WORLD SPORT ENTERTAINMENT – YOUTH SOCCER LEAGUE RULES

Covid SOP
• All players must be fully vaccinated.
• Spectators must wear masks in the area at all times.
• Players and spectators will need to sanitize their hands before entering and leaving.
• Spectators will not be allowed to roam freely near the fields. There will be a special location allocated for friends and family.

YOUTH SOCCER LEAGUE RULES
General League Format
• One half will be 20 minutes, with a 5-minute half time break.
• Games will start at 7.30am, and all teams are required to arrive an hour earlier before their opening games.
• The next two teams playing must be next to the field at the administration area ten minutes before the game starts for registration.
• Any regular season game that ends in a tie will remain a tie.
• In the knockout stage, if the game remains a tie, then there will be an added 10 minutes of extra time. If the score remains a tie at the end of extra time, then the game will proceed to penalties.
• If a team is late by more than 15 minutes to their game, it will be considered forfeit and the opposing team will be granted a 3-0 win.
• For any team that desires to complain against a decision made during one of the games, they will need to pay RM100 to send a complaint letter.
• Protests or complaints can only be made by the Head Coach.
• At the end of each game, the coach/manager from both teams will need to sign the official result at the administration area.

Player and Substitutions
• All teams must have 11 players at the start of the match, 10 outfield players and 1 goalkeeper.
• At the start of the game, a team needs at least 7 players to start the game (6 outfield players and 1 goalkeeper). If by the end of the first half, the team is still not playing with 11 players, then the game will be considered forfeit and the opposing team will be granted a 3-0 win.

National Football Development Programme Rules (NFDP)
• All teams will only be allowed to have a maximum of 3 players from the NFDP.
• If there are teams that was proven to have more than 3 NFDP players registered, that team will be fined RM500 for every player registered from NFDP.

Age Group
• For the Under 16s, all players registered must be born before 1st January 2006.
• Players must register with their original IC ten minutes before the game starts.

Jerseys
• Players must wear the correct attire (jersey, shorts, shin pads, long socks and football boots)
• No jewelries allowed on the pitch.
• Teams must bring two different colored full kits. If teams do not bring both kits, they should have one full kit and 10 football bibs.
• Goalkeepers must wear the jersey that does not match either team’s jerseys.

Players must wear and provide themselves: shorts, shin guards and shoes. No player will be allowed to participate in a game without shin guards.

Exceptions:
• Head bands no wider than 2 inches and made of nonabrasive unadorned single colored cloth, fiber, soft leather or rubber may be worn.
• Head wear worn for religious reasons that is not deemed dangerous to the player or surrounding players.
• Rubber (elastic) bands may be used to control hair.

Jewelry / Equipment
No jewelry allowed once play has begun. The referee may ask that a player take off all jewelry. Also by rule they may ask a player with glasses to wear a protective strap while they are playing. Players with earrings will have to either take the earrings out or wear tape over them to be able to play.

The referee shall not permit any player to wear equipment in his or her judgment, that is dangerous or confusing to other players.

Registration
• All players must hand in their registration form, players and coaches must print and send their vaccination digital certificate.
• All teams must hand in the team registration forms along with all of the coaches FAM coaching certificates and vaccination digital certificates.

Officials
All referees shall be trained and approved by WSE.
The referee will have authority over the game and his/her decisions over goals scored, rules, etc. shall be final. Please respect their rights and work with them and the field supervisor to ensure a well-played game.

There will be one center official and 2 sideline officials for all games. Referee(s) shall:
• Make all decisions for infringement of the rules committed within or outside the boundary lines from the beginning of the game to the end.
• See that all kickoffs, free kicks and penalty kicks are taken properly.
• Act as timekeeper and allow the full or agreed time, adding any time lost through injury or other causes at their discretion.
• Will caution or issue a yellow card to any player or coach guilty of misconduct or unsportsman like conduct. In such a case the referee shall give the name of the offender to the field supervisor who in turn will give a report of the incident to the Department.
• Will send off the field of play and issue a red card to any player or coach who is guilty of violent conduct, serious foul play, the use abusive language, or is guilty of a second cautionable offense in the same match.

Substitutions
• Substitutes may be put into the game for any other player.
• Rolling substitute rules will be applied.
• Players that are going into the game must report at the management table.
• Any player who has been taken out of the game for any reason other than disqualification may be allowed to re-enter the game any number of times.
• Substitutions may occur only when the ball goes out of bounds with approval of the referee.
• Team does not have to be in possession of the ball in order to make a substitution. The referee will not, however, allow a substitution from the bench for corner kicks or penalty kicks. You may change positions of your players on the field 7 during a corner or penalty kick, including your goalkeeper with approval from the referee.
• Goalkeeper substitutions: The new goalkeeper must have all equipment on and ready to play before they enter the game.

Scoring
• A goal shall be scored when the ball has been legally kicked or passed wholly between the goal posts and under the cross bar.
• A goal may not be scored directly from a kickoff, or an indirect kick.
• Game shall start by an indirect kick from the center of the field in the direction of the opponent’s goal.
• After a goal is scored, the team scored against shall kickoff.

Players / Goalkeepers Privileges:
• A player may dribble, volley, block, trap, or pass the ball. At no time may a player touch the ball with his/her hands.
• Player may play the ball while it is trapped by an opponent, provided there is no foul. If the player is on the ground, a dead ball is called and the ball is awarded to the opposing team.

Goalkeeper privileges within the penalty area:
• Pick the ball up
• Punt the ball
• Drop kick the ball
• Throw the ball
• May not delay the game by holding the ball indefinitely

Goalkeeper safety: when a goalkeeper comes out to make a play on the ball, the offensive player must be within playing distance of the ball to make an attempt on the ball. Otherwise, the offensive player must yield to the goalkeeper regardless of the distance between the ball and the goalkeeper.

(Note: this rule applies only if the goalkeeper has already made a move towards the ball, including bending to pick the ball up while standing. It does not apply if the goalkeeper is not attempting to save the ball.) If the player does not yield, he/she can be called for a dangerous play (indirect kick) and issued either a yellow or red card.

Note: This rule is in place for the safety of the players, it is however a rule that will be to the discretion of the referee if the play is fair and safe for all players involved.

Offsides
A player is in an offside position when he/she is ahead of the ball while the ball is being played by a member of his/her team unless the following occurs:
• Player is in their own half of the field.
• There are two opponents nearer their goal line than the player in question.

Penalty for offsides: an indirect free kick shall be awarded at the spot where the foul occurred. A player will not be penalized for being offsides unless, in the referee’s judgement, he/she is seeking an advantage or is denying the other team an advantage.

Fouls and Penalties
• A player shall not trip, kick, stroke, hold, push or jump at an opponent or use unnecessary roughness, or handle the ball.
• The umpire may suspend any player or players from the game for unsportsmanlike conduct or unnecessary roughness. A player or players that has been disqualified may not reenter the game. The team must play short one player the rest of the game if they have no substitute ready.
• A penalty kick shall be awarded if the foul is made by the defensive team in the penalty area.

Sideline Area
The only personnel permitted on the sidelines (other than the players) are:
• Players
• Head coach
• 2 assistant coaches

All sidelines should be cleaned by the team that occupied them at the end of the game. This is the responsibility of the head coach. Coaches must remain on the sideline when the game is in play.
Exception: To attend an injured player – head coach only, with the specific permission of the referee.

Conduct / Sportsmanship
No coach or player shall belittle or berate the players, coaches or spectators of another team. This type of action will not be tolerated.
First offense: Warning
Second offense: Ejection from game of offending person and/or head coach.
Penalty: Any time a player, coach or spectator is ejected by an official WSE staff member, they must leave the playing site immediately. That person shall be automatically suspended for a minimum of the next game the team plays in. More games can be added to the suspension at the determination of the administration of World Sport Entertainment.

A suspended coach or parent a may not be present at the playing site for the game(s) in which they are suspended. Failure to abide by this will result in further disciplinary action. A suspended player may be allowed to attend the game to support their teammates, at the discretion of the WSE Administration. Game suspensions may apply to regular season games, tournament play, and may, at the discretion of the Administration, be carried over to the next season the player or coach registers for.

Harassment of officials and field supervisors will not be tolerated. Questions should be asked by the Head Coach only and done so calmly about rule interpretations only. Judgment calls are not to be argued. Failure to comply with this rule will result in immediate ejection of the guilty party and possible forfeiture of the game. No warnings will be given.

Coaches are accountable for the behavior of their assistant coaches, players, parents, and related supporters. Game officials may penalize the coach per above for any unsportsmanlike conduct.

Players will be allowed to cheer for their own team and not jeer the other. This includes songs, cheers, etc.

Consumption of tobacco products (including e-cigarettes) or alcohol is prohibited in the vicinity of the venue.

Reminder: The purpose of this soccer league is to teach soccer, have fun, and learn sportsmanship. Players look to their coaches as role models and the things players see you do leave lasting impressions as they continue to play the game in later years. We’re all human, and as such we all make mistakes including referees, coaches and parents. It’s the kids’ games so let them be the ones that benefit most!

Participation
It is the philosophy of WSE Youth Soccer League that the emphasis of youth recreation should be on participation and skill development rather than winning or losing. Given this statement of philosophy the following guidelines will govern the Youth Soccer season.

It is recommended that a coach alternate his substitutes so that the players have more equal playing time (those who start today would be encouraged to be a substitute next week and vice versa).

When ruling on a protest concerning participation, the coach’s intent will be taken into consideration.

The coach’s intent is the determining factor in these situations.
Penalty: For failure to abide by the participation rules above (upheld participation protest), the following penalties shall apply to the head coach:
1st offense: suspension of one game
2nd offense: suspension for rest of season

Protests
The following procedure shall be used for all protests involving WSE Youth Soccer league.
• Protests will be allowed for rule misapplication only. No discussion will be permitted concerning judgment calls or the umpire’s integrity.
• Protest must be noted by the field supervisor before the coach leaves the field.
• All protests must be submitted in writing to World Sport Entertainment by 12:00 noon the next working day. All protests should include:
– A brief description of the play involved and the ruling that was made.
– A rule reference (page and statement) detailing what ruling should have been made.
– A RM100 protest fee will be returned if the protest is upheld. If the protest is declined, this money will be set aside to buy equipment for the league.

Protests will be ruled on by the Program Supervisor.
Notification of protest ruling will be given within one week after submission.
WSE Youth Soccer League reserves the right to deny completion of protested game if it has no bearing on league standings or is not in the best interest of the league.

Registration Payment
To participate in the WSE – Youth Soccer League, please transfer the amount of RM 2000.00 to:
World Sports Entertainment Sdn Bhd – CIMB Account Number 8010751743.
Once you have made the transfer, please send the receipt to Coach Hanif by Whatsapp at +60149686744 or email at hanif.royani@wse.center