Competition Rules

Rules Template for District Competitions/ Leagues

Standard Code of Rules  Youth  SCOR Y / Education …SCOR E

The rules are derived from the Standard Code of Rules for Youth Football (SCORY), which has been adapted by a National Working Group of ESFA Members to be applicable to football organised by affiliated Districts of the ESFA. This template is intended as a guide from which Members can derive their

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.

GOVERNANCE RULES

COMPETITION NAME & CONSTITUTION

(A) The Competition will be known as the Worcestershire Schools’ Football Association WSFA (or such other name as the Competition may adopt).

(B) The Competition shall consist of not more than (number not noted) Schools and the geographical area covered by the Competition membership shall be that of the WSFA  Schools’ Football Association. Requests for Schools to enter the Competition who are not affiliated to the WSFA Schools’ Football Association shall be considered by the relevant County Schools’ Football Association.

(C) The entire control and management of the Competition shall be vested in the WSFA, or such Committees that shall be appointed by the Worcestershire Schools’ Football Association.

(D) The administration of the Competition under these Rules will be carried out by the Competition acting (save where otherwise specifically mentioned herein) through the relevant Committee in accordance with the rules, regulations and policies of The FA.

(E) The Worcestershire Schools’ Football Association shall charge a fee per School entry for each Competition. This fee shall be decided annually at the Annual General Meeting.  A School shall not participate in this Competition until the entry fee, annual subscription have been paid.

(F) All Schools shall adhere to the Rules. Every School shall be deemed, as a member of the Competition, to have accepted the Rules and to have agreed to abide by the decisions of any relevant Committee.

(G) The Rules are taken from the Standard Code of Rules for Youth Competitions (the “Standard Code”) determined by The FA from time to time. In the event of any omissions from the Standard Code then the requirements of the Standard Code shall be deemed to apply to the Competition.

(H) All Competition Matches shall be played in accordance with the Laws of the Game as determined by the International Football Association Board.

(I) Inclusivity and Non-discrimination

• The Competition and each School must be committed to promoting inclusivity and to eliminating all forms of discrimination and should abide and adhere to The FA Equality Policy and any legislative requirements (to include those contained in the Equality Act 2010).
• This Competition and each School must make every effort to promote equality by treating people fairly and with respect, by recognising that inequalities may exist, by taking steps to address them and by providing access and opportunities for all members of the community, irrespective of age, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, marital status, race, nationality, ethnic origin, colour, religion or belief, ability or disability or otherwise.
• Any alleged breach of the Equality Act 2010 legislation must be referred to the appropriate Sanctioning Authority for investigation.

(J) Safeguarding

• All Participants shall abide by The FA & ESFA Regulations for Safeguarding Children as determined by The FA & ESFA from time to time.

2. TROPHIES/ MEDALS

Any trophy provided is the property of the Worcestershire Schools’ Football Association.

• Medals shall be provided to the winners of League Competitions and the winners & runners-up of Cup Competitions. The relevant Committee shall have the power to withhold awards, should the number of Schools competing be deemed insufficient or for any other causes not provided for in these rules.

3. PROTESTS
   • Protests arising from Competitions organised for Schools by the WSFA Schools’ Football Association shall be submitted to the relevant Committee in line with the ESFA policy for protests, as published in the ESFA Handbook. An appeal fee is payable.

No protest relative to the ground, goalposts, or other appurtenances of the game shall be considered unless a protest in writing was made to the referee before the start of the Match.

4. ALTERATION TO RULES

• These rules may be altered only at a General Meeting of the Association in accordance with the rules governing that General Meeting.
• Dissolution of the Competition(s) shall be by resolution approved at a General Meeting in accordance with the constitution of the Competition.

MATCH RELATED RULES

5. QUALIFICATION OF PLAYERS

• Player Age

• The relevant age for each Player is determined by their age as at midnight on 31 August of the relevant Playing Season.

• Players who are under six years of age on 1st September in any playing season shall not be allowed to participate.

• A child who has not attained the age of ten years at midnight between 31 August and 1 September shall not play and shall not be permitted or encouraged to play in a Match between sides of more than seven players in that playing season.

• Up to and including Under 15s (Year 10), players must not play and shall not be permitted or encouraged to play in a Match where any other player is older or younger by two years or more than that child.

• The age groups that children are eligible to play in are set out in the table below, along with the permitted football formats for each of those age groups. For the purposes of this Rule, provisions relating to playing in specified age groups shall include participating in training as well as playing in Matches. Children shall not play, and shall not be permitted or encouraged to play, in a Match between sides of more than the stated number of players, according to their age group.

• Eligibility

A player may only play for the School or College they are currently attending and on whose roll they appear at the time of the game in which they are playing.

• No player shall play for more than one School in the Playing Season unless they have transferred from one School to another, and the new School has applied for and received permission from the relevant Committee.
• Any School playing an ineligible player(s) shall be removed from the Competition and the Match awarded to their last opponents.
• A player can play within their own school in 2 age groups so long as they meet the age criteria.

(C) Further Guidance

• Mixed-gender Matches shall be played in line with current FA regulations.

• ‘Repeated’ substitutions are allowed in all Competitions up to and including the Under 18 age group. In 9v9 and 11v11 Matches, Schools are permitted to use 5 substitutes from five named players. In small-sided Matches, Schools are permitted to use 3 named substitutes.

• The Schools taking part in Under 7s to Under 11 or Youth Football shall identify a Captain who may wear an armband and shall have a responsibility to offer support in the management of the on-field discipline of their teammates.

6. COLOURS, PLAYERS’ ATTIRE

• Attire worn by players and staff must only reflect their School and not make any reference to other football organisations.
• Where Schools have similar colours, the home School shall be entitled to retain their colours, and the visiting School shall change to colours that provide a satisfactory contrast.
• Players’ shirts shall be numbered where possible.
• Goalkeepers must wear colours which distinguish them from all other Players and the Match Officials.
• No Player, including the goalkeeper, shall be permitted to wear black or very dark shirts.
• Schools must not wear shirt advertising of a conflicting interest to that of the Competition’s sponsor.

7. PLAYING SEASON. CONDITIONS OF PLAY, POSTPONEMENTS, ABANDONED MATCHES

• All Competition Matches shall be played in accordance with the Laws of the Game as determined by the International Football Association Board or, for Mini-Soccer, The Mini-Soccer and Youth Futsal Handbook, or, for 9v9 football, The FA’s Guide to 9v9 Football.

Schools must take all reasonable precautions to keep their Grounds in a playable condition. If through any fault of the home School a Competition Match has to be replayed, the relevant Committee shall have power to order the venue to be changed. The relevant Committee shall have power to decide whether a pitch and/or facilities are suitable for Competition Matches and to order the School concerned to play its Competition Matches on another ground.

The home school is responsible for contacting their opponents submitting a minimum of 2 dates. Should the away school not be able to commit to those dates for any reason the committee may be asked to get involved

Artificial Football Turf Pitches (3G) are allowed in this Competition provided they meet the required performance standards and are listed on the FA’s Register of Football Turf Pitches- https://footballfoundation.org.uk/3g-pitch-register.

All Competition Matches shall have a duration as set out below unless a shorter time is mutually arranged by the two Schools in consultation with the referee prior to the commencement of the Competition Match, and in any event shall be of equal halves. Competition Matches should be played in accordance with the Laws appropriate to the relevant age group, as laid down by The FA, as detailed below.

For round robin/trophy events, the maximum duration of play per half cannot be exceeded, but the minimum duration of play per half may be adjusted.

• Postponements

• Except by expressed permission, all Competition Matches must be played by the closing/ limit date set for the playing of a specific set of Matches, but priority shall be given to ESFA and parent County Schools’ Football Association Cup Competitions. All other Matches must be considered secondary. Schools may mutually agree to bring forward a Competition Match with the consent of the relevant Committee.

• Any School unable to fulfil a fixture or where a Competition Match has been postponed for any reason must, without delay, give notice to the relevant Committee, the opposing School and Match Officials, where applicable.

• Postponed Cup Matches that are not played by the closing/ limit date are subject to the provisions outlined in Rule 9(B).

• Abandoned Matches

• In the event of a Competition Match not being played or abandoned owing to causes over which neither School has control, it should be played in its entirety on a date to be mutually agreed by the two Schools and approved by the relevant Committee. Failing such agreement and notification to the relevant Committee within 7 days, the relevant Committee shall have the power to order the Competition Match to be played on a named date or on or before a given date. Where it is to the advantage of the Competition and the Schools involved agree, the relevant Committee shall also be empowered to order the score at the time of an abandonment to stand.

• The relevant Committee shall review all Competition Matches abandoned in cases where it is consequent upon the conduct of either or both Schools. Where it is to the advantage of the Competition and does no injustice to either School, the relevant Committee shall be empowered to order the score at the time of the abandonment to stand.

• In all cases where the relevant Committee are satisfied that a Competition Match was abandoned owing to the conduct of one School, they shall be empowered to award the points/ result for the Competition Match to the opponent.

• In cases where a Competition Match has been abandoned owing to the conduct of both Schools, the relevant Committee shall rule that neither School will be awarded the points/ result for that Competition Match, and it shall not be replayed.

• No fine(s) can be applied for an abandoned Competition Match.

8. REPORTING RESULTS

• The home School should report results within 48 hours of completion of the Match to the relevant person via email including the Competition, the names of both Schools, result and date.

• The Competition and competing Schools are permitted to collect but NOT publish results or any grading tables for fixtures involving Under 7s, Under 8s, Under 9s, Under 10s, and Under 11s. Any Competition failing to abide by this Rule may be dealt with by the Sanctioning Authority. The Competition and Schools are permitted to collect and publish results for trophy events.

9. DETERMINING CHAMPIONSHIP

• (A) In Competitions where points are awarded, home and away Matches shall be played, unless a single fixture programme has been agreed by the Competition organiser and participating Schools prior to its commencement.

• Rankings within League Competitions may be decided by points with three points to be awarded for a win one for a draw and no points for a loss.

• The School gaining the highest number of points in their respective divisions at the end of the Playing Season shall be adjudged the winners. Competition Matches must not be played for double points.

• In the event of two or more Schools being equal on points the highest placed School shall be decided as follows:

1. Goal difference
2. Most goals scored
3. Won most Matches
4. Result(s) of Match(es) between the Schools concerned

• In the event of a School failing to keep its engagement the relevant Committee shall either:

1. award the points from the Competition Match in question to the opponent (without the awarding of goals)
2. order the Competition Match to be rescheduled. The relevant Committee shall also have the power to order the rescheduled Competition Match to be played on a neutral ground or on the opponent Ground if they are satisfied that such action is warranted by the circumstances.

• (B) In knockout Cup Competitions, all ties shall be drawn and circulated to all Schools. The School first drawn shall have choice of ground.

• If the scores are level after the completion of normal time in all normal rounds of knockout Competitions, then extra time shall be played and if scores remain level, then the result of the Match shall be determined by the taking of penalty kicks in accordance with the conditions prescribed by the International Football Association Board. No replays shall take place.

• A closing/ limit date shall be set by the relevant Committee for each round of Cup Competitions, by which all ties in the round(s) affected shall be played. Schools must ensure that they arrange to fulfil their fixtures in advance of each limit date and shall only be permitted to play Cup ties after the limit date if they request permission to do so by contacting the relevant Committee in advance of the deadline, setting out the reasons why they cannot play by the limit date.

• In the event of Cup ties not being played by the limit date, the relevant Committee shall have discretion to resolve the tie by either:

1. Permitting the tie to be played as soon as practical after the deadline.
2. Where they are satisfied that one School has made all reasonable efforts to ensure the tie was played but those efforts have not been reciprocated by the opposing School, then the School which attempted to play the Match shall advance to the next round.
3. Where both Schools have made reasonable efforts to play the tie or have been unable to do so for reasons beyond their control, they may toss a coin to determine which School advances.
4. In extreme circumstances, where a tie has not been played and neither School can demonstrate they have attempted to arrange the playing of the Match, the relevant Committee may remove both Schools from the Competition. This course of action shall only be taken where limit dates have been missed by a considerable margin and attempts to communicate with the Schools involved have failed.

• The final tie of any Cup Competition shall be arranged by the relevant Committee, who shall take all receipts of the Match and pay all reasonable expenses (including Match Officials).

• Matches may not take place unless under the control of a referee appointed by the relevant Committee, or such person and / or body to whom the appointment has been delegated.

• In the event of two Schools in a Cup final having the same or similar colours both Schools shall change their colours, unless the relevant Committee agrees to allow one School to retain their usual colours.

• If the scores are level after the completion of normal time in the final, then extra time shall be played, and if scores remain level, then the result of the Match shall be determined by the taking of penalty kicks in accordance with the conditions prescribed by the International Football Association Board.

OR

• If the scores are level after the completion of normal time in the final, then no extra time shall be played, and the result of the Match shall be determined by the taking of penalty kicks in accordance with the conditions prescribed by the International Football Association Board.

10. MATCH OFFICIALS

• Registered Match Officials for all Competition Matches shall be appointed in a manner approved by the relevant Committee. Match Officials between the ages of 14 and 16 are only eligible to officiate in Competitions where the Players’ age band is at least one year younger than the age of the Match Official. In cases where there are no officially appointed Match Officials in attendance, the Schools shall agree upon a Match Official who shall have the full powers, status and authority of a registered Match Official. Where Assistant Match Officials are not appointed each side shall provide an assistant referee.

• In all rounds, except the final tie, the home side is responsible for paying all fees (where applicable) to the Match Officials.