Rules

Game Play

Here is a simplified list of rules for your convenience , the 2010 New England Beach Soccer Cup official rules follow the LAWS OF THE GAME and can be downloaded below.

  • The Penalty area is 10 yards deep by the width of the field.
  • The goalkeeper can use his hands in the Penalty area.
    Two teams of five (5) players play the game on each team. One of the five shall be the goalkeeper.
  • A coin toss will determine which team has the option between the kick-off and the choice of sides on the pitch.
  • There are no limits for the number or timing of substitutions. Substitutions can occur when play has stopped. A substitute player is allowed to enter the pitch only after the player that is being substituted has left the pitch.
  • Goalkeeper substitutions may only occur when play has stopped and the referee has been notified.
  • At a kickoff, the players of the opposing team shall stay at least five yards from the ball in their half of the pitch.
  • A goal cannot be scored directly from the kick-off. All other free kicks are direct.
  • The game has 3 periods of 12 minutes each with 2 intervals of 3 minutes to allow the teams to change sides.
  • Fouls will be penalized by awarding a direct free kick. All players must remain at least 5 yards from the ball.
  • The keeper must remain on his line until the ball is kicked on all foul related direct free kicks.
  • The player fouled must take the kick unless injured.
  • A small mound of sand may be formed for the ball on free kicks, NO OTHER TIME.

If the foul occurs in the penalty area
A penalty kick shall be awarded at the center of the penalty line and all players must remain behind the penalty line.

If the foul occurs in attacking half of the pitch (not in penalty area)
A direct free kick shall be awarded at the location of the foul and all players must remain behind the ball.

If the foul occurs in defensive half of the pitch
No wall may be formed, no player can stand in the triangle formed by the ball and the two goalposts. No player may interfere with the ball except the keeper if it is being shot towards goal or is still in the air. If it leaves that triangle or touches the sand, any player can play the ball. All keeper re-starts are with hands only; there is no goal kick. The goalkeeper cannot score a goal using his hands. The goalkeeper is allowed to touch/receive the ball with his hands or arms from either a pass back or header from a teammate ONCE during a given possession. However, the keeper shall NOT BE ALLOWED TO DO THIS A SECOND CONSECUTIVE TIME during a given possession without the ball touching an opponent player. Defenders must remain 5 yards from the ball on a corner kick. Ball can be inbounded from the sidelines using either hands or feet. A goal cannot be scored directly from an inbounds. The keeper can receive an inbounds with his hands; this counts as first pass back. There are no offside’s.

Beach Soccer Laws of the Game

Group Play

8 Teams: The teams will be split into two groups of 4. Each team will play a 3 game round robin schedule. The first and second place team in each group will advance to the semifinals. The 1st place team in Group A will face the 2nd place team in Group B and vice versa. The winners will advance to the final.

10 Teams: The teams will be split into two groups of 5. Each team will play a 4 game round robin schedule. Group winners automatically advance to the semifinals. The second and third place teams in each group will face each other to decide who will face the group winners in the semifinals. The winners of those matches advance to the final.

12 Teams:
 The teams will be split into 4 groups of 3. Each team will play a 2 game round robin schedule. The first place team from each group will advance to semi-final matches. The winner of each of those semifinal games will advance to the final. Second and third 3 place teams from each group will each play a consolation game against a comparably ranked team from a different group.

General

Awards
Prizes will be awarded to the winner of the Finals, top scorer and MVP.

Arrival
Teams should arrive at the scheduled field 10 minutes prior to game time to be checked in by the appropriate official.

Protests
No protests will be allowed.

Team Field Position
Players and coaches of both teams will be on the north or east side of the pitch. Parents and spectators will be on the opposite side for the entire match. Coaches or spectators are not permitted to coach from the spectator side of the field. Coaches and players must remain between the penalty line and their side of the mid-field line. Coaches may not coach from below the penalty line. No spectators are permitted to stand behind the goal area.

Forfeits
A team shall be allowed a 5-minute grace period after the scheduled kickoff in group play before the match is awarded to their opponent. A minimum of 3 players constitutes a team, and if 3 players are present the match may not be delayed. If during the course of the match a team falls below the minimum 3 players, the game will be forfeited to their opponent. A forfeit during Group Play shall be awarded as 3 points for a win with the score 3-0.

Points
At the conclusion of Group Play, each team will be ranked according to their performance. This ranking will determine the teams that will meet in the semi-finals. The ranking criteria are as follows:

  • Win – 3 points
  • Tie – 1 point
  • Loss – 0 points
  • Win by forfeit – 3 points

The team with the most matches points finishes first. A match that has been cancelled by the Tournament Committee will be awarded a 0-0 tie.

Tiebreaker
In the event of a tie within a division, the following tiebreaker rules will be applied in order:

  1. Winner of head-to-head competition
  2. Least goals allowed during Group Play
  3. Goal differential.
  4. Penalty kick shoot-out.

If 3 teams are tied for any position, the above process will be used, except head-to-head competition will be eliminated and the first tiebreaker will be least goals allowed.

Weather

Regardless of weather conditions, coaches and their teams must appear on the field of play as scheduled, ready to play unless notified by a member of NEBS. Failure to appear will result in forfeiture of the match. Only the referee or NEBS can cancel or delay a match. In the event matches are cancelled by the NEBS due to inclement weather, a recorded message will be broadcast on our phone number, 978-381-9442. If no message is broadcast, it should be assumed that matches will be played at the scheduled times.