2023/24 BTL Soccer: Rules and Regulations

*Ontario Soccer’s Small Sided Laws of the Game are in effect unless stated otherwise below 

Scheduling, Standings, Stats, and Playoffs

• Schedules and standings can be found at https://betweenthelines.ezleagues.ezfacility.com/leagues.aspx

• Standings 

  • Wins = 3 pts 

  • Draw = 1 pt

  • Loss = 0 pt 

  • Goal differential will be used as the primary tiebreaker in the event multiple teams have the same point total 

  • Head to head results will be used a the secondary tiebreaker in the event that multiple teams have the same point total

•  Stats

  • All players must have a consistent jersey number for the season

  • The golden boot award will be awarded to each league’s top goal scorer in the regular season

• Playoff Format

  • Following a 12 week (fall) and 14 week (winter)  regular season, there will be 2 weeks of playoffs (unless a different format is established pre-season by the league due to team numbers) 

  • Eliminated teams will play each other in friendlies/exhibition games during the final week of the season, unless otherwise stated by league reps.

Officiating

• All matches will be officiated by a Match Official

  • In the very unlikely event that a referee is unable to officiate, matches will be self-officiated. This means that players are expected to honestly call their own fouls. Captains are expected to respectfully discuss any disputes. 

• The referee’s call is final. Grievances should only be presented, respectfully, by the team captain

• Yellow cards (cautions) and red cards (sending off) will be utilized by the referee at their discretion. 

• Dissent towards match officials will not be tolerated. Players must demonstrate respect towards match officials. Red cards or an accumulation of yellow cards (3 in a season) as the result of dissent or match official abuse will be met with a suspension of at least 2 games (additional games or a season long suspension will be utilized in cases of repeat violations or abusive action at the league’s discretion) 

Roster Guidelines

• Captains must provide the league convenor with jersey numbers for each rostered player 

  • Captains will be asked to confirm game sheet details with the referee prior to each match

  • If a player(s) does not have a consistent jersey number for some reason, the captain must update the game sheet with the appropriate number prior to the match

• Rosters must not exceed 12 players

• Substitute players are permitted during regular season games

  • Substitute players must still be written on the game sheet prior to the match beginning

  • If substitute players play in three or more matches in a regular season, they will be added to your roster and take up a roster spot (if the 12 have not been filled) 

• Players must be on the official roster and have played 3 regular season games to be eligible for playoff games

Player Guidelines

• Players are expected to demonstrate respect towards opposition, referees, the facility, their teammates, and BTL Staff at all times.  

• Players must be at least 18 years of age. Players with mid-season birthdays may be added to the roster once of age or they have received an exemption from the league convener  

• Players must wear clean athletic shoes (not street shoes) 

  • Cleats are permitted and encouraged, metal studded cleats are strictly prohibited 

• Players must wear shin guards covered by long socks

• Teams must wear distinguishably different colours. 

  • Goalkeepers must also wear a distinguishably different colour 

• Jewelry is not permitted and must be removed prior to a match. Jewelry is not to be taped over, it must be removed. Necklaces or bracelets which provide medically relevant information are permitted.  

• Foul language directed at referees and/or opponents will not be tolerated. Players will face a caution or a sending off at the referee’s discretion.

• A captain must be identified to the referee prior to the game

• Players are required to have some form of ID at games in case of roster disputes 

Game Structure

• Teams will have approximately 10 minutes on field to warm up before their start time. Teams are encouraged to use the walking/running track for any additional warm ups (while respecting others using the track) 

• Games will be 50 minutes of continuous play + injury time at the discretion of the referee. The referee will end the match after the 50 minutes mark  + injury time but will allow any promising attack to find its natural conclusion (goal, out of bounds, etc.) 

  • There will be no halftime unless both captains agree to implementing one. If a halftime is agreed upon by both captains, time will not be added onto the end of the match

• Regular season games may end in a draw. Playoff games (excluding championship matches) which end in a draw will go directly to penalty kicks (5 attempts per team. If tied after 5 pks each team is given one additional pk until the tie is broken.) 

  • Championship games tied after full-time will go into 10 minutes of “Golden Goal” extra-time. If the tie is not broken, the game will be settled by penalty kicks. 

  • All players (not just those on the field at the final whistle)  are to take kicks in the penalty shootout. In co-ed, a female player must take 1 of the first 3 penalty kicks. All available players must take a penalty kick before a player can take a second kick (if required).  

Kick Off and Restarts

• A pre-match coin toss will determine which team will kick off 

  • The ball does not have to travel forward from the kick off 

  • A goal can be scored directly from kick off 

• When a ball leaves the field of play over a touchline (sideline), play will be restarted with a “pass-in”/indirect free kick on the touchline where the ball went out (instead of a throw in)

  • In the event that the ball hits the netting above the field of play, an indirect free kick will be awarded against the team who last made contact. The kick will be taken as close to directly under where the ball made contact with the ceiling as possible 

  • If the ball is in the final third of the field and is deflected into the netting above the field of play by a defender making a block or the goalkeeper making a save, play will be restarted by a kick-in on the closest touch line. 

• All freekicks will be indirect, no matter the infraction. In order for a goal to be scored the ball must be touched by a second player before crossing the goalline 

  • A goal may be scored directly from a penalty kick, corner kick, and kick off

• All opposing players must be 6 yards/5 metres from the ball when any type of kick off or restart is being taken (including kick-ins) 

General Rules of Play 

• Slide tackling will not be permitted. Sliding to keep a ball in play or block a shot when there are no opponents nearby is permitted. 

  • All slide tackles will result in an indirect free kick if outside the penalty area 

  • Slide tackles inside the penalty area will result in an indirect free kick if a foul is not committed or a penalty kick is a foul is committed 

  • Goalkeepers are permitted to slide in an attempt to win the ball inside their own penalty area.  Fouls will result in a penalty kick.

  • Slide tackles will result in a caution or sending off if a foul is committed 

• There are no offsides 

• The ball is considered to be out of play when it fully crosses the touch line or goalline 

• The ball is considered to be out of play when it comes into contact with the netting directly above the field of play. 

• Substitutions may take place for either team on any goal kick or on stoppages in play in which your team has possession of the ball. If the team in possession choses to sub, the opposition then has the chance to do the same. The referee must be advised of and approve (verbally or by waving on) any substitutions before players enter the field of play

  • Players being subbed off must leave the field of play at the nearest reasonable point of the touch or goal lines to respect time

  • Players that enter the field of play without referee consent or illegally in any other manner may face a yellow card

• There will be no retreat line 

Disciplinary Actions

In-Game 

• As stated above, the referee will caution (yellow card) or send off (red card) players when warranted.

• Cautionable offenses examples. (Not limited to the following) 

  • Dissent by word or action 

  • Commits a foul in a reckless manner 

  • Intentionally delays a restart 

  • Deliberately handles the ball in an attempt to score or stop a promising attack 

  • Persistent offenses

  • Unsporting behaviour 

• Sending off offense examples. (Not limited to the following) 

  • Denial of an obvious goal scoring opportunity by handling the ball or foul 

  • Serious foul play/endangering the safety of others 

  • Violent conduct 

  • Offensive, abusive, or insulting language 

  • Receiving 2 yellow cards in one game

•  Players must be substituted after being shown a yellow card. They may sub back into the game at the next appropriate stoppage in play. This rule does not apply to goalkeepers. 

• Players shown a red card are not to return to the field of play for the remainder of the game 

  • Players will be asked to leave the facility if sent off for violent conduct, unacceptable language, or for reasons at the referee’s discretion. If asked to leave by the referee or BTL staff, the match will not resume until the sent-off player leaves the facility. 

• If a player is shown a red card and sent off during the run of play their team will be required to play with one less player on the field for the remainder of the game 

  • If a player is shown a red card while acting as a substitute or prior to the game their team will continue to play with the normal amount of players 

  • If a team were to receive 3 red cards in a single game (on-field players or substitutes), the game will be abandoned and the offending team will forfeit. If this is to occur, the league will review the offending team’s conduct and hold a disciplinary meeting with the team captain to review the team's eligibility going forward. The league reserves the right to remove teams without refund for unacceptable conduct. 

Post-Game

• Players who accumulate 3 yellow cards in a regular season will receive a 1 game suspension.

  • Accumulated yellow cards are reset at the end of the regular season

• Players will receive a 1 or more game suspension for sending off offenses (dangerous fouls, violent conduct, abusive language, etc.) 

  • A player sent off for abusive of official will be subject to a minimum 2 game suspension 

• Repeat offenders will be subject to lengthier suspensions at league discretion

  • Players may not receive a suspension for sending off offenses not of this nature (denial of an obvious goal scoring opportunity by handing the ball) at the discretion of the referee and the league

• Cautions and sending offs may be appealed by the team captain in the week following the game in which they occurred by contacting the league convener

• Suspensions handed out in the regular season will carry over into playoffs

Forfeits

• Team’s must have a minimum of 4 players to play a game 

  • Teams may use emergency players from other teams only if they are needed to reach 4 or 5 players. Emergency players may not be used to provide additional substitutes without the approval from the opposing captain. 

• If a team does not meet the minimum amount of players 5 minutes after their game time they will forfeit the game. 

  • Forfeits will be recorded as a 6-0 loss in the standings 

  • The field will still be available to both teams to scrimmage for their allotted time slot  

• *New this season* If your team will not have enough players for a game, please let league staff know at least 1 week prior to the scheduled game time. If 1 week or more notice is given, the game will be rescheduled (if the BTL schedule allows. We’ll make our best effort to offer an alternative). If proper notice is not given, the game will be forfeited. 

• Teams who forfeit more than 1 game in a season will not be eligible for playoffs