Rules
We follow Fifa rules with only a few exceptions and distinctions:
- Unlimited substitutions on dead balls.
- Only 1 referee.
- Shin guards are mandatory.
- All teams must have league approved uniforms.
- We require each captain to bring a ball to each game.
- League Discipline:
- Depending on the severity of the action being disciplined, Gotham Soccer League reserves the right to impose match bans, up to banned for life, for poor behaviour before, during, or after any matches conducted in the league. For infractions resulting from honest, hard play the following guidelines will apply:
- 2 Yellow Cards in one game = 1 game suspension,
- 3 Yellow Cards in any 3 games during the 8 game season = 1 game suspension,
- 1 Red Card = 1 game suspension.
- Teams with active suspensions will be notified and time permitting suspensions will be posted on the team's schedule page. All members of a team with active suspensions will have to present a photo ID before playing. With the provision of the limited number of referees we use, the referees may recognize the players suspended and IDs would not be required.
- Depending on the severity of the action being disciplined, Gotham Soccer League reserves the right to impose match bans, up to banned for life, for poor behaviour before, during, or after any matches conducted in the league. For infractions resulting from honest, hard play the following guidelines will apply:
- Team Forfeit Bonds:
We require all teams to pay a bond upon entry into the league. This bond will be returned to the captain when the team leaves the league dependent the team has not forfeited a game. The bond is held to attach a monetary value to forfeits in our effort to prevent them from occurring and to ameliorate the loss of a game to the team being forfeited to. A team forfeits their bond to the team being forfeited to which is paid as a credit for the next season. If a team forfeits more than one game over the course of a season, the bond will be divided between the teams forfeited to and each will receive equal amounts of credit towards the next season. This is dependent on the league having received payment for the season from the forfeiting team. If payment of the bond or the league fees has not been received, unfortunately a credit would not be able to be applied to the next season's dues. The team that has forfeit will then be required to pay the bond again at the start of the new season to remain in the league.
- Playoffs:
All playoff games have 3 officials (1 center and 2 linesmen). If the game is tied after 90 minutes, an additional 5 minutes will be added to the second half. If still tied after 95 minutes, the game goes to penelty kicks.