Rules

Rules of Play

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View or download the IFAB Laws of the Game

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General Rules
 

Each match consists of two equal halves of 20 minutes.
 

A two-minute half-time period will occur between halves.

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Each team may call a ONE 30-second timeout per half (when in possession of ball and the ball is out of play). Timeouts are not allowed to be taken under two minutes OF THE SECOND HALF.  

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IF A TIME OUT ENCROACHES INTO THE TWO MINUTE MARK OF THE SECOND HALF, THE REFEREE WILL RE-SET THE CLOCK TO TWO MINUTES.

There is no overtime, injury time or stoppage time.

Teams are comprised of four outfield players and one goalkeeper.

A team must have three field players and a goal keepers to begin a match. No team may have fewer than three players and a goal keeper on the pitch at any time.

The goalkeeper must wear a different color jersey than the outfield players.

All players must wear the following: shirt, shorts, shinguards, socks, non-marking sneakers -- no exceptions.

Each team must wear a distinctively colored shirt with a number on the shirt.

No hard casts or splints are allowed.

Players may not wear eyeglasses. Sport-specific eyewear worn with a strap are permitted.

Jewelry, watches, earrings, metal barettes and other dangerous items are not permitted.

There is no slide tackling in futsal (see goalkeeping exception below).

There is no offsides in futsal.

Although some contact is unavoidable, futsal is largely a non-contact sport. In addition, such legal contact shall not be careless, reckless or excessive.

 

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Substitutions

All substitutions are on the fly; this includes goalkeeping substitutions. Referees will not stop play for goalkeeping substitutions. 

A substitute may not enter the match until the player leaving the match is at the touchline in the substitution zone. Coaches are asked to have players slap hands at the touchline to ensure that no more than five players are on the court at once.

Any substitute who enters the field of play before the player being replaced has completely left the field of play will be shown a yellow card.

All substitutions must take place in front of the team bench -- not at the half-way line.

All teams will switch benches (and ends) at the beginning of halftime, ensuring that all substitutions take place in the defensive half. 

 

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Heading

Intentional heading or attempting to head the futsal ball is not permitted in U12 and below divisions. The restart is an indirect free kick to the opposing team.

 

Restarts

Kickoffs: are indirect.

All players must be in their own half of the pitch. The opponents of the team taking the kick-off are at least 5 yards from the ball until it is in play. The ball must be stationary on the center mark. The referee gives a signal. The ball is in play when it is kicked and moves.

Kickins: are indirect. The ball must be placed on or no more than 10 inches behind the line and the kick must be taken within 4 seconds. The kicker's plant foot must be out of bounds or on the line. (A kickin that goes directly in the opposing goal is a goal clearance for the opposing team. A kickin that goes directly in the defensive goal is a corner kick of the opposing team.)

Goal Clearances: are taken when the ball wholly crosses the goal line after being touched last by the attacking team. The goalkeeper must use his hands to roll, bounce or throw the ball from anywhere inside the penalty area to outside the penalty area.

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• UNDER 13 AND BELOW DIVISIONS: The ball may not cross the half-way line without first being touched by the ground or a player, or another player. If no one touches the ball, the restart is an indirect kick for the opposing team where the ball crossed the center line.
   

• UNDER 14 AND ABOVE DIVISIONS: Goalkeepers may throw the ball directly across the half-way line. A ball thrown directly into the opposing goal results in a goal clearance for the opposing team.

Corner Kicks: are direct. The ball must be placed directly on the corner spot and the kick must be taken within 4 seconds.

Free Kicks: may be indirect or direct. The ball must be stopped completely before the kick may be taken.

Penalty Kicks: are taken from the penalty spot and must be shot at goal by a clearly identified kicker. Defenders may not closer to the ball less than 5 yards and must be behind an imaginary line running from touchline to touchline even with the penalty spot.

Distance: For all of the above, except goal clearances, opponents may not be closer to the ball than 5 yards.

Ceiling: If the ball hits the ceiling or other object, the team that did not touch the ball last restarts play with a kickin from the nearest point on the touchline.


Fouls and Misconduct

Indirect Free Kicks: When a player plays in a dangerous manner, impedes an opponent (without playing the ball), prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball with the hands or commits any offense for which play is stopped, the referee may caution or eject said player. In the U12 and below divisions, heading or attempting to head is an offense restarted with an indirect free kick.

Direct Free Kicks: When a player kicks or attempts to kick an opponent, slide tackles an opponent or slides with an opponent near, jumps at an opponent, charges at an opponent, strikes or attempts to strike an opponent, pushes an opponent, holds an opponent, spits at an opponent or handles the ball deliberately.

Yellow Card / Caution: The offending player is shown a yellow card. If a player earns two yellow cards in a match, he is shown a red card. If a player earns two single yellow cards during any league or tournament (including friendlies), he/she is suspended for the next game.

Red Card / Ejection: The offending player must leave match and facility. The offending team plays down for two minutes unless scored upon before the two-minute penalty expires. The offending player serves a minimum one-match suspension. Any player that earns two red cards during a league or tournament will be suspended for the remainder of the session or tournament, including playoffs.
 

Accumulated Fouls: All direct free kick fouls are recorded on the score sheet and on the scoreboard. After the 5th accumulated foul on either half, the opposing team will take a direct free kick without a wall from the second penalty spot or where the foul took place. All accumulated fouls must be taken with the intention of scoring a goal by a clearly identified kicker. The defending team may not make a wall and may not be nearer to less than 5 yards from the ball in any direction. The goalkeeper may be off the goal-line but may not be nearer less than 5 yards from the ball. Accumulated fouls are reset to zero at the beginning of the second half and carry over into extra-time if being played.