Basic FIFA soccer rules with some adaptations govern this League. This is a moderately competitive coed league. The main objectives of the game as played in this league are to exercise, enjoy the company of friends and have fun.

The Field

1. The field size will be 50 X 100 yards minimum and 75 X 120 yards maximum.

2. League officials will decide whether fields can be used prior to the games. Decisions will be based on the conditions of the fields and agreements with city officials. Decisions will be posted at our website (dcslsoccer.org).

3. The acceptability of field conditions as a result of weather, etc. will be governed by the referee.

The Team

1. A team will be composed of a) a goalie of either sex and b) ten field players of which no more than five may be men. Teams may play additional women to compensate for a shortage of men but may not play additional men to compensate for a shortage of women. A minimum of seven players including the goalie must be present on the field ready to start play within ten minutes of the scheduled starting time of the game in order to avoid forfeiture of the game. Each player must be in possession of a current player pass. All men on a given team must be 30 years of age. A team may have two women on their roster during the season that are 21 years of age; the remaining women on the team must be 25 years of age. The younger women will have a red dot next to their picture on their player pass.

2. A player's pass must be turned over to the referee prior to that player entering the game.

The Equipment

1. Players may use tennis shoes or appropriate cleated shoes. Football cleated shoes having a toe cleat will not be permitted. Footwear is subject to inspection and approval of the referee.

2. Players may wear glasses on the field at their own risk. All glasses worn on the field must be adequately secured to the head.

3. Jewelry is not permitted on the playing fields with the exception of wedding rings which have been taped.

4. Players are not permitted to wear hats on the field. The goalkeeper may be exempted at the discretion of the referee.

5. Players with casts, braces or other prosthetic devices with the exception of approved knee braces will not be permitted to play. All approved braces will be completely covered allowing no exposure of plastic or metal. The referee will inspect all devices before beginning play. A player having inadequate protection may be excluded from play at the discretion of the referee.

6. All player shall in accordance with current FIFA Rules be required to wear shin guards.

Prohibitions

1. No alcoholic beverages will be permitted on the field or in the area at any time.

2. No four legged children (pets) will be allowed on the field at any time. Pets may be kept in the parking lot or in a vehicle.

Rules of Play

Duration of Game

1. The game will be played in two 45 minute halves with a quarter break in each half approximately 22 minutes after play has begun. The quarter break will commence at the referee's discretion with a natural dead ball stoppage of play. Quarter breaks will be five minutes each while the half time break will be ten minutes. Regular season games that end with a tie score will remain as such, there will be no tie breaking procedures.

Playing the Game

2. The league will be governed by the touch rule. When the ball crosses the center line, a woman from the attacking team must touch it before it can be considered "live". The Referee will indicate that the ball is "live". Exchange of possession within the attacking zone shall not be a factor unless the ball re-crosses the center line. Women will take all drop balls for the resumption of play. Women will take all penalty kicks.  A free kick (direct or indirect), a corner kick and a drop ball, taken by a woman will make the ball “live” when taken in the offensive end of the field. Likewise, a penalty kick taken by a woman will make the ball “live”.  A ball that is not "live" but deflects off of a defensive player including the goalkeeper crossing the end line or entering the net shall result in a corner kick being awarded to the attacking team. However, a ball kicked into the goal by a defensive player shall be ruled a goal, regardless of whether it is “live”.

3. This league will conform to the current FIFA rules with respect to play of the goalkeeper. Balls passed from the foot of a defensive player to the keeper may not be picked up by the keeper. If the keeper picks up a ball that has been kicked to him by a player on his team, the referee will award an indirect free kick to the opposing team. Balls played off the knee, chest or head of the defensive player, unintentionally deflected off of any body part of a defensive player may be picked up by the keeper. Balls thrown in from the side line may not be picked up by the keeper.

Scoring

4. All goals count as one point.

Substitution

5. Unlimited substitution will be allowed for either team on goal kicks, corner kicks, and kickoffs. Substitution on a throw-in will be allowed to the team in possession of the ball. During an injury stoppage, either team may substitute players.

Fouls

6. Field captains, identified at the beginning of the game, will be the only players allowed to talk to the referee concerning a decision during or after the game. Violation of this rule at the Referee's discretion will result in a warning, a yellow card or red card.

7. Shoulder to shoulder challenges, men to men, women to women and mixed (women to men and men to women) shall be permitted. The goalkeeper may not be charged at any time. Overly aggressive challenges will be noted by the referee and at his discretion, he may award a direct free kick.

8. Intentional or aggressive sliding shall be considered dangerous play. Dangerous play will result in an indirect free kick. No sliding to recover the ball (regardless of position on the field) will be permitted – sliding is prohibited in this league. Goalkeepers within their own penalty area may execute slide tackles, both head first and feet first, provided that it is not done dangerously or recklessly per normal FIFA Laws of the Game. Goalkeepers who travel outside their own penalty area become subject to the same prohibitions against slide tackling as field players.

9. Foul or abusive language or gestures will not be permitted. Such conduct will result in a yellow card for the first offense and a red card for the second offense. Obvious loss of one's temper and self-control will result in a red card. In the event of a yellow card, the player must be replaced by a substitute for a period of time to be determined by the referee. In the event of a red card, the player must leave the field immediately. The player will automatically be suspended from the next game. The decision to issue a red card cannot be reversed. Physical abuse of a referee by a player will result in the suspension of the player for a period of time to be determined by the Disciplinary Committee.

10. The Referee Coordinator will report the number of yellow and red cards issued to each team to the board. Should one team receive an unusual number of cards during the course of the season, the team captain will be requested to discipline the team. If this action in deemed inadequate, the team will be requested to cease play in the league. Four yellow cards issued to a player during the season are equivalent to one red card. Three red cards issued to a player during the season will result in the suspension of the player for the remainder of the season and the next season as well.

Injuries

11. Play will be discontinued at the discretion of the Referee in the event of an injury. The restart will commence with a dropped ball if the play was stopped by the Referee or by the natural play of the game (i.e., throw-in, goal kick, corner kick). Good sportsmanship shall prevail.