Rules:

CHECK IN IS MANDATORY. Teams failing to check-in on Saturday morning, June 8th, 2019 will not be able to begin their games and will be shown as a forfeit without a refund of the fee. Check in is 1 hour prior to your first game on Saturday. Please see field marshal or person at the tournament headquarter tent. The following items must be presented and verified at registration for all teams and players prior to their participation in the tournament (NO EXCEPTIONS).

A. A completed "Team Information Sheet". Please bring with you to registration.

B. Valid, laminated USYSA player card with a picture for all players and coaches.

C. The Target United Cup will accept 2018-2019 cards or summer tournament cards. 

D. Medical release form for all players signed by parent and player.

E. Teams traveling from outside Region IV must have approved travel papers from their own State Association which must include a roster listing all the players authorized to travel. US Club Soccer teams do not need to provide travel papers.

F. Loan papers will not be required for players within CYSA-SOUTH rules. All other States must have the appropriate loan papers. International teams must provide League Identification Cards, Medical release forms, Travel Papers and Passports. (Unlimited loan players allowed).

1. Age and Eligibility

A. Participation in Target United Cup is open to accept teams composed of twenty-two (22) or fewer players meeting the age limit of the specified age division. (see 1B below for loan player requirements).Teams U-16 and U-19 may register a maximum of twenty-two (22) players with a maximum of eighteen (18) eligible per game. Teams U-11 through U-14 may register up to eighteen (18) players. Teams U-7 through U-10 may register up to fourteen (14) players. Players must have been born during or subsequent to the divisional year. Each team MUST be registered with a National State Association affiliated with the USYSA/USSF or national equivalent and must present a valid State/Provincial roster. Laminated player registration cards only authorized by State/Provincial or National Association will be required as proof of age. Player cards/passed and State/Provincial rosters must be presented at the field for the duration of the game.

B. Unlimited loan players will be allowed. The request form for loan players must be submitted at check in time. Loan players MUST be current USYSA/USSF or national equivalent players can only play for one team in the tournament. In addition, the team’s USYSA/USSF permission to travel must denote the proper team type. No player addition will be allowed after team check-in.

C. Age group for teams are as follows:

2. Laws of the Game

All games shall be played in accordance with FIFA laws and modified by USYSA and Cal South. Teams from outside the country will get the modified rules at registration.

Please be aware of the following rules for 7v7 and 9v9

 Due to the US Soccer mandates, we want to clarify how the 7v7 and 9v9 games will be played for this event. The only exception will be for the U12 (2007) who will play as 11v11 to prepare for their upcoming season.

• There will be no heading in any 7v7 and 9v9 games.
• There will no punting PAST MIDFIELD in either the 7v7 or 9v9 games. Any ball punted that goes past midfield will result in an indirect free-kick for the opposing team. Encourage your GK's to play out of the back and not punt the ball to clear it.
• Goal kicks ARE allowed.
• Offsides will be called in 7v7 and 9v9 games. Except age 2007
• Any goal scored directly from a kick-off will not count.
• Any goal scored by a punt from the opposing team's GK will not count.
• A build out line will also be implemented for 7v7 games

Teams should encourage players to play out of the back since there is no heading and no punting clearances that can go past midfield.

3. Fields and Game Equipment

A. Players (excluding the goal keeper) must wear numbers on the back of their uniforms and these numbers will coincide with those listed on the team’s Official State/Provincial roster.

B. PLAYERS ARE REQUIRED TO WEAR SHINGUARDS IN ACCORDANCE WITH FIFA LAWS OF THE GAME. NO JEWELRY MAY BE WORN.

C. When uniform colors are similar, the home team will change colors. Home team has choice of sideline and no two teams will play from the same side of the field. Home team is listed first on the schedule.

D. It will be at the referee’s discretion to determine the safety and suitability of player equipment including the wearing of a brace. Casts are allowed in CYSA if padded and the referee considers them to be safe.

4. Duration of the Game

All games will be played with a running clock and a 5 minute half time, except final games will have a 10 minute half time. A preliminary game can end in a tie. Semi/Quarter-final tie games will be decided with penalty kicks with no overtime. Final games will include two overtime periods (All overtime will be played to it’s conclusion). NO GOLDEN GOAL. Penalty Kicks shall be taken in accordance with FIFA LAW 16 (Kicks from the penalty mark). If after over-time halves in the final, a tie still exists, penalty kicks will determine the winner. The referee may stop the clock for serious injuries. If it is an extended delay (more than half of the game), the game may be finished at a later time or a different field per the Tournament Director’s decision.

5. Game Check-In

A. Teams must check-in with the referees prior to the start of every game. Failure to do so can result in forfeit. Field marshal and or referee will check player identity cards and players equipment prior to each game. Coaches need to pick up identity cards at the end of each game (excluding ejected players/administrators cards). The game card and any ejected player card(s) will be given to the field marshal.

B. Failure to have seven (7) players with in 5 minutes of the scheduled game time constitutes a forfeit.

C. The tournament will provide game balls for all games.

D. Each team is responsible for cleaning up trash on field areas after each game.

6. Substitutions

A. Substitutions shall be unlimited. Players must enter from the center of the field. Substitutions may be made with the consent of the referee at the following times:
1. FIFA substitution rules apply, with the exception that unlimited substitutions may be made at the discretion of the referee. Substitution can be made at any dead ball situation, by either team, unlimited.

7. Competition Format

The following points system will be awarded in the preliminary games:

Six (6) points for each win
Three (3) points for each tie.
Zero (0) points for each loss.
One (1) point for each goal scored - maximum of three (3) points for each game (whether win, loss, or tie).
One (1) point for a shutout, even if a 0-0 tie.
Forfeit equals 8 points.
Minus one (-1) for each player or coach ejected.
A player or coach given a red card in a game shall be expelled from that game. The player shall not be replaced in that game and shall not be permitted to play in the next game, as a minimum. The tournament director may give a further suspension for violent conduct.

Failure to begin a match, complete a match or a team leaving the field of play shall result in a forfeit to the opposing team by a score of 1-0. The winner will be awarded eight tournament points (six for the win, one for the goal and one for the shutout).

If teams are tied after preliminary games, the following tie-breaking system will be used to determine the finalist:
Head to head competition between the two teams tied.

Goals allowed (fewest goals against)
Goals scored.
Most wins.
Most shut outs.

Kicks from the penalty marks (kicks will be taken 30 minutes prior to the scheduled start of the quarterfinal or semifinal game). Only the players on the field at the end of regulation are eligible to participate in the penalty kicks. The referee shall decide the goal at which all the kicks shall be taken. The team winning the coin toss shall kick first. No player may shoot more than once until all eligible teammates have taken a kick. Each team takes (5) shots, alternately. The team scoring the most goals wins.
In the event of a tie among three (3) or more teams, the elimination procedure begins with #1, noted above. If teams remain, the tie shall be broken by repeating the above elimination procedures beginning with #1.

8. Playoff Round

A. For divisions of six (6) teams, teams will be split into two groups. The winner of Group A will play the second place team of Group B. The winner of Group B will play the second place team of Group A. The semifinal winners will meet for the final.The third place teams will play is an consolation game.

B. For divisions of eight (8) teams, top two teams will advance to the semifinals. The winner of Group A will play the second place team of Group B. The winner of Group B will play the second place team of Group A. The semifinal winners will meet for the final.

C. For divisions of twelve (12) teams, the first place teams will advance with a wildcard team. Winner A will play the wildcard team, winner B will play winner C. If wildcard comes from Group A, then winner A will play winner B, and winner C will play the wildcard. The winners will meet for the final.

D. For divisions of sixteen (16) teams, first place team will advance. Winner A will play winner D, winner B will play winner C for the semifinals. The semifinal winners will meet for the final.

E. For division of twenty (20) teams, the first place teams for each bracket will advance, total of five and the next three (3) teams with the highest points will also advance as Wildcards. Winner A will play winner B in Quarterfinal #1, winner C will play Wild card #1 in Quarter final # 2, winner D will play Wild card #2 in Quarterfinal #3, winner E will play Wild card # 3 in Quarterfinal #4. If Wild card #1 comes from Group C, then Wild card #1 will play the winner of Group E and Wild card # 3 will play the winner of Group C. If Wild card #3 comes from Group E, then Wild card #3 will play the winner of Group C and Wild card #1 will play the winner of Group E. If Wild card #2 comes from Group D, then Wild card #2 will play the winner of Group E and Wild card #3 will play the winner of Group D. The winner of the Quarterfinal #1 will play the winner of the Quarterfinal #3 and the winner of the Quarterfinal # 2 will play the winner of the Quarterfinal #4 in the Semifinals. The winner of the Semifinal games will play for the Championship.

9. Conduct and Discipline

A. Coaches have total responsibility for the conduct of their players, bench, and spectators at all times.

B. If referee must terminate a game for misconduct of players, bench, or spectators, the offending team will forfeit the game. At the Tournament Director’s discretion, the offending player and/or team may be banned from further participation.

C. Alcoholic beverages are NOT permitted at game sites. NO smoking, No foul and abusive language.

D. Yellow and red card penalties will follow FIFA rules. Coaches and players ejected will be suspended for the next match as a minimum. A disciplinary committee will review all ejections and whether further disciplinary action will be needed.

10. Forfeits

A team will forfeit if any of the following exist:

Teams fails to check-in at the required place and time.
Teams fails to produce laminated player passes or coaches passes.
Teams fails to check-in with field marshal every game.
Teams fail to report to the field with the minimum amount of players as prescribed by the rules.
Teams fail to produce an alternate jersey if listed first as the home team in case of color conflict.
Coach gets ejected and fails to leave the field.
Coach gets ejected and no other coach or administrator is available.
Game is suspended due to the misconduct of players, coaches, administrators, parents or spectators.

11. No Protests

** In case of rain, we will revert to the rain schedule**

INCLEMENT WEATHER OR UNEXPECTED TERMINATION OF PLAY
Regardless of weather conditions, coaches, players and their teams must appear on the field of play as scheduled, ready to play unless notified by a member of the tournament committee. Failure to appear will result in forfeiture of the match.

Only the referee or the tournament committee may cancel a match due to weather conditions. In the event of inclement weather, the tournament committee has the authority to reschedule matches or cancel the tournament.

In the event of inclement weather, which the Tournament Committee deems being unsafe for the players and/or the fields for competition to continue; or the unexpected termination of the match, the following system of determining a winner will be implemented:

Matches that have complete at least half of the match will have the score stand.
Matches that are in the first half of play will be deemed to not have been played.
Matches for a given day may be postponed and played the following day if fields are available.
Matches may be shortened in order to play all assigned matches.
If all matches are unable to be played, standings will be based on either FIFA penalty kicks for the top two point teams, or by the Tournament Committee if FIFA kicks cannot be taken.
NOTE: If unexpected termination of play is due to the misconduct of one or both teams, then the offending team(s) will not benefit from the termination.
If a semifinal match cannot begin, a shootout will take place to determine the winner. If a shootout cannot occur the match will be decided by the flip of the coin.
If the championship game cannot be played the teams will become Co-Champions.

Refunds will be determined as following:
Cancellation of all matches: 50% of the fee will be retained for administrative fees.
Teams with one team missing from their bracket will get a $150.00 refund.