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Up-to-date mini soccer rules

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Trip

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The only official documents from the FA that I can find on this seem to be very out of date,

I'm looking specifically for

- the updated guidance on ball sizes per age group
- whether at U9/10 goal kick with a retreat line the ball is live when it moves or when it leaves the PA

I've got the 2022/23 FA manual which includes a "standard code of rules for minisoccer competitions" but not the actual rules of mini-soccer.
 
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My league are currently running Size 3 balls for U9/10, with the retreat rule generally being played that attackers can enter from the moment the ball is kicked and clearly moves.

Not totally standardised rules, but seem to be widely accepted across the leagues in my area.

Maybe this helps :)
 
Trip said:
The only official documents from the FA that I can find on this seem to be very out of date,

I'm looking specifically for

- the updated guidance on ball sizes per age group
- whether at U9/10 goal kick with a retreat line the ball is live when it moves or when it leaves the PA

I've got the 2022/23 FA manual which includes a "standard code of rules for minisoccer competitions" but not the actual rules of mini-soccer.
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The league are required to provide their rules to their match officials (as there are some which are not standard) so that's your best start point.
 
ChasObserverRefDeveloper said:
The league are required to provide their rules to their match officials (as there are some which are not standard) so that's your best start point.
Click to expand...

It's precisely because the league have got the rules wrong that I'm looking for a definitive set.

They've just sent out an email that says players need to retreat to the half way line when the ball is in the goalkeeper's possession, or when a free kick is awarded in the PA. I know this is wrong (or at least totally non-standard) but before I tell them I want to be able to point to a definitive resource.

Incidentally I'm a coach in this league, not a ref, and we never get league refs appointed. It's always a parent or another coach.
 

I have ref’d a fair wack of mini soccer games and this is what I use. Any laws or elements of laws not covered here I use standard laws.. e.g I take the ball being kicked and clearly moving from a goal kick as ball in play. They can take the goal kick from anywhere in the penalty area and most choose (wisely) to do this from the edge of the penalty area anyway therefore meaning the ball usually comes straight out of the area when they kick it.

Oh and size 3 up to under 9s size 4 for 10s
 
Redref34 said:

I have ref’d a fair wack of mini soccer games and this is what I use. Any laws or elements of laws not covered here I use standard laws.. e.g I take the ball being kicked and clearly moving from a goal kick as ball in play. They can take the goal kick from anywhere in the penalty area and most choose (wisely) to do this from the edge of the penalty area anyway therefore meaning the ball usually comes straight out of the area when they kick it.

Oh and size 3 up to under 9s size 4 for 10s
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This document is out of date. It has the wrong size balls and states the ball isn't live until it comes out of the PA.

I'm looking for a more current version.
 
From what I can gather the rules of mini soccer vary by competition. For example, some have power plays and some don't.
Best bet is to ask the league for a copy of the laws or the county FA.
I'm looking at Barnsley district and JFL and it looks like they have adopted power plays but are going to review it, which leads me to my assumption that the rules are variable.

What league are you in looking at specifically?
 
They shouldn't vary that much as all leagues have to adopt SCoR, or SCoR-Y in this case for yout competitions. If they don't they won't get sanctioned. It is covered in the first paragraph of the document ASM linked above, the main bit being ...

The Standard Code is mandatory for all Mini Soccer and Youth Football Competitions.

Competitions seeking sanction must draft their Rules in conformity with the Standard Code, using the same numbering and standard headings.

The mandatory rules are printed in normal text and the optional rules in italics.

It should be noted that in many cases rules are so printed because they are alternatives and the procedure to apply should be retained and the others omitted.

In all cases where a [ ] is shown the necessary name, address, number or wording to complete that rule must be inserted.

Competitions may add to the core of the Standard Code, which is mandatory, providing the additions are approved by the Sanctioning Authority and do not conflict with the mandatory rules or any relevant principles and policies established by The FA. Guidance from the Sanctioning Authority should be sought in advance if there is any doubt as to the acceptability of additional rules.

The last section is the key one, in that leagues can add to SCoR but they cannot take anything other than optional items (in italics) away, and they can't add anything in that conflicts with any of the mandatory items. The ball, goal, and pitch sizes aren't in italics so cannot be changed.
 
Trip said:
That's the rules of the competition, not the rules for playing a match. For example, it doesn't mention retreat lines at all.
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It covers the rules for playing a match, under section 20 - PLAYING SEASON. CONDITIONS OF PLAY, TIMES OF KICK-OFF, POSTPONEMENTS, SUBSTITUTES
 
RustyRef said:
It covers the rules for playing a match, under section 20 - PLAYING SEASON. CONDITIONS OF PLAY, TIMES OF KICK-OFF, POSTPONEMENTS, SUBSTITUTES
Click to expand...

Those are competition rules for the match (eg. numbers of subs), not the laws that should be applied while the match is happening. For example, there is no mention of retreat lines in those rules.
 
RustyRef said:
They shouldn't vary that much as all leagues have to adopt SCoR, or SCoR-Y in this case for yout competitions. If they don't they won't get sanctioned. It is covered in the first paragraph of the document ASM linked above, the main bit being ...

The Standard Code is mandatory for all Mini Soccer and Youth Football Competitions.

Competitions seeking sanction must draft their Rules in conformity with the Standard Code, using the same numbering and standard headings.

The mandatory rules are printed in normal text and the optional rules in italics.

It should be noted that in many cases rules are so printed because they are alternatives and the procedure to apply should be retained and the others omitted.

In all cases where a [ ] is shown the necessary name, address, number or wording to complete that rule must be inserted.

Competitions may add to the core of the Standard Code, which is mandatory, providing the additions are approved by the Sanctioning Authority and do not conflict with the mandatory rules or any relevant principles and policies established by The FA. Guidance from the Sanctioning Authority should be sought in advance if there is any doubt as to the acceptability of additional rules.

The last section is the key one, in that leagues can add to SCoR but they cannot take anything other than optional items (in italics) away, and they can't add anything in that conflicts with any of the mandatory items. The ball, goal, and pitch sizes aren't in italics so cannot be changed.
Click to expand...
This is competition rules as opposed to the modified laws they are played under. In the SCOR there is literally next to nothing about the laws the game is played under.
 
Trip said:
Those are competition rules for the match (eg. numbers of subs), not the laws that should be applied while the match is happening. For example, there is no mention of retreat lines in those rules.
Click to expand...
Yes, because the retreat line does not form part of the mandatory SCOR-Y from the FA but a number (possibly the majority) of mini soccer leagues/competitions implement it at some age groups
 
ASM said:
Yes, because the retreat line does not form part of the mandatory SCOR-Y from the FA but a number (possibly the majority) of mini soccer leagues/competitions implement it at some age groups
Click to expand...

They don't implement it however they like though, there was an FA publication describing it in 2012/13. What I'm after is the up to date version of that document.
 
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