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DVFL Rules

Here you will find the basic rules and guidelines that will e used by DVFL in league and tournament games. Any rules not mentioned or modified here will follow the official FIFA Futsal rules.

  1. Header will follow US Soccer rules based on age group
  2. Each team needs to provide 1 volunteer scorekeeper before each game, BEFORE the game starts to avoid delays
  3. Players need to have same color uniform, shinguards and non-marking shoes - no sweatpants allowed for players on the field, the exception is the goalie only when playing as a goalie
  4. Game Reschedule: DVFL does NOT guarantee reschedule under any circumstances!
    • Exceptions to this rule may be made if the gym becomes unavailable for any reason and/or
    • If the requesting team gets the opposing coach to agree with the change and can also provide a suitable gym to play the rescheduled game. This rescheduled game needs to be coordinated with DVFL at least 48 hours before the original game time or it may be considered a forfeit.
    • There is NO rescheduling of game 24 hours before game time, NEITHER on game day
  5. Game will start on time - no time for warming up inside the courts - teams need to be ready to play when entering the court
  6. The clock will keep running except for either team timeout, injuries, or timeout requested by Referee
  7. Timeouts: each team may request a one-minute timeout on each half when in possession of the ball
  8. To start the game, each team will need to field at least 3 players. The referee will give a 5-minute grace period - COUNTED FROM THE TIME THE GAME WAS SCHEDULED TO START. After the 5 minutes, it will be considered a forfeit and this will award a 3x0 win to the opposing team. If both teams are not able to field 3 players to start the game, both teams will forfeit the game. There will be no score posted and no points will be awarded to both teams.
  9. The Away Team will have the kick-off. No coin-toss
  10. The Home Team will need to provide vests or another color jersey in case of color conflict
  11. Points - Teams will be awarded points after each game as follow:
    • 3 points for a win
    • 1 point for a tie
    • 0 points for a loss
  12. The total points will be considered for the final classification of the teams. In case of more than one team with the same number of points, the following tie break rules will apply:
    • Head-to-head result
    • Goal Differential (GD on the schedule table)
    • Number of goals scored (GS on the schedule table)
    • Coin Toss
  13. NO PLAYER will be allowed to play for more than one team within the same division - NO EXCEPTIONS! A player may play in multiple teams during a season, if the teams are playing on different divisions.
  14. Players can be added to the roster anytime during the season, up to a maximum of 12 players. In order to be eligible to play, a player registration needs to be completed (signed release form and registration fee) and received by the League at least 48 hours before the weekend. Email league coordinator diablovalleyfutsal@gmail.com to get the link to register player online. The registration form can be emailed and the registration fee (extra fee) paid before the game start.
  15. Substitutions are made "on the fly" during the whole game and there are no limits to the number of substitutions that your team can make. There are specific rules that your team needs to follow:
    • The sub can only enter the court after the player comes out of the court
    • Substitutions should occur in the area in front of the team's bench and it should NEVER obstruct the opponent's play
    In case of violation of these rules, the Referee will first warn the coach and if subsequent infringements occur, the player entering the court will be cautioned with a yellow card
  16. Kick-off
    • A kick-off happens at the beginning of a game or as a restart after one of the teams scores a goal.
    • A goal CANNOT be scored directly from a kick-off
    • If the player taking the kick-off, touches the ball twice, an indirect kick will be awarded to the opposing team
  17. Ball hitting the basketball hoop - the restart may be a goal kick or a corner depending on the player that last touched the ball before it hit the basketball hoop
  18. Fouls - direct free kicks. There are some infringements that, if committed by one team, will award the other team with a direct free kick. These infringements are cumulative per half. Once the number of fouls reaches 5, the Referee will alert both coaches and any subsequent foul will award the opposing team with a direct free kick from the second penalty mark (no wall allowed). Players must stay behind the line of the ball. The infringements are:
    • Sliding (goal keeper can slide but only sideways and inside their goal area. NO SLIDE-TACKLE IS ALLOWED)
    • Tripping, holding, pushing, and charging an opponent
    • Using the hands to stop the ball (exception to the goalie inside his goal area)
  19. Indirect free kicks - An indirect free kick is awarded in the following circumstances:
    • If the team with a direct or indirect free kick takes more than 4 seconds to kick the ball
    • If the same player touches twice the ball during the kick-off or during an indirect freek kick
    • If the goalie throws the ball (in a goal clearance) directly over the half line (EXCEPTION U13 and up)
    The kick-in is considered indirect kick
  20. Passing the ball back to the keeper - when the keeper releases the ball, the ball CANNOT be passed back to the keeper, unless:
    • the ball touches an opponent, or
    • from a kick-in
    Even in these situations, if the ball is passed back to the keeper, he/she is NOT allowed to touch the ball with his/her hands
  21. Every start/restart of the game needs to be done within 4 seconds and the keeper is only allowed to have the ball for 4 seconds (hands or feet) - the counting of 4 seconds for the keep will stop if the keeper passes the middle of the court with the ball when he/she becomes a "normal" player
  22. Basic rules for goal keepers:
    • The keeper has 4 seconds to release the ball
    • Goal clearance - when the ball goes out of bounds (behind goal line) and it is not a corner kick situation - the restart is called goal clearance and the keeper has to use his/her hands to release the ball.
    • In a goal clearance, the ball cannot be thrown directly over the half line (EXCEPTION U13 and up) - it needs to either touch a player or its own court. If the ball is thrown ove the half line, an indirect free kick, taken from the half line, will be awarded to the opposing team
    • When the keeper saves the ball, he/she is allowed to roll the ball and driblle or kick it - NO PUNT ALLOWED, NO INTENTIONAL BOUNCE ALLOWED (EXCEPTION U13 and up)
  23. Cautions (yellow card) and Ejections (red card):
    • Any player receiving a red card will be automatically suspended from his/her team's next game - suspension may be increased depending on the severity of the situation. League decision is final and not subject to appeals
    • Any player receiving 3 yellow cards will be automatically suspended from his/her team's next game. On the following game, the player is allowed to play and the number of yellow cards will be zeroed out
  24. Special Rules for Championship or Semi Games:
    • If the game finishes in tie, two 5-minute extra times will be played. The cummulative fouls and timeout requested by coaches will be carried over to this overtime.
    • When the first 5-minute extra time finishes, the players will simply change court sides but there is no break and the game needs to re-start immediately.
    • If the two 5-minute extra times finish in a tie, the match will be decided with pk's - 5 players will be selected by each team for 5 pk shots each team
    • If the 5 initial pk-shots end in a tie, the pk shots will continue alternating players from the whole roster of each team until a winner is decided

IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES

Every championship game played at Norcal Courts will be done in a bigger court - same approximate size offered at US Futsal Nationals tournament.

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