USIndoor endorses and strongly encourages member facilities to implement the following league administration to promote minimum standards and indoor soccer through the adoption of standards for use in league play and open tournaments whenever practical. Proposals for additions or modifications to these Policies should be addressed to: Bryan Finnerty, Chairman, USIndoor Competition Committee at admin@usindoor.com.

League Standings

League Standings employ the format used by all major soccer leagues around the world.

League Standings are based on total points. Teams receive three points are awarded for a win and one point for a tie.

Forfeited games are registered as if the teams had played to a final score of 5-0. Accordingly, the non-forfeiting team receives three points for the victory and five goals to its Goals For and Goal Difference. For the victor, a 5-0 result eases the disappointment of not having a game, and for the forfeiting team a 5-0 loss serves as a significant punishment and future deterrent.

If teams are tied on points, the standings tiebreaker is Goal Difference. If teams are tied on Points and Goal Difference, the tiebreaker is Goals For.

Playoffs

By employing the guidelines herein, facilities can best manage the standards and expectations on which players and fans may reasonably rely. Such dependability strengthens the identity of indoor soccer, allowing it to grow and develop beyond any locality or region.

Soccer-Net endorses the playoff format employed by major professional leagues worldwide, with initial pairings based on points accumulated during the regular season (and the tiebreakers set forth above.) Playoffs proceed in a single-elimination format, according to bracketed play. For example:

Facilities are encouraged to permit as many teams as possible into the playoffs, on the basis that the more teams that participate, the more excitement a facility can create throughout its regular season. The costs of playoffs should be compensated by league fees, the generation of goodwill and concessions.

Game Misconduct and Discipline

Officials may stop a game when a player, spectator or other person displays inappropriate and destructive behavior that interferes with others or the game. The official shall identify the violator(s) to the authority empowered to remove the person from the viewing area or the arena, and play shall resume after removal. Lost game time is forgone and those removed shall be subject to further discipline, including a permanent ban, by the administrative authority and facility. Examples of inappropriate and destructive behavior include:

• Using obscene, racial, or vulgar language in a boisterous manner to anyone at any time
• Taunting players, coaches, officials or spectators by means of baiting, ridiculing, threatening physical violence, or committing physical violence
• Throwing any object in the spectators area, players’ bench, penalty area, or field of play that could create a hazard

Red Card: A player, who receives a red card (i.e., game suspension under Official Rule 10.9), receives an automatic, minimum one-game suspension, subject to review and further punishment by the administrative authority. Red cards received at the end of a season carry over to the next season.

USIndoor recommends that players ejected for fighting or physical abuse of the person or property of an administrator or referee be suspended for the remainder of the season, subject to additional ban and financial penalty, depending on the circumstances and judgment of the administrative authority. If a player receives a red card for such conduct during or directly following the last game of the season, the player should be suspended for the entire next season (subject to additional ban). This penalty is employed to raise the deterrence of players from fighting in the playoffs.

USIndoor recommends that member facilities honor season suspensions and lifetime bans issued by other facilities. Facilities should notify neighboring indoor soccer centers of the names of any players so penalized.

Age Divisions

USIndoor adopts the universally accepted definitions for age divisions, as utilized in all of soccer:

The operative dates that determine a player’s eligibility are from August 1st through July 31st, along with the player’s birth date and the date of the opening game of the league in which the player would be participating. “U[Age]” is standard shorthand for “Under [age between 6 and 19].” For example, a division designated “U16” means that players must be age 15 or younger as of the following July 31st.

Examples:

League administrators may grant exceptions based solely on their discretion, for example, to allow players attending the same school and grade to play together. In addition, leagues may have rules regarding minimum ages.

Rules and Referees

USIndoor has published The Official Rules of Indoor Soccer (2016 edition) and strongly recommends the employment of specially trained indoor soccer referees, which it certifies pursuant to program designed expressly for indoor soccer officiating. Inquiries regarding the Official Rules or Referee Certification should be addressed to ref@usindoor.com.

See also: Player Disciplinary Guide