Laws of Mini Soccer

Number of Players

• A regulation soccer game for adults plays 11 on 11, but for mini soccer, because the field is smaller, most kids' mini soccer rule sets say that each team plays seven on seven. Fourteen players total can be on each team's roster for each game. There is no limit on substitutions that can be made during each game. If a team ends up with less than five players, the game will be called off.

  For intramural college mini soccer, teams play four against four, with one player from each team as a designated goalie. Again, substitutions can be made at any time.

Field Size/Dimensions

• Field size varies between mini-soccer organizations, but fields do not exceed 60 meters in length.

  At the college intramural sports level, games are usually played indoors, and the game is played on a regulation basketball court, which is 94 feet by 50 feet.

Uniform/Equipment Regulations

• Mini soccer for kids uses a size four ball as opposed to professional soccer's size five ball. College intramural mini soccer uses an indoor soccer ball, regulation size five.

  Kids must wear shinguards, shoes, socks and their uniforms. A goalkeeper must wear a different color from his own team, the referee and the other team. Cleats are not mandatory. The referee can send a player off the field if the player's equipment is creating a safety hazard.

  For indoor college intramural soccer, no cleats are allowed, and players do not have to wear shin guards. Scrimmage vests are usually worn in lieu of actual uniforms. Players are also not to wear shoes that might mark up the court floor.

The Referee

• The referee makes all the decisions on the field, and all decisions are final. The referee is responsible for stopping play when an injury occurs, checking players' equipment, enforcing all the rules of the game and reporting misconduct by parents, coaches, players or the audience to the proper authorities.

Game Length

• A kids' mini soccer game consists of two 25-minute halves, with a five-minute intermission in between.

  For intramural mini soccer, games consist of two 22-minute halves, also with a five-minute break in between. Teams switch goals during the intermission.

  The game can go into extra time to allow a penalty kick.

Starting the Game

• A mini-soccer game commences with the kickoff. A coin toss is used to decide which team will take the kickoff. The team that wins the coin toss chooses which goal to attack, while the losing team gets to take the kickoff. All players must be on their own side when the whistle is blown.

  When one team scores a goal, the game starts again with the other team taking the kickoff back at the center of the field.

  For other stoppages, the referee with restart action with a drop ball in the vicinity of where the action stopped.

Scoring

• Once the ball crosses the goal line, as long as it wasn't touched by an arm or hand, it counts as a goal. The referee has the authority to determine whether or not a goal was made.

  In mini-soccer, there is no offsides rule.

Penalties and Free Kicks

• The referee can award penalty kicks for any infraction in bounds. Free kicks are made where the foul took place, unless inside of the goalkeeper's box, in which case the penalty is taken from the penalty kick mark. Opposing players must stand 6 yards away when the penalty kick is taken. The player must kick the ball, not dribble or otherwise play the ball, or the other team will be awarded the penalty kick. The referee can allow a penalty kick to be retaken if there is interference.

Fouls

• Free kicks can be awarded when a player trips, hits, spits at, kicks or pushes an opponent or touches the ball with his hands (goalkeeper excluded). The referee has the authority to send a player off the field if he is creating a danger to himself or other players. No red cards or yellow cards are given in mini soccer.

Throw-Ins/Kick-Ins

• Most mini soccer rules state that when the ball goes out of bounds, a player from the team that did not kick the ball out of bounds is to throw the ball back in from where the ball went out. The player must remain out of bounds while throwing, both hands must touch the ball and the ball must be delivered behind the player's head. Players get two chances to get their throw-in correct, or the throw-in will be ceded to the other team. Opponents must be two meters away from the throw-in. Goals cannot be scored from a throw-in.

  For younger kids, many rule sets allow players to kick the ball back in bounds. Goals cannot be directly won from a kick-in.

Goal Kicks

• When a ball goes out of bounds by crossing the goal line, and was kicked out by the offensive team, a goal kick is awarded to the defensive team. Opponents must remain out of the penalty area until the kick is completed. The ball must be directly kicked, not dribbled or given a second touch by the kicker. Goals can be made off of goal kicks.

Corner Kicks

• If a ball crosses the goal line and was last touched by a defensive player, a corner kick is awarded to the offensive team. The ball is placed on the nearest corner arc on that same side of the field, and members of the opposing team must be six meters away when the ball is kicked. The player making the corner kick must kick the ball rather than dribbling or giving the ball multiple touches or the corner kick will be ceded to the other team.