Rules and Regulations
League Format
The duration of league matches is 40 minutes. The match is split into two 19-minute halves (2-minute half time period).
The duration of cup matches will vary dependent on the competition format.
Each team may field a maximum of 7 players at any one time (maximum of 5 players for MK league). Teams are advised to have a maximum of 10 players in the squad, however, they may have more if they wish. Any substitutes are instructed to stand behind the goal they are defending.
Teams will be required to play with 6 players if they cannot field a full team (4 players for MK League). If an additional player arrives they will be able to join the game immediately once the referee has been notified.
Teams will receive the following point’s dependant on result:
1. Win: 3 points
2. Draw: 1 point
3. Loss: 0 points
The following will dictate league standings:
1. Points
2. Goal difference
3. Goals scored (+)
4. Most wins
5. Head to head
Teams can be promoted and relegated in the Monday Leagues.
Match Fee
The match fee is £40 per team which is to be paid via card payment in full prior to playing.
The match fee covers the cost of venue hire, referee costs and match balls.
Guest Players
Guest players may not be borrowed if the team has 7 players (full match fee still required).
Total Football, the referee and the opposing team must be made aware of any team wishing to borrow guest players. The referee reserves the right to refuse a team borrowing guest players if he/she feels it may considerably affect the outcome of the match.
Kick-ins
A kick-in is a method of restarting play.
A goal cannot be scored directly from a kick-in.
The kick-in is taken from the touch line at the point where the ball left the field of play.
Opponents must stand at least 5 yards away from the point where the kick-in is taken.
Goal-Kicks
A goal kick is a method of restarting play.
A goal kick is awarded when the whole of the ball passes over the goal line, either on the ground or in the air, having last touched a player of the attacking team.
A goal may be scored directly from a goal kick, but only against the opposing team.
The goal kick can be taken from any point within the penalty area by either the goalkeeper or an outfield player.
Opponents remain outside the penalty area until the ball is in play
Freekicks / Penalty Kicks
All freekicks are direct.
A direct free-kick or penalty (if offence took place inside the opposition penalty area) is given to the opposing team for any of the following offences in a manner that is deemed to be careless, reckless or using excessive force:
1. kicks or attempts to kick an opponent
2. trips or attempts to trip an opponent
3. jumps at an opponent
4. charges an opponent
5. strikes or attempts to strike an opponent
6. pushes an opponent
7. attempts to make a slide tackle*
8. deliberate time wasting
9. holds an opponent
10. spits at an opponent
11. handles the ball deliberately (except for the goalkeeper within his own penalty area)
*Players are allowed to slide in the course of making a pass or a block, however, they are not allowed to slide when making a tackle, this is for the players’ own safety. If a player slides and intercepts a pass then this is classed as a slide block. If a player slides and dispossess a player that has the ball under control then this is classed as a slide tackle. The difference is the discretion of the referee.
The freekick is taken where the offence happened and all opposition players must be at least 5 yards away from the ball for all freekicks.
A direct free kick is awarded to the opposing team 5 yards outside of the penalty area nearest the point where the offense took place if a goalkeeper inside his own penalty area, commits any of the following five offences:
1. controls the ball with his hands for more than six seconds before releasing it
2. touches the ball again with his hands after he has released it from his possession and before it has touched another player
3. touches the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a team-mate
4. touches the ball with his hands after he has received it directly from a kick-in taken by a team- mate
Goalkeepers Rules
Goalkeepers cannot exit their penalty area. If they do a penalty is awarded.
If the goalkeeper makes a save and a part of his/her body subsequently comes out of the penalty area then the referee shall use his/her discretion. However, in this instance, for the referee to rule in favour of the goalkeeper, the ball must have remained in the area and part of the goalkeepers body must also have remained in the area. If, in the referee’s opinion, the goalkeeper started a sliding save too near to the edge of the area, which he could have reasonably foreseen would have taken the majority of his body out of the area (even though the ball may have remained in the area) then the referee shall penalise the goalkeeper. The referee shall take into account the conditions of the surface in determining how far goalkeepers may slide out of the area.
Goalkeepers can roll, throw or kick the ball out of the area when the ball is still in play.
Back-passes
The goalkeeper may receive the ball back directly from the player that receives the ball. The goalkeeper may not then handle the ball. If the goalkeeper handles the ball then a direct free-kick is awarded 3 yards outside of the penalty area where the ball entered the penalty area.
If the pass back was made inside of the penalty area the direct free-kick will be taken 5 yards outside of the penalty area from the nearest point to where the back pass was made..
Substitutions
A substitution may only be made during a stoppage in play with the referee’s approval.
The substitute entering the field of play must wait for the player leaving the field of play to exit the playing area.
Players may leave the pitch from any area and make their way to behind the goal that their goalkeeper is defending.
Teams can make an unlimited number of substitutions and players have no limit to how many times they can enter and exit the field of play during a game.
Substitutes must stand behind the goal that their team’s goalkeeper is defending.
More than 1 substitute can be made at the same time.
Referees
Referees shall be treated with the utmost respect at all times. Total Football will not tolerate dissent, threatening language/behaviour or violent conduct towards referees.
The referee’s decision is final and is made in the best interest of the game.
All referees will be FA qualified.
The referee has discretion to alter the duration of a match if he/she feels necessary.
Disciplinary sanctions
Total Football has zero tolerance towards violent behaviour and this will be reflected in the action taken upon teams/players involved in such incidents.
Total Football reserve the right to ban any team or individual indefinitely from any Total Football event if deemed necessary
The yellow card is used to communicate that a player, substitute or substituted player has been cautioned
The red card is used to communicate that a player, substitute or substituted player has been sent off.
The referee has the authority to take disciplinary sanctions from the moment he enters the field of play until he leaves the field of play after the final whistle.
A player who commits a cautionable or sending-off offence, either on or off the field of play, whether directed towards an opponent, a team-mate, the referee, an assistant referee or any other person, is disciplined according to the nature of the offence committed.
Cautionable offences
A player is cautioned and shown the yellow card if he commits any of the following offences:
1. unsporting behaviour
2. dissent by word or action
3. persistent infringement of the Laws of the Game
4. delaying the restart of play
A substitute or substituted player is cautioned if he commits any of the following three offences:
1. unsporting behaviour
2. dissent by word or action
3. delaying the restart of play
Sending-off offences
A player, substitute or substituted player is sent off if he commits any of the following seven offences:
1. serious foul play
2. violent conduct towards players/officials (Total Football staff)
3. spitting at an opponent or any other players/officials (Total Football staff)
4. denying the opposing team a goal or an obvious goalscoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball (this does not apply to a goalkeeper within his own penalty area)
5. denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the player’s goal by an offence punishable by a free kick or a penalty kick
6. using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures towards players/officials (Total Football staff)
7. receiving a second caution in the same match
A player, substitute or substituted player who has been sent off must leave the field of play and stand in viewing area. If the player who has been sent off refuses to leave the the field of play and stand in the viewing area then the game will automatically be awarded to the opposing team and a 3-0 win recorded (irrelevant of score at the point of the game being abandoned).
A player being sent off for offences 2,3 outlined above will be banned from all Total Football competitions for life and the Beds FA will be informed immediately.
A player being sent of for offences 1,4,5,6,7 outlined above will receive a three match suspension from Total Football.
All offences and punishments are at Total Football discretion.
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Clothing / Footwear
All players are encouraged to wear shin-pads and appropriate clothing in order to minimise the risk of injury. If unsure please contact Total Football at info@totalfootballleagues.co.uk. Players who opt to not wear shin-pads do so at their own risk.
Goalkeepers are permitted to wear caps, outfield players cannot.
Astro-turf trainers or moulded boots are the only permitted forms of footwear.
Teams must wear the same colour shirts (except the goalkeeper). If 1 or more player is not wearing the same colour as the majority of the team then the entire team will wear bibs (provided by Total Football).