Rules
2021 Utica City Winter Classic
Rules and Regulations
Administrative Rules
The following items must be submitted to the front desk prior to the first game. Your team will NOT be allowed to play unless these items are submitted. Teams MUST be paid in full prior to the first game.
- Payment
- Utica City liability waiver for ALL PLAYERS
All RSSC and Utica City FC COVID-19 regulations must be followed by all participants, coaches and spectators. All rosters are final upon completion of the team's first game.
Game Duration
Each game will be 20 minutes long with running clock
Number of Players (5v5)
Each team will be allowed to have five players on the field, which includes 4 field players and a goalkeeper. The minimum number of players allowed to play the game is 4 players. If a team does not have enough players to field a team, the team will forfeit the game with a score 3-0. Roster maximum size is 10.
Equipment
All players MUST wear shin guards at all times on the field. Players may not wear metal studded cleats. Hard plastic or metal jewelry shall not be worn during the game, unless it is a medical necessity. Players with hard casts that are padded and wrapped are permitted to play if cleared by the referee.
Scoring
3 points for a win; 1 point for a tie and 0 points for a loss.
FORFEITS: A forfeit is scored as 3-0
Tiebreakers
Ties between two or more teams will be broken by:
- points
- head to head results between tied teams
- fewest goals against in pool play
- goals scored
- sudden death shootout
Play-Off Overtime
Teams will have a 5-minute golden goal overtime period. If the score is still tied, the winner is decided by shootout with 3 kicks from the mark from each team.
Goal Kick
All goal kicks start in the goalkeepers hands and must be either thrown or rolled to start play. No punting or dropkicks are allowed from goal kicks.
Free Kicks
All free kicks are direct. Opposing players shall be at least 7 feet away from the ball until it is put into play. Once the ball is placed players have 4 seconds to put the ball in play. There are no throw-ins and any ball that crosses the sidelines is a free kick for the opposite team
Player Ejection (Yellow/Red Cards)
Yellow cards do not carry over game to game. Referees have the right to eject a player from the game for continual disobedience or as a result of an incident that warrants sending the player off. Based on Utica City FC policy, any red carded player must sit for the remainder of the game and will
be suspended for a minimum of one game. Each red card will be reviewed by Utica City staff to determine whether the penalty deems an extended suspension for the offense.
Offside
There will be NO offsides in this event.
Goalkeepers
The goalkeeper has up to four seconds to release the ball from their hands. Goal kicks will be taken from the small goalkeeper box. Punting or drop kicking the ball is not allowed.
Substitutions
Substitutions for field players and goalkeepers may be made at any time during the run of play and on an unlimited basis. The substitute player may not enter the field of play until the player being substituted is within 3 feet of the desginated subsitution zones, this includes goalkeepers
Sportsmanship
Per Utica City policy, players, coaches and spectators are expected to act in the nature of good sportsmanship at all times. Abuse of the referees will NOT be tolerated. Any instance of such conduct will disqualify the responsible team from the event.
Situations that do not address these rules and regulations will be made at the discretion of Utica City staff.