Do we always meet in the middle before a game?

Yes, before every game you meet up with the other team and the referee in the middle of the field to greet each other.

We do a human players tunnel?

Yes, after a game is finished the teams meet in the middle and then together go and create a players tunnel for the next 2 teams. 

What will the pitch look like? Will the ball ever leave the pitch?

The pitch can be from 24x17 meters, like a street style pitch to a 7 aside: Sometimes the field is fully covered by net, sometimes not. 

Can the goalkeeper come out of the box?

Yes, the goalkeeper can play on all the fields. But only use hands inside the goalkeeper area. Because we don’t always have lines on the field, it is a fine judgment by the goalkeeper and the referee how many steps the goalkeeper moves out of the goal when having the ball in her hands. We say 3 to 4 meters at most.

What happens when the ball goes out of bounds?

If the ball goes out of bounds, it is a kick in for the other team. We only use kick ins, not throw ins, which means that the player who is closest to where the ball went out of bounds, puts the ball on the line and passes it to her teammates. She cannot dribble the ball in nor shoot on goal from a kick in.

Are there yellow cards and red cards?

No, we do not use red or yellow cards.

Can we wear soccer boots when playing or what shoes are recommended?

Yes but  get to know what surface your league is being played on. Sometimes Sneakers are best. 

How are we allowed to substitute? Is it just sub as you go, or do we have to wait to sub in a new player?

All teams can sub as often as they wish. Make sure your player is out before a new player enters the field.

My team is composed of women who have never played football. How is it going to go when they have to play against teams with experienced footballers?

Some teams will have football experience, some will not have any experience at all - and that’s part of the game when playing in this league. Everyone is welcome in this league and are encouraged to play.

And remember, winning a game only counts ¼ of the points given.

What happens if someone gets injured during a game?

There will be medical staff present. We advise all teams and players to have the needed insurance, as we do not have the insurance to cover players.

How many players on a team?

You can have as many players you want. To make sure that you can have enough players throughout the season, we recommend no less than 12. 

Can we substitute freely throughout a match?

Yes, just make sure the player is out of the field before the new player enters.

Gooooaaal! What now?

After a team scores the ball will be played from the middle. A goal only counts if the entire ball has crossed the goal line. 

Tackling and foul

No hard tackles are allowed, this will give a free kick (foul) to the other team. 

If there is a foul, the other team will get the ball and the opponent is asked to be 3 meters away. If the ball hits a players arm and their arm is close to  their body this will not be a foul, but if the arm is further away from  their body it will be a foul.

What about penalty kicks?

We don’t do penalty kicks in an ordinary game. This will be calculated as a foul that will be taken just outside the goalkeeper area. 

If 2 or more teams after last game day end up with the same points combined of all points, there will be an American penalty kick between those teams.

There can be two or more teams in the penalty competition at the same time, and they take turns until only one team is left. They start with 3 to 5 kicks. Each team. 

Okay last question, are we playing 5 v 5 / five-a-side?

Yes. See below video for practical ideas and tips from pro coach Jackie Bachteler: