Youth League Rules

Age Blocks

• Junior Soccer (Age 6 to 8 Years Old)
• Athlete Soccer (Age 9 to 12 Years Old)
• The REC League by FC Riverside County (Age 13 to 17 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.

Junior Soccer (Age 6 to 8 Years Old)

1. Format – Juniors play 5 on 5 games to 11 on 11 games.
2. Roster – Each team will be formed of 11-15 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 – 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. The Number of Substitutions – Unlimited substitutions are permitted during a match. Players subbed out can renter the field.
5. Slide Tackling – Slide tackling is strictly prohibited. Slide tackling will result in a yellow card for the offending player.
6. No Freekicks – Players shooting a freekick may only take up to 1 step before kicking.
7. No Off-sides – No off-sides.
8. Penalties – Players shooting a penalty may only take up to 1 step before kicking.
9. 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.
10. Field Size – Field size may at times be slightly different.
11. Goal Size – Goal size may at times be slightly different.

Athlete Soccer (Age 9 to 12 Years Old)

1. Format – Athletes play 5 on 5 games to 11 on 11 games.
2. Roster – Each team will be formed of 11-15 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. Slide Tackling – Slide tackling is strictly prohibited. Slide tackling will result in a yellow card for the offending player.
6. No Freekicks – Players shooting a freekick may only take up to 1 step before kicking.
7. No Off-sides – No off-sides.
8. Penalties – Players shooting a penalty may only take up to 1 step before kicking.
9. 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.
10. Field Size – Field size may at times be slightly different.
11. Goal Size – Goal size may at times be slightly different.

The REC League by FC Riverside County (Age 13 to 17 Years Old)

1. Format – Professionals play 9 on 9 games.
2. Roster – Each team will be formed of 14-15 players. FC Riverside County 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 – Participants must be age 13 to 17 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

A. SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP & PLAYOFF TOURNAMENT

Season Championship

• Each season is 8 weeks long.
• Three points are awarded for a win, one point for a draw, and zero points for a loss.
• The team with the most points at the end of the season will win the Season Championship.
• The winner of the Season Championship will receive a team trophy.

FC Riverside County will attempt to release the full season schedule before the first week of the season The season schedule may be adjusted throughout the season.

Playoff Tournament

• All teams will qualify for the Playoff Tournament. If nine or more teams are in a division, only the top eight teams of the season will advance to the playoffs. If possible, we will attempt to host a second tournament for the teams that do not qualify.
• 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.
• The winner of the Playoff Tournament will receive a team trophy. Each player will also receive an individual trophy.

B. SPECIAL RECOGNITION TROPHIES

FC Riverside County wants to recognize our players for their hard work throughout the season. We will provide trophies as follows:

1. Golden Boat (Top Goal Scorer) - Presented to the leading goal scorer in season matches.
2. Golden Glove (Most Saves from a Goalkeeper) - The Golden Glove Award is awarded to the best goalkeeper of the tournament. The Golden Glove is handed out to the goalkeeper who has kept the most clean sheets. A clean sheet is when a team concedes zero goals in a match. A clean sheet will only count if the goalkeeper plays the entire match.
3. Top Assister - An assist is credited to a player for passing or crossing the ball to the scorer. It may also be awarded to a player whose shot rebounds (off a defender, goalkeeper, or goalpost) to a teammate who scores.
4. Most Clean Sheets - A clean sheet is when a team concedes zero goals in a match. If you stop the opposition from scoring throughout an entire soccer game, you've successfully kept a clean sheet.

To help us keep track all stats, we are requiring players to have their player number and name printed on their jerseys. If a player fails to have their player number and name, we will not track their stats for the respective game.

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.