of play when the ball has crossed the side line will result in a kick-in. A kick-in must be done with the ball stationary on the ground. The resulting pass must not go above knee height. You get one retry, after 2 mistakes the other team will get the ball.
  • Balls that are out of play when the ball has crossed the goal line (but not into the net) will result in a corner kick if a defending player was last to touch the ball, or a goal kick if an offensive player was the last to touch the ball.
  • Goalies are not allowed to handle the ball with the hands when the ball is thrown or kicked to them by their own team. They ARE allowed to use their hands inside the accepted goal crease when the opposing team throws or kicks the ball towards the goalie. If a goalie uses their hands to play the ball in when it was thrown/passed by their own team then the opposing team is awarded an indirect free kick at the spot of the handling – see below for description.
  • If you shoot and the result is the ball going over the fence. The shooter must retrieve the ball even if it was deflected off another player. Another member from your team may come on the field while you retrieve the ball. 

FOULS 

  • Players may not jump to play a ball with their feet.
  • Any player who kicks or attempts to kick a ball that is above their own waist while standing on the floor will have a foul called on them. Two high kicking fouls in one game will result in the expulsion of the offending player from the game.
  • No bicycle kicks
  • Kicking or attempting to kick an opponent
  • Tripping or attempting to trip an opponent
  • Jumping at an opponent
  • Charging an opponent in a violent, reckless or dangerous manner
  • Holding or pushing an opponent
  • Handballs: A handball occurs when the balls touches any part of your arm from top of shoulders to fingertips (except a goalkeeper within their own crease). ALL handballs are to be called a foul and the opposing team gets an indirect free-kick. The ‘Advantage’ rule is not applicable in indoor soccer.
  • Obstructing an opponent
  • Slide tackling – see description below
  • Using your body to advance

Below are listed offenses that could result in a warning (Yellow Card) or a suspension (Red Card)

  • Yellow cards
    • Intentional foul
    • Pulling shirt
    • Tackling from behind
    • Obvious intentional handball
    • Dissent
    • ANY SLIDING
    • Consistent fouling 3+ fouls in a short span of time
    • 3 yellow cards during the season = 1 game suspension
  • Red Cards
    • Swearing at the EC or any other player on the field
    • Denying a goal scoring opportunity with a foul
    • Spitting at another player on the field
    • Threatening to fight
    • Fighting
    • 1 red = 1 game suspension
    • Fighting = Rest of season

Slide tackling includes any player, including the goalie, who leaves the ground in a foot or feet-forward motion. The goalie may dive head-forward or on their side to make a save, but may not dive feet-forward. This is regardless of if there is an opposing player in the area or not. There is to be NO sliding to prevent a ball from going out of play, or to make any play on the ball regardless of whether another player is in the vicinity or not.

All players are to ‘stay on their feet’, period. Any player who slides for any reason will have a foul called for the slide either by themselves or by an opposing player on the field. As you are all aware, participants are required to call their own fouls. If a player “forgets”, then it is the responsibility of their team captain to call the foul. In the event that there is a disagreement, then the team captains of the respective teams should maturely discuss the situation and come to a resolution.

An indirect free-kick is defined as:

  • The ball must touch at least 2 players before it can be a goal (the kicker and 1 other).
  • All opposing players (defence) of the team taking the free kick must be at least ten yards away from the ball, except when the ball is being kicked from a point closer than ten yards from the goal mouth - in which case the defending players may stand on their goal line.
  • All free kicks are to be indirect (except for penalty kicks) in this league, meaning that a goal cannot be scored unless the ball has been touched by a player other than the kicker before passing between the posts.

ALL indirect free-kicks are to be taken from the ‘SPOT OF THE FOUL’. - This includes when the goalkeeper illegally plays the ball with their hands.

3. CORNER-KICKS

When the ball passes over the goal line (but not a goal) and was last touched by a member of the defending team, a member of the attacking team will take a corner-kick; the ball is placed within a one yard radius from the corner closest to where the ball went out of play; a goal may be scored from such a kick; the defending team must stand at least ten yards away from the ball until it is in play; the kicker shall not play the ball a second time until it has been touched by another player

4. GOAL-KICK

When the ball passes over the goal line (but not a goal) and was last touched by a member of the attacking team, a member of the defending team will take a goal-kick; the ball is placed approx. six yards from the goal line on the side of the goal opening which is closest to where the ball went out of play; it must be touched by any player outside a further six yards on for it to be in play again; a goalkeeper shall not receive the ball into their hands from a goal-kick; the kicker shall not play the ball a second time until it has been touched by another player.

5. PENALTY-KICKS

Unfortunately, most of the fields we use do not have goal creases or penalty kick hashes marked (and we are not permitted to paint them on since we are a rental group). With that in mind, team captains should meet before the game to agree on the approximate size of the goal crease area where goalies can handle the ball with their hands- generally, this should be about a 10-12 yard box around the net. If there are any fouls that occur inside this area, a direct penalty kick should be the result from a spot paced off from the goal line.

A penalty kick (which is a direct free kick) will be awarded anytime a foul (major or minor) of any type is committed and called within the accepted goal crease; it will be taken from the penalty-mark on the field with all players, except the goalkeeper and the player taking the kick, outside of the penalty-area and at least ten yards from the penalty mark; the goalkeeper must stand (without moving their feet) on their own goal-line, between the goal posts, until the ball is kicked; the kick must go forward and the kicker cannot touch the ball a second time until it has been touched by another player

6. CALLING FOULS

  • Please remember to be sportsmanlike and call your own fouls. If a foul has been committed against you, raise your hand and make a clear vocalization of a foul call. When a foul is called, right or wrong, respect the call and your opponent making the call.
  • Fouls should only be called by the players on the field and involved in the play– under no circumstances are players off the field or on the sidelines allowed to make any foul or offside calls.  Only those involved in the play should be self-officiating.  The players on the field of play should handle what happens on the field of play - save for involvement by your EC if necessary.
  • If you feel that a team is not calling their own fouls or is playing in an unsportsmanlike manner, at the next stoppage in play the team captains and ONLY the team captains, should have a discussion about the issue and attempt to resolve it. In the event that a situation cannot be resolved by the captains, team captains are encouraged to involve the on-site Event Coordinators (EC's) to assist in resolution.  EC's are empowered by Urban Rec to step in independently and affect resolution if they deem it necessary, and teams are asked to show due respect to these decisions and to respect the EC's and abide by them in these instances.  Important note:  This is a recreational league an there is a code of conduct which you all agreed to abide by.  Aggressive play will not be tolerated and will result in a player being temporarily or permanently removed from the game, or face further supplementary discipline after review by Urban Rec Management.
  • If league play during the season at any point results in teams consistently showing poor sportsmanship, the team captain will be contacted by Urban Rec staff and given the opportunity to respond to these claims.  It is Urban Rec's goal to give all players and teams the benefit of the doubt, and the opportunity to explain themselves should any unsportsmanlike conduct be reported and resolve any issue at that point.

Playoffs 

Playoffs Eligibility – all players must have played a minimum of 2 games over the regular season to be eligible to play in the playoffs. A team using an ineligible player will automatically forfeit the playoff game if the game has begun and that player has played in the game at that point. If a player shows up that is not on the team roster, they will not be allowed to play regardless if they played or subbed during the regular season. All players must be on the roster and indicate they have read the online waiver, even if they are subs

Any playoff game that results in a tie after full-time will be decided by penalty kicks.

  • Teams must select 3 shooters each. For each team two shooters of the same gender cannot shoot back-to-back.
  • Teams alternate shooters. The home team for that match chooses whether to shoot first or second. If teams are tied after 3 shooters each, then it is sudden-death:
  • Teams select 1 more shooter. Players who have already shot are not eligible until everyone else of their gender on their team has shot.
  • Teams must continue to alternate shooters in the same order as before (if the home team shot first in each round, they continue to shoot first in the sudden-death rounds).

ROLE OF THE EC

As you are all aware, the EC is not the referee and is not there primarily to call teams’ fouls for them- teams have the responsibility to play with good sportsmanship and call their own fouls. However, the exception to this is that the EC is empowered to make referee-based calls under the following conditions: Players on the field are unable to determine the correct call due to not understanding the rules, and play is not continuing as a result; there is heated disagreement/impasse over what the correct call should be; the EC is asked directly by the players on the field to make a ruling; the EC determines that a player, multiple players or a team as a whole are playing in an unsafe or unsportsmanlike manner.

EC's reserve the right to remove players temporarily or permanently from games. The EC’s decision is final. Any abuse or disrespect of the EC will result in supplemental discipline from league management.

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