2024 RULE CHANGE: Forfeits will now result in a 10-0 loss.

2024 Jerseys WILL BE USED FOR 2025 Leagues
All teams are required to have matching color jerseys with numbers on the back!
**In order for the jerseys to arrive by Week 1, we have to make the order well in advance. (Jerseys take 4-5 weeks to arrive.)
Any registrations made before 11/30 are guaranteed their desired jersey number and size.
If registered after 11/30, desired numbers and sizes are not guaranteed.

Please reach out to us via Opensports (Chattanooga Football League) or Email (Leagues@Chattanoogafcfdn.org) if you have any jersey questions!

Season: Winter 2025
Season Start: January 7th
Regular Season Ends: February 11th (6 Week regular season)
Playoffs Semis + Relegation: February 18th (pending any rain-out days)
Playoff Finals + 3rd Place: February 25th

Player Fee: $65 with jersey, $50 without jerseys
Team Fee: $715 with jerseys (Covers up to 11 players, any additional jerseys will cost $15), $550 without jerseys

Teams will be placed in division based on what teams register and what competition level exists! Preference will be taken into account, but CFL director will place teams in division based on competition level. Players/teams may be placed in higher/lower divisions to ensure fair play!

Format:
5v5 soccer
22 minute halvess
Games on Tuesday nights between 6-9pm kickoff time
Maximum of 8 teams per division
5 Divisions Available (D1/D2/D3/D4/D5)
Top 4 teams will qualify for Finals playoffs
Bottom 4 teams will play relegation/consolation matches

Registration deadlines: NOW OPEN
through 12/31 for teams and players.
Late registration fee begins 1/1. INCLUDES REPLACEMENT PLAYERS

Roster deadlines:
Matchday Week 1 - Minimum 7 players must be registered per team.
Matchday Week 2 - Last day to add players
After Week 2 - No additional players may be added to roster. Rare exceptions may be made with approval from League Director.

REPLACING INJURED PLAYERS
TEAMS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO REPLACE PLAYERS WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OF THE LEAGUE DIRECTOR
If a player becomes injured and the team would like to replace the injured player, the team captain must notify the League Director ASAP.
If the request is made before the halfway point of the season, the League Director will assess the situation and may decide to allow the team to replace the injured player.
After the halfway point of the season, the window to replace injured players CLOSES.
If a team receives approval to replace a player, then the injured player will be removed from the roster completely and the new player will be added. The team will not be allowed to ADD a new player. They must REPLACE the new player with an injured player. It is a player per player swap.

CFL FUTSAL RULES
The Chattanooga Football League offers fun, competitive, recreational soccer leagues for adults of all ages in the Chattanooga area. These Leagues are structured creatively to foster a competitive environment for all skill levels, with a high value placed on sportsmanship, relationship, and fun. We hope that CFL will accurately reflect the diversity of our city and be a positive, life-giving environment for all who choose to participate. Our desire is that these leagues will continue the CFC legacy of unifying the cultures of the world in Chattanooga by drawing us back to our humanity and the love of the game. The Chattanooga Football League follows the FIFA FUTSAL LAWS OF THE GAME.

DISCIPLINARY STANDARDS
Dissent or abuse towards players or referees will not be tolerated. Discrimination, sexual harassment, bullying, and hate speech (homophobia, racism, etc.) will not be tolerated. Any violations will be taken very seriously. Although in-game discipline is at the discretion of the referee, the League Director may intervene in certain situations as necessary. ANY referee abuse will result in a one match suspension. Foul and abusive language directed towards another player will result in a one match suspension. Discriminatory language (homophobia, racism, sexism, etc.) will result in a season long suspension.
Fighting or violent conduct is not permitted and will result in immediate ejection for all parties involved. This will always result in a minimum three match suspension.
Players who have been issued a straight red card are required to leave the area of play, not just the field.
ONLY team captains may speak to referees about calls during the game in a respectful manner. Any other form of dissent from a player or captain may result in a minimum one-week ban.
Certain actions will be cause for immediate cards and ejections, and could also lead to possible removal from the leagues.

Registration
Teams and players will have a minimum of 6 weeks to register for the leagues from the time the registration opens, to the start of the season.
Teams must have a minimum of 7 players registered one week before the start of the season, or they could be in danger of losing their team spot.
Mathday Week 2 - Last day to add players to roster.
After Week 2 - No additional players may be added to roster.
RARE EXCEPTIONS MAY BE MADE WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE LEAGUE DIRECTOR.

REPLACING INJURED PLAYERS
TEAMS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO REPLACE PLAYERS WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OF THE LEAGUE DIRECTOR
If a player becomes injured and the team would like to replace the injured player, the team captain must notify the League Director
If the request is made before the halfway point of the season, the League Director will assess the situation and may decide to allow the team to replace the injured player.
After the halfway point of the season, the window to replace injured players starts to decrease.
If a team receives approval to replace a player, then the injured player will be removed from the roster completely and the new player will be added.
The team will not be allowed to ADD a new player. They must REPLACE the new player with the injured player. The injured player will be removed from the roster and will no longer be eligible to play. It is a player per player swap.

1. League Format
   a. The league will consist of divisions with 6-12 teams.
   b. Season will consist of 7 regular season games and either playoffs or avoid relegation matches depending on the team’s position.
   i. Playoffs will consist of the top 4 teams from each division
   ii. Playoffs will be played in a bracket format with matches being decided by ranking.
   c. Each player must be registered in order to play.
   d. Each player must play a minimum of 1 regular season game to be eligible to play in the playoffs.
   e. The max goal differential is +/- 10 per game

2. Equipment
   a. A size 4 futsal ball will be used for all games.

3. Game Time, Shoot Outs
   a. Games will consist of 2 periods of 22 minutes.
   b. Time will be kept by a central scoreboard or a referee
   i. Game clocks are only stopped in the event of a serious injury.
   ii. All stoppages of play are at the referees discretion.
   c. Penalty kicks for playoff games will be a best of 5.
   i. Players on the field at the end of overtime are eligible shooters.
   ii. Kicks will be taken from the penalty spot..

4. Substitutions
   a. All substitutions occur from the substitution area FROM YOUR DEFENSIVE SIDE.
   b. Unlimited substitutions
   c. Players must completely leave the field before the substitute may enter.

5. Fouls, Discipline, Appeals
   a. No slide tackling allowed. All slide tackles will be punished with a yellow card and a direct free kick.
   A slide tackle is a tackle where a player slides along the ground with one or two legs extended to push the ball away from an opposing player. A direct free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a player slide tackles an opponent. Sliding to block a shot or score a goal is permitted provided the considerations are not met. A slide tackle is up to the discretion of the referee.
   b. A slide is valid if, and only if, there are no other players around.
   c. Opponents must be a minimum of 5 yards from all direct and indirect free kicks.
   d. Indirect free kick
   An indirect free kick is awarded if a player:
   • plays in a dangerous manner
   • impedes the progress of an opponent without any contact being made
   • is guilty of dissent, using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or
   action(s) or other verbal offenses
   • prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from the hands or kicks
   or attempts to kick the ball when the goalkeeper is in the process of
   releasing it
   • initiates a deliberate trick for the ball to be passed (including from a free
   kick or goal kick) to the goalkeeper with the head, chest, knee etc. to
   circumvent the Law, whether or not the goalkeeper touches the ball with
   the hands; the goalkeeper is penalized if responsible for initiating the
   deliberate trick
   • commits any other offense, not mentioned in the Laws, for which play is
   stopped to caution or send off a player

e. Direct free kick
A direct free kick is awarded if a player commits any of the following offenses against an opponent in a manner considered by the referee to be careless, reckless or using excessive force:
• charges
• jumps at
• kicks or attempts to kick
• pushes
• strikes or attempts to strike (including head-butt)
• tackles or challenges
• trips or attempts to trip
If an offense involves contact, it is penalized by a direct free kick.
A direct free kick is also awarded if a player commits any of the following:
• a handball offense (except for the goalkeeper within their penalty area)
• holds an opponent
• impedes an opponent with contact
• bites or spits at someone on the team lists or a match official
• throws an object at the ball, an opponent or a match official, or makes
contact with the ball with a held object

f. Discipline
• Careless is when a player shows a lack of attention or consideration when
making a challenge or acts without precaution. No disciplinary sanction
is needed
• Reckless is when a player acts with disregard to the danger to,
or consequences for, an opponent and must be given a yellow card.
• Using excessive force is when a player exceeds the necessary use of force
and/or endangers the safety of an opponent and must be sent off.
i. Discipline will be at the discretion of the official. Certain actions will be cause for immediate cards and ejections.

1. Fighting will result in an immediate red for ALL parties involved.
2. Being issued a second yellow card will result in a red card being shown.
3. Players who have been issued a red card are required to leave the area of play, not just the field.
4. Red cards carry over into playoffs

ii. Card accumulation, suspensions and fines will be handled as follows:

1. If a player accumulates 5 yellow cards, they will be suspended for 1 regular season game. Cards do not accumulate during playoffs.
2. If a player is shown 2 yellows during a single game they will be issued a red card and are suspended for the remainder of that game as well as the following game.
3. Teams are able to replace the ejected player after a 2-minute penalty.
   iii. Accumulated Fouls
4. A direct free kick from the second penalty spot is awarded after the 6th accumulated foul and all subsequent fouls committed by a team in each period. However, if the sixth or subsequent accumulated foul is committed inside the offender’s penalty area, a penalty kick is awarded instead.
5. After the shot is taken, if the ball is saved by the goalkeeper, the ball is not playable. Play restarts with a goal kick. Fouls reset at half time.
6. Players have 4 seconds to complete the kick.
   iiii. A team can only be reduced to 3 players. If they are reduced below 3 players, the game is ended and a forfeit by that team is recorded.
   If a straight red is shown to a player they will be required to leave the field of play and the area immediately. Their team will be required to play down a player for the remainder of the match. They will automatically receive a minimum 1 game suspension. If the red card is issued for violent conduct, the player may face multiple game suspensions.

SENDING-OFF OFFENSES

A player, substitute or substituted player who commits any of the following offences is sent off:
denying the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by a handball offence (except a goalkeeper within their penalty area)
denying a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity to an opponent whose overall movement is towards the offender's goal by an offence punishable by a free kick (unless as outlined below)
serious foul play
biting or spitting at someone
violent conduct
using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or action(s)
receiving a second caution in the same match
A player, substitute or substituted player who has been sent off must leave the vicinity of the field of play.

6. Kick-Ins and Kick off
   a. Kick-ins
   i. Will be used to restart play in the following situations. They must be taken within 4 seconds. If there is a failure to play the ball within 4 seconds the opposing team receives control of the ball.
7. A ball goes out of bounds on either touchline.
   a. The ball must be played within 10 inches of where the ball left the field of play.
8. A ball goes out of bounds on either endline for a goal kick.
9. A ball goes out of bounds on either endline for a corner kick.
   a. If the ball isn’t played in 4 seconds, the ball is given to the opposing team for a goal kick.
   ii. Opposing team players must be at a distance of 5m from the place on the touch line where the kick is being taken.

b. Kick Off
i. All players must be within their defensive half
ii. Ball must be stationary
iii. Game is started at the referee’s whistle.
iv. Ball can be played in any direction.
v. Goals can be scored directly from a kick-off.

7. Goalkeepers
   a. Goal Clearance
   i. A goalkeeper has four seconds to play the ball from his/her penalty area.
8. Failure to do so will result in an indirect free kick for the opposing team.

ii. Goalkeeper releasing the ball
The goalkeeper may not punt or dropkick the ball to put the ball back into play.

iii. The ball is thrown from any point inside the penalty area by the goalkeeper

b. Penalty area

i. A goalkeeper is able to slide, providing he/she is inside the his/her penalty area and does not cause an infraction against an opposing player.

8. The Corner Kick
   A goal may be scored directly from a corner kick
   The defending team’s players must be 5m away from the spot where the corner kick is taken.
   The team taking the corner kick must deliver the ball within 4 seconds of being ready to do so.

9. Uniforms
   All teams must wear matching numbered jerseys
   Players are required to wear their jersey at each match
   i. Players will not be allowed to play without their jerseys
   ii. If a team does not have the league jerseys and the team colors are similar, the league jerseys gain preference. The other team must wear bibs.
   iii. If teams have the same color league jersey, the team to wear bibs will be decided by a coin flip or a game of paper, rock, scissors.

There is no offside rule in futsal.