Click to download the  Fall HS & Adult Summer Short-Sided Rules for the High School Division (Fall Season Only).

This is a High School Division.  18U-19U players are allowed to participate in this division only if they were enrolled in a High School at the beginning of the current school year.  Homeschool players are also eligible to play in the WCSSF League.  Please check the WCSSF’s “Allowable Age Chart” to see the ages of the participants allowed to participate in this division.

Players:  7v7

Roster:  14 maximum

Minimum # of Players:  5

Length of halves:  35 minutes

Half-time Length:  10 minutes

 

The 19U/High School Division plays on a small-sided field in the Fall ONLY.  It is the same size as the 12U/13U field, so a club use this field for both 13U and High School.

Maximum Field Size – 80 yards by 75 yards

Minimum Field Size – 60 yards by 55 yards

  • Center Circle – 8-yard radius
  • Penalty Area – 14 yards by 34 yards (14 yards from each goalpost).
  • Goal Area – 4 yards by 14 yards (4 yards from each goalpost).
  • Goals – 6 feet by 18 feet (goals up to 7 feet by 21 feet may be used).
  • Penalty Spot – 10 yards from Goal Line.
  • Penalty Arc – 8-yard radius from Penalty Spot for area outside Penalty Area.

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 WCSSF 7v7 Short-sided Rules

19U/High School Division – Fall Season Only

Revised 10-18-20

 

  1. 35 minute halves (5-minute half time) – for High School division – Fall Season Only and Adult Summer League.
  2. Normal play is 7v7, 8v8 if both coaches agree.
  3. If the goalie stops, traps, handles or picks up the ball with his/her hands, then the ball must be released from their hands and the goalie CANNOT touch the ball again until another player on the field has touched it. 
  4. Goalies CANNOT PUNT the ball. (Penalty: an indirect kick is awarded to the other team from the point where the goalie punted the ball.)
  5. Goalies cannot DROP or PLACE the ball on the ground and then kick it. Once the goalie has the ball in their hands, they cannot touch the ball with their foot until the ball has touched another player in the field of play.
  6. Goalies CANNOT DROP-KICK the ball. (Penalty: an indirect kick is awarded to the other team from the point where the goalie drop-kicked the ball.)
  7. Goal kicks MUST clear the penalty box before being touched by another player. If the ball is touched inside the box, the goal kick should be retaken.
  8. Goal kicks must NOT travel past midfield in the air. If the whole of the ball lands beyond the midfield line, the ball is whistled dead and an indirect free kick is awarded to the other team from the point that the ball passed over midfield.
  9. Minimum number of players to start play is 5.

 

Just for further clarification:

1.   Free kicks (except goal kicks) may pass over midfield without play stoppage.

2.   Goalies may throw the ball over midfield without play stoppage.

3.   Goalies may pass (by foot) or shoot the ball after the ball has been passed back to them by a teammate.

4.   All other FIFA rules apply including off-sides.

5.  Substitutions are unlimited.  Substitutions may be done by either team on the kick off or goal kick.  Both teams may substitute on a throw in as long as the team with possession has a substitute to come in.  Players ready to substitute MUST take a pinnie unto the field and hand it off to the player that they are replacing on the field.

 

Question was raised, “If the goal keeper drops the ball to the ground after it has been saved in goal (not a drop Kick) waits a second and kicks it or takes a touch of the ball and then kicks it past the mid line what is the ruling?

Answer from the WCSSF Board:  The intent for the Adult and HS short sided is that if the goalie has the ball in his/her hands, they MUST throw/roll the ball to their teammates.  NO FOOT action at all.  Since goal kicks are required by rule, there are no goal kicks over the halfway line rule in place.  Now, if the goalie made a save by deflecting/hitting/punching the ball and it stays in the penalty area, then, yes, the goalie can kick it as far as he/she wants since they did not catch it, drop it to the ground and then kick it.  That would be entirely at the referee’s discretion on whether to allow the action. Once again, if the goalie has the ball in his/her hands, the only legal action to put it back into play is a throw/roll out of the penalty box to another player.

“If the goalie handles or controls the ball with their hands, they must distribute the ball with their hands and the ball must be touched by a teammate or opponent on the field of play before that same goalie can touch the ball again with their foot.”

 This will ensure the intent that we want the goalie to throw the ball into play and make the teams develop play from the back.  By clarifying the “no goalie double touch” rule, we make it clear that punts, drop kicks, drop-roll-and-kicks and etc. cannot happen.