Broome County Soccer Association

Laws of Our Game

BCSA Variations from the Laws of the Game

All of our games are governed by the most current edition of FIFA's Laws of the Game (PDF format) with the variations listed on the chart below. The chart is reasonably complete but your should read the White Book to be certain you have seen every variation we make from the Laws. If nothing is listed in a cell in the chart below, there is no variation from FIFA's Laws of the Game.

Last Updated Saturday, March 25, 2023 10:49 PM.

LAW	UNDER 8	UNDER 10	UNDER 12	UNDER 14-19
LAW 1: The Field of Play	Length-35-50 yards. Width-20-25 yards. No Penalty Area. Center Circle-6 yards in radius. Goal Area-6 yards from each goalpost and 6 yards into the field. Goal-5' max. Flags, discs or pop-up goals are acceptable.	Length-55-65 yards. Width-35-45 yards. Center Circle-8 yard radius. Goal-6' x 18' Penalty Arc-8 yards from penalty mark. Penalty mark - 10 yards from goal line. For a scale drawing of the field sizes, click here.	Length-70-80 yards. Width-45-55 yards. Center Circle-8 yard radius. Goal-6' x 18' or 7' x 21' Penalty Arc-8 yards from penalty mark. Penalty mark-10 yards from Goal line. For a scale drawing of the field sizes, click here.
LAW 2: The Ball	Size 3 Ball	Size 4 Ball	Size 4 Ball	Size 5 Ball
LAW 3: The Number of Players	Roster - No limit Field - 4v4 no GK ALL COACHES MUST HAVE PASSES. Certified rosters required for players. Unlimited substitution on the fly. Substitutes must enter the field from the halfway line. Substituted players may leave the pitch across any boundary line. It will not be a cautionable offense if a player does not leave over the closest boundary line. BCSA recommends players leave the field near their team's technical area.	Roster -Unlimited Recreational Roster, certified by club registrar. Match Check In Limit: 11 players Field - 7 v 7 incl. GK Minimum to Start/Continue-5 3 coaches max. ALL COACHES MUST HAVE PASSES. Unlimited substitution at any stoppage with permission of the referee. Substitutes must enter the field from the halfway line. Substituted players may leave the pitch across any boundary line. It will not be a cautionable offense if a player does not leave over the closest boundary line. BCSA recommends players leave the field near their team's technical area.	Roster - Unlimited Recreational Roster certified by club registrar. Match Check In Limit: 13 players Field -9 v 9 incl. GK Minimum to Start/ Continue-7 3 coaches max. ALL COACHES MUST HAVE PASSES. Unlimited substitution at any stoppage with permission of the referee. Substitutes must enter the field from the halfway line. Substituted players may leave the pitch across any boundary line. It will not be a cautionable offense if a player does not leave over the closest boundary line. BCSA recommends players leave the field near their team's technical area.	Roster - State Certified Roster Match Check In Limit: 18 players 3 coaches max. ALL MUST HAVE PASSES. Unlimited substitution at any stoppage with permission of the referee. Substitutes must enter the field from the halfway line. Substituted players may leave the pitch across any boundary line. It will not be a cautionable offense if a player does not leave over the closest boundary line. BCSA recommends players leave the field near their team's technical area.
LAW 4: Players' Equipment	Shin guards MANDATORY. Soft cleated shoe or sneakers. No jewelry.	Shin guards MANDATORY. Soft cleated shoe or sneakers. No jewelry.	Shin guards MANDATORY. No jewelry.	Shin guards MANDATORY. No jewelry.
LAW 5: The Referee	Coaches facilitate games on the field. No referees are required. Instructional only.	Both teams will pay referee and mentor on field before match. New referee program/certified official. Referee shall briefly explain infraction to player. Referee shall check credentials.	Both teams will pay referees on field before match. Certified officials. Referee shall check credentials.	Both teams will pay referees on field before match. Certified officials. Referee shall check credentials.
LAW 6: The Assistant Referee	No assistant referees.	No assistant referees. A mentor will be assigned to each match.	Certified assistant referees. Club Assistants should be avoided if possible.	Certified assistant referees. Club Assistants should be avoided if possible.
LAW 7: Duration of the Match	15-20 minute games. Between 1 hour and 1 hour 30 minutes playing time per site per day.	2 halves of 30 minutes each with 5 minute halftime. Referee will add time as per FIFA.	2 halves of 35 minutes each with 10 minute halftime. Referee will add time as per FIFA.	10 Minute Halftime. 2 halves of: U14-35 minutes. U16-40 minutes. U19-45 minutes. Referee will add time as per FIFA.
LAW 8: Start and Restart of Play	Opposing players must be at least 6 yards from the ball on kick-offs.	Opposing players must be at least 8 yards from the ball on kick-offs.	Opposing players must be at least 8 yards from the ball on kick-offs.
LAW 9: Ball In and Out of Play
LAW 10: Method of Scoring	No score or standings shall be kept.	No score or standings shall be kept.
LAW 11: Offside	No offside penalties shall be enforced.	No offside penalties shall be enforced.
LAW 12: Fouls and Misconduct	Coach/facilitator shall briefly explain violation to offending player. No sliding tackles.	Conform to FIFA with the exception that an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a player deliberately heads the ball, a free kick shall be awarded from the point of the infraction subject to the exceptions in Law 13.	Conform to FIFA with the exception that an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team at the center spot on the halfway line if a goalkeeper punts or drop-kicks the ball in the air from his/her penalty area into the opponents penalty area.
LAW 13: Free Kicks	All free kicks are indirect. Opposing players must be at least 6 yards from the ball.	Opposing players must be at least 8 yards from the ball.	Conform to FIFA with the exception that opponents are at least eight (8) yards from the ball.
LAW 14: The Penalty Kick	No penalty kicks shall be awarded.	Opposing players must be at least 8 yards from the ball. The penalty mark is made ten (10) yards from the midpoint between the goalposts and equidistant to them.	Conform to FIFA with the exceptions that the penalty mark is at ten yards and that players other than the kicker and defending goalkeeper are at least eight (8) yards from the penalty mark.
LAW 15: The Throw In	One re-throw after explanation from referee shall be given.
LAW 16: The Goal Kick	Opposing players must be at least 6 yards from the ball.	Conforms to FIFA with the following exceptions: a) The opposing team MUST retreat to their own half of the field. b) The kicker MUST WAIT until the opposing team has retreated. c) The opposing team CAN ATTACK AS SOON AS THE BALL IS KICKED AND MOVES. For ANY violation of the above, the goal kick MUST BE RETAKEN. Time may be added for these violations.
Law 17: The Corner Kick	Corner kicks are indirect. Players must be six yards from ball. Ball must be within one yard of the corner.	Conform to FIFA with the exception that opponents are at least eight (8) yards from the corner arc.	Conform to FIFA with the exception that opponents are at least eight (8) yards from the corner arc.
Other		KEEPER POSSESSION: If the goalkeeper gains possession of the ball with his or her hands: a) The opposing team MUST retreat to their own half of the field. b) The keeper MUST WAIT until the opposing team retreats. c) The keeper MUST DISTRIBUTE THE BALL with his or her hands to a teammate on his own half of the field. (Keepers cannot play the ball to themselves.) d) The opposing team CAN ATTACK AS SOON AS THE BALL LEAVES THE KEEPER’S HANDS. For ANY violation of the above, the keeper possession MUST BE REPEATED. Time may be added for these violations.
Other		COOLING BREAKS are automatically authorized in any match at a normal stoppage around the mid point of each half under certain circumstances. Cooling breaks are strongly recommended to be 4 minutes long. Cooling breaks must be allowed if the temperature at game time is over 79 degrees Fahrenheit and either of the following conditions are true: a. A member of the referee crew requests it. b. A team official for either team requests it. The referee shall add time for all cooling breaks.