All FIFA rules apply except for the modifications by Burke Athletic Club (BAC) described below: 

Conduct 

• As of March of 2025, USA Soccer is initiating a Referee Abuse Prevention program.   BAC will be integrating this into our leagues starting this spring with some immediate changes being –  

• Increased penalties (games missed for red cards, probations, permanent bans, etc.) for any penalty received in a match for behavior against any participant in our league using the tiers USA Soccer provides. 

• The Team Managers have voted that no player is allowed to talk to the referees without wearing that team’s captain’s band or risk being carded. 

• Referees will be encouraged to throw more yellow cards against players who cannot control their behavior. 

• For Yellow / Red cards the league has specific rules in addition to the rules set by FIFA. 

• A player receiving a yellow card will be required to leave the field for a minimum of two minutes.  The player cannot return to the field until the next subbing opportunity for his team after the two minutes have elapsed. The player’s team will play down in number for the entire two minutes until the referee invites the carded player (or the substitution) back on to the field. 

• A player who receives a red card is required to immediately leave the pitch.  Play will not resume until the player has left the grounds and entered the parking lot.   

• The referee may award a penalty kick to the opposing team, should an ejected player delay the match by leaving slower than directed by the referee, or who interferes with the continuation of the match in any way. 

• The failure of a player to leave the field will result in a forfeit of the game by the player’s team and be elevated to a disciplinary review against the player and his team. 

• Any player ejected from a game will not be allowed to play the following match. 

• A player who receives a red card for unsportsmanlike behavior on or off the field of play (e.g., playing to injure or starting conflicts with other participants) will go before the management of the league for further penalties, including being disqualified from the entire league with no refund.  (Refer to FIFA LAW 12 Fouls and Misconduct.)   

• Teams are responsible for the conduct of their players and spectators.  The referee has the authority to remove a spectator from the facility. Play will not resume until the spectator has left the grounds. In addition, BAC reserves the right to sanction a team because of the conduct of their supporters. 

Game Details 

• All teams are required to have access to their up-to-date roster (posted on BAC’s website) where all players match their number and name to an ID.  Any manager or referee may ask for a roster review prior to the match starting or spot checking at half.   Players must provide an ID to match if asked and if they do not match the player may not play. 

• Same colored kits are required for all players on a team   Variations of color shades are not allowed (e.g., if the team is in dark green, light green or black is not valid).   Keeper and referee kits should be unique from each of the two competing teams’ colors. 

• All players are required to have a unique jersey number registered with the league to take the pitch. 

• If two teams share a color, the home team retains their kits and the visiting team will need an alternate kit or alternate color pinnie over their official jerseys. 

• Shin guards are a requirement to play.

• Each game is 60 minutes long. Two 30 minutes halves with a 3-minute break between halves. 

• Game start times are 8:15 pm for the first game and 9:30 pm for the second game unless changed by BAC with advance notice provided to the teams. 

• If the 8:15 pm game finishes after 9:30 pm, there will be a maximum of five (5) minutes before the start of the next game. 

• A maximum of a 10-minute delay to the start of a game is allowed at the referee’s discretion.    

• Regular season games can end in a tie at the end of regulation.   In the post season, if teams play to a draw, penalty kicks in accordance with FIFA rules will decide the winner of the game. 

• Should a referee be delayed later than 10 minutes or not arrive at all, managers may determine if they can referee the game themselves.   Division and league commissioners will need to be notified of the situation and the result immediately following the match. 

• Games will be played with a maximum of eight (8) players on the field for each team.  

• Each team will play with seven (7) players and one (1) goalkeeper. 

• The minimum number to start and maintain a game is six (6) players.  The offending team has five (5) minutes from scheduled kick off to reach the minimum count or will forfeit.    

• To maintain opportunities to play should a forfeit occur, teams may choose to continue playing a friendly match in any set up they decide if the referee agrees. 

• Managers will be provided with a kit prior to each season, consisting of four cones and a size five ball.   The home team is responsible for marking the corners of the field with the cones prior to play.    

• The corner cones may not be removed for any corner kicks and any player doing so will forfeit their possession, initiating an immediate goal kick for the opposing team. 

• Each team must provide two size five (5) competition quality soccer balls, properly inflated for each match to be approved by the referee.   Placement of the 3 non-game balls should be one beside each goal and one at the sideline of the center pitch.   

• If a team does not provide two soccer balls, or if they are not in the proper condition for play as determined by the referee, the team will forfeit the game.  The game can be played as a friendly game and the referee will stay and referee the game. 

• With four (4) balls ready for each match, any actions to delay the game by not using the closest option ball will result in a penalty at the referee’s discretion.   

• Substitutes on the sidelines for each team are required to send a member to collect balls struck far from the field of play and return them to the chosen spots. 

Variation of FIFA Rules of Play for the BAC Adult League 

• Mercy Rule #1 – If a team is up more than 4 goals, they will remove a player from the pitch at goals 5 and 6.   At this point, the team will continue with six players (league minimum) until the opposing team reduces the differential.    When it returns to 4 goals, both teams will be full again, as an example. 

• Mercy Rule #2 – No matter the final score, no team will receive nor lose more than 5 goals in the table for our goal differential tie breaker. 

• Player substitutes may be made when the team has possession of the ball, when the opposing team has possession and substitutes, on either team’s goal kick, or before a kick-off.  No substitutes on corner kicks. 

• There are no limitations on how far the keepers may kick the ball. 

• Slide tackles are not allowed - A player leaving his feet or sliding to initiate contact or to tackle another player is banned in our league within all age groups.  Any infraction results in a direct free kick, with escalation to cards at the discretion of referee depending on the situation. 

• No playing the ball while on the ground – The infraction results in an indirect free-kick anywhere on the pitch, except inside the 6-yard goal box, then it is a penalty kick. 

• If a penalty kick is awarded, the offensive player taking the kick may not extend back from the ball further than two steps and must always remain within the penalty box prior to the kick. 

• The distance between the ball and the closest defender during a free kick is five yards. 

• There are no offsides, referees may call interference on any player engaging with the keeper away from the play. 

• Keeper protection – The keeper is provided the right-of-way to acquire any ball when extended and exposed while attempting to secure the ball within the penalty box.    

• Collisions while in this state will default to the keeper receiving the benefit of the doubt, the offensive player will be called for contact, and the defensive team will receive an indirect free kick - unless the referee determines the Keeper initiated the contact without an attempt to secure the ball. 

• This protection only serves to safeguard an exposed keeper, should the referee determine a dangerous collision did not occur, the ball is still live until the keeper secures it according to the standard rules of play.  Any dangerous play or any further penalties, in this scenario, will be at the determination of the referee