Youth League Rules

Age Blocks

• Peewee Soccer (Age 5 or younger)
• Junior Soccer (Age 6 to 8 Years Old)
• Athlete Soccer (Age 9 to 12 Years Old)
• Professional Soccer (Age 13 to 15 Years Old)

General rules

• Season & Playoffs
• Uniforms
• Referees
• Suspensions
• Supporters

Age Blocks

Each Age Block represents a division. Each division has a unique set of rules to ensure each age group receives a great experience.

Peewee Soccer (Age 5 or younger)

1. Format – Peewees play 6 on 6 games. Every Peewee game will end in both teams winning. Both teams will receive 3 points and 3 goals towards their season standing. Each season is 9 weeks long.
2. Roster – Each team will be formed of 10-11 players. Teams will be formed at random, however, you can request for your child(ren) to be placed on the same team as your friend or family member.
3. Age – Peewee participants must be 5 years of age or younger. If our program does not have sufficient participants, some players may be assigned to a different Age Block. Each Age Block represents a division.
4. No Keepers – Peewee teams do not have keepers.
5. The Number of Substitutions – Unlimited substitutions are permitted during a match. Players subbed out can renter the field.
6. Duration of the Match – Season and playoff matches have a match duration of 30 minutes (two 12-minute halves). The duration of the match may be shortened due to uncontrollable reasons including but not limited to poor weather conditions.
7. Slide Tackling – Slide tackling is strictly prohibited. Slide tackling will result in a yellow card for the offending player.
8. Halfway Line Rule – The keeper cannot kick the ball over the halfway line with a goal kick. The keeper can’t throw the ball over the halfway line when the ball is in play.
9. No Freekicks – No freekicks.
10. No Off-sides – No off-sides.
11. Penalties – Players shooting a penalty may only take up to 1 step before kicking.
12. Yellow Cards – A player that receives a yellow card will be disciplined for a 2-minute timeout. Players in timeout must receive permission from the game’s assigned referee before entering the field.
13. Field Size – Field size may at times be slightly different.
14. Goal Size – Goal size may at times be slightly different.

Junior Soccer (Age 6 to 8 Years Old)

1. Format – Juniors play 7 on 7 games. Each season is 9 weeks long and followed by 3 weeks of playoffs. The top eight teams of the season will advance to the playoffs. The lower-ranked team in the top eight will compete with the highest-ranked team. Season point tiebreakers will be broken in the following order (1) goal difference, (2) goals for, (3) goals against, or (4) LIVE drawing. A penalty shootout will directly take place if a quarter-final or semi-final game ends in a draw.
2. Roster – Each team will be formed of 11-12 players. Teams will be formed at random, however, you can request for your child(ren) to be placed on the same team as your friend or family member.
3. Age – Junior participants must be age 6 to 8 years old. If our program does not have sufficient participants, some players may be assigned to a different Age Block. Each Age Block represents a division.
4. No Keepers – Junior teams do not have keepers.
5. The Number of Substitutions – Unlimited substitutions are permitted during a match. Players subbed out can renter the field.
6. Duration of the Match – Season and playoff matches have a match duration of 40 minutes (two 16-minute halves). The duration of the match may be shortened due to uncontrollable reasons including but not limited to poor weather conditions.
7. Slide Tackling – Slide tackling is strictly prohibited. Slide tackling will result in a yellow card for the offending player.
8. Halfway Line Rule – The keeper cannot kick the ball over the halfway line with a goal kick. The keeper can’t throw the ball over the halfway line when the ball is in play.
9. No Freekicks – No freekicks.
10. No Off-sides – No off-sides.
11. Penalties – Players shooting a penalty may only take up to 1 step before kicking.
12. Yellow Cards – A player that receives a yellow card will be disciplined for a 2-minute timeout. Players in timeout must receive permission from the game’s assigned referee before entering the field.
13. Field Size – Field size may at times be slightly different.
14. Goal Size – Goal size may at times be slightly different.

Athlete Soccer (Age 9 to 12 Years Old)

1. Format – Athletes play 9 on 9 games. Each season is 9 weeks long and followed by 3 weeks of playoffs. The top eight teams of the season will advance to the playoffs. The lower-ranked team in the top eight will compete with the highest-ranked team. Season point tiebreakers will be broken in the following order (1) goal difference, (2) goals for, (3) goals against, or (4) LIVE drawing. A penalty shootout will directly take place if a quarter-final or semi-final game ends in a draw.
2. Roster – Each team will be formed of 14-15 players. Teams will be formed at random, however, you can request for your child(ren) to be placed on the same team as your friend or family member.
3. Age – Athlete participants must be age 9 to 12 years old. If our program does not have sufficient participants, some players may be assigned to a different Age Block. Each Age Block represents a division.
4. The Number of Substitutions – Unlimited substitutions are permitted during a match. Players subbed out can renter the field.
5. Duration of the Match – Season and playoff matches have a match duration of 50 minutes (two 20-minute halves). The duration of the match may be shortened due to uncontrollable reasons including but not limited to poor weather conditions.
6. Slide Tackling – Slide tackling is strictly prohibited. Slide tackling will result in a yellow card for the offending player.
7. Halfway Line Rule – The keeper cannot kick the ball over the halfway line with a goal kick. The keeper can’t throw the ball over the halfway line when the ball is in play.
8. No Freekicks – No freekicks.
9. No Off-sides – No off-sides.
10. Penalties – Players shooting a penalty may only take up to 1 step before kicking.
11. Yellow Cards – A player that receives a yellow card will be disciplined for a 2-minute timeout. Players in timeout must receive permission from the game’s assigned referee before entering the field.
12. Field Size – Field size may at times be slightly different.
13. Goal Size – Goal sizes can vary from being 12 feet wide by 6 feet tall to 18 feet wide by 8 feet tall.

Professional Soccer (Age 13 to 15 Years Old)

1. Format – Professionals play 9 on 9 games. Each season is 9 weeks long and followed by 3 weeks of playoffs. The top eight teams of the season will advance to the playoffs. The lower-ranked team in the top eight will compete with the highest-ranked team. Season point tiebreakers will be broken in the following order (1) goal difference, (2) goals for, (3) goals against, or (4) LIVE drawing. A penalty shootout will directly take place if a quarter-final, semi-final, or final game ends in a draw.
2. Roster – Each team will be formed of 14-15 players. Teams will be formed at random, however, you can request for your child(ren) to be placed on the same team as your friend or family member.
3. Age – Professional participants must be age 13 to 15 years old. If our program does not have sufficient participants, some players may be assigned to a different Age Block. Each Age Block represents a division.
4. The Number of Substitutions – Unlimited substitutions are permitted during a match. Players subbed out can renter the field.
5. Duration of the Match – Season and playoff matches have a match duration of 60 minutes (two 25-minute halves). The duration of the match may be shortened due to uncontrollable reasons including but not limited to poor weather conditions.
6. Slide Tackling – Slide tackling is strictly prohibited. Slide tackling will result in a yellow card for the offending player.
7. Halfway Line Rule – The keeper cannot kick the ball over the halfway line with a goal kick. The keeper can’t throw the ball over the halfway line when the ball is in play.
8. No Freekicks – No freekicks.
9. No Off-sides – No off-sides.
10. Penalties – Players shooting a penalty may only take up to 1 step before kicking.
11. Yellow Cards – A player that receives a yellow card will be disciplined for a 2-minute timeout. Players in timeout must receive permission from the game’s assigned referee before entering the field.
12. Field Size – Field size may at times be slightly different.
13. Goal Size – Goal sizes can vary from being 12 feet wide by 6 feet tall to 18 feet wide by 8 feet tall.

General Rules

FC Riverside County is committed to providing an exemplary soccer experience. This is accomplished by the enforcement of the following rules:

Season & Playoffs

The season schedule will be published on the first week of the season (however, the schedule may be adjusted throughout the season). Each season is at least 10 weeks long, followed by 2 weeks of playoffs. The top eight teams of the season will advance to the playoffs. The lower-ranked team in the top eight will compete with the highest-ranked team. Season point tiebreakers will be broken in the following order (1) goal difference, (2) goals for, (3) goals against, or (4) LIVE drawing. A penalty shootout will directly take place if a semi-final game is finished with a draw.

Uniforms

Each team is required to have matching FC Riverside County uniforms. Matching jerseys (no t-shirts allowed) are required and must be numbered. The visiting side team will wear pennies/bibs if the opposing team has a similar or same colored jersey.

Referees

All decisions made by the referee are final. All players entering the field must receive permission from the game’s assigned referee.

Suspensions

Players will receive a red card, a $25 fine, and at least a 1 game suspension for any verbal abuse made to a referee (including but not limited to offensive, insulting, or abusive language.), making contact with a referee (softly tapping a referee with a hand[s] or finger[s] in a non-threatening manner), or threatening to hurt another player. Players will receive a red card, a $100 fine, and at least a 2 game suspension for charging or pushing an opponent with both hands, and any abusive language made to a staff member. Players will receive a red card, a $250 fine, and at least a 3-game suspension for touching a referee in a threatening way (slapping a card from a referee’s hand.), any racial abuse, or deliberate foul play. Players will receive at least a 6-month suspension and a $500 fine for any retaliation fighting (including but not limited to kicking, punching, or spiting), and violently touching a referee, making violent threats, accumulating 3 Red Cards within the same season. Players will receive at least a 1-year suspension and a $1,000 fine for violent conduct (including but not limited to fighting, kicking, punching, or attempts to hurt another individual), spitting on another individual, hitting a referee. Any team found having played any suspended player will receive a $25 fine.

*NO FIGHTING. No warnings will be given. All offenders will receive at least a 1-year suspension.

Supporters

Supporters will be asked to leave the facility if they enter the field during a live game. Supporters will be asked to leave the facility if they disrupt an opponent during a live game. Supporters will be asked to leave the facility if they use inappropriate language or make inappropriate gestures.