3v3 Soccer Showdown Rules

  • Games will be played in accordance with the FIFA laws except, as specifically modified below. 
  • There will be 1 referee assigned to each game.
  • Referee decisions are final.
  • Situations that the provided rules do not address are the decision of the tournament director.

Registration and Rosters

  • Teams must be registered by May 24th, 2025.
  • Teams may have a maximum of 6 players on their roster.
  • Rosters must be submitted electronically via the "Team Roster" section of this website OR emailed directly to Allisa Waschko @ bmindoorsoccer@gmail.com
  • Rosters are frozen at check-in.
  • A player may only play for only 1 team per age bracket. 
  • Players may be rostered on up to 2 teams, if they are in different age brackets. 
  • A player must be born in the listed year (or after) to be eligible for an age group.
  • Any team found to be using players that are older than their selected bracket will be able to continue in the tournament but will forfeit all of their games.
  • While males WILL NOT be allowed to participate in any female divisions, females CAN play in male divisions. 

Players and Substitutions

  • The maximum number of players on a team is 6.
  • Teams playing more than 6 players during the course of any game will be disqualified. 
  • Games are 3v3.  There are 3 field players, with no goalkeepers.
  • Substitutes are on the fly and can be made at any time.
  • A replacement substitution may be made for any player who is ejected due to receiving a red card or the accumulation of 2 yellow cards in the same game.   

Player Equipment

  • Shin guards are required.
  • All players must wear the same color shirt.
  • The referee will determine the safety and suitability of the players orthopedic equipment.
    • Any player with a cast or brace must meet with the game official prior to kick-off to determine the viability of playing with the device.
    • Any cast/brace that the official deems allowable must also be wrapped in padding to eliminate the risk of injury to other players.  

Field Dimensions

  • Width: 25-30 yards
  • Length: 35-40 yards

Goal Box

  • The goal box is 10' wide by 8' deep and is directly in front of the goal.
  • No player may touch the ball within the goal box; however, any player may move through the goal box.
  • Any part of the ball or player’s body on the line is considered in the goal box.
  • If a defender touches the ball in the goal box, a goal is awarded to the offensive team.
  • If an offensive player touches the ball within the goal box, a goal kick is awarded to the defensive team.
  • If the ball comes to a complete stop in the goal box, regardless of which team touched it last, a goal kick is awarded to the defensive team.

Game Duration

  • Games are 20 minutes in length with no stoppage of play.
  • A game is considered official after 10-minutes of play.
  • Game ends when time has expired.
    • A shot that has not crossed the goal line before time expires will not count.
  • Pool games tied after regulation play shall end in a tie.
  • Playoff games cannot end tied.
    • Teams will have a 3-minute "Golden Goal" overtime period.
    • If the score is still tied, the winner will be decided by a shootout, with the 3 players on the field at the end of the golden goal period.
  • Kicks in the shootout should be taken from the kick-off spot at the half line.

Game Play

  • No offsides
  • No slide-tackling
  • No heading
    • When a player deliberately heads the ball in a game, an indirect free kick should be awarded to the opposing team from the spot of the offense.
  • 5-yard rule: In all restart situations (kick-ins, goal kicks, corner kicks, free kicks and kick-offs), defending players must stand five yards away from the ball.
    • If the defensive player’s goal area is closer than five yards, the ball is placed five yards from the goal area in line with the place of the penalty. 

  • Kick-ins: The ball shall be kicked in to play from the sideline instead of thrown in.

  • Indirect kicks: All restarts (kick-ins, goal kicks, corner kicks, free kicks and kick-offs) are indirect, except penalty kicks.

  • Goal kicks: May be taken from any point on the end line, but NOT in the goal box area.

  • Kick-off: May be taken in any direction.

  • Penalty kicks: Shall be awarded if, in the referee’s opinion, a scoring opportunity was nullified by the infraction.

    • It is a direct kick taken from the midfield line with all other players behind the midfield line.

    • If a goal is not scored, the defense obtains possession with a goal kick.

    • Penalty kicks are NOT live balls.

Scoring

  • A goal may only be scored from a touch on the offensive half on the playing field.
  • A forfeit is scored as 5-0 in favor of the team not forfeiting.
    • Forfeiting can be declared for the following reasons:
      • Failure to begin play within 5 minutes of game time.
      • Failure to compete a game, where a team leaves the field prior to the referee terminating the game.
      • Abandonment of the game by the referee for the actions of one or both teams.
        • The referee report will determine which team is culpable for the abandonment.
          • The responsible team will forfeit the game.
        • Should the referee determine that both teams are culpable for the abandonment, then the score will be recorded as 0 vs 0.
      • A team utilizing more than the maximum number of players (6) allowed in any one game.  
      • A team utilizing non-rostered players or players that have not turned in their medical waivers during a game.
      • A team utilizing ineligible players during a game.  
        • A player who is rostered with "Team A" for the tournament and then goes and plays with "Team B" (in the same division/age group), will cause "Team B", the one they are NOT officially rostered with, to forfeit the game. 
      • A team utilizing any player or coach that was ejected in a previous game and therefore should be serving a suspension.

Standings

  • Referees will report the scores of each game to the tournament director.
  • The official standings will be posted on this website under "Team > Standings."
  • In pool play: 
    • Win = 3 points
    • Tie = 1 point
    • Loss = 0 points

Tiebreakers

  • Pool play ties between 2 or more teams will be broken by:
  1. Head-to-head results  
  2. Fewest goals against
  3. Most shutouts
  4. Most total wins
  5. Goal differential
  6. If tie still exists, kicks from the penalty mark will be taken
  • Championship games
    • Overtime periods will not be used
    • Penalty kicks will be used to determine a winner
      • Each team will select 3 players to take the kicks.  Players do not need to be on the field at the end of regulation to be selected.
      • Teams will alternate kicks.  First team to kick will be determined by a coin flip.
      • If the score remains tied after 3 kicks, teams will alternate kicks 1 at a time from the remaining players until a winner is determined.

Conduct

  • Any player, coach, team official or spectator who is ejected from a game will be suspended for the entirety of the tournament.
  • Any player coach, team official or spectator who is found to participate in any subsequent game when he/she should be serving a suspension will cause that game to be forfeited.
  • Players can be ejected for the accumulatio of 2 yellow cards in the same game or a straight red card.
  • Coaches do not need to be shown a red card to be ejected.
    • If an official tells the coach to leave the field, that is an ejection and will constitute a suspension of the coach.
  •  There will be no appeals of ejections/ red cards unless a team feels there has been a case of mistaken identity for the player, coach, team officials or spectator ejected.
    •  In that situation, a registered team representative needs to bring their concerns to the tournament director (Allisa Waschko).
  • The tournament director reserves the right to levy additional discipline, up to and including expulsion of the entire team for the tournament, at her discretion, should a situation warrant.
  • A player, coach, team official or spectator who is ejected for violent conduct, serios foul play or racist remarks/actions may be subject to further disciplinary action, up to and including contacting the local authorities.
  • Alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, illegal drugs and firearms/weapons are not permitted at any time. 
    • This applies to all coaches, players, team officials and spectators. 
    • Failure to adhere to these rules can result in forfeiture of games or ejection from the premises.