8v8 Tournament

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Opening Ceremony & Group Stage: November 1st & 2nd
Elimination Games: November 3rd

Competitive Division
Player Fee: $70 with jersey
Team Fee: $1000 (includes jerseys for all players)
Intermediate Division
Player Fee: $35 with Jersey
Team Fee: $500 (includes jerseys for all players)

Uniforms will be provided by Custom Athletics. Team captains will choose jersey design & colors

Register by September 30th to receive team logo and player names on jersey! Registration deadline is October 5th!

Out of town teams receive a $50 discount off of team registration!

Prizes:
Competitive Division Cash Prize (based on number of teams registered)
*1st Place - $4000 (based on 16 teams registered)
*2nd Place - $2000 (based on 16 teams registered)
Trophies
Medals
Raffles

Format:
8v8 soccer
20 minute halves
4 Games guaranteed
16 Teams

Top 2 teams from each group qualify for the Elimination stage
PLAYERS MUST PLAY ONE GROUP STAGE MATCH TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE ELIMINATION STAGE
Roster deadlines:
Minimum 12 players must be registered per team.

No additions to rosters after registration deadline.

Chattanooga Football League 8v8 Rules

2024 Custom Athletics Cup 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 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 tournament removal.
Fighting or violent conduct is not permitted and will result in immediate ejection for all parties involved. This will result in immediate removal from the tournament.
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-match ban.
Certain actions will be cause for immediate cards and ejections, and could also lead to possible removal from the tournament.

Tournament Format
There will be two divisions, a competitive and intermediate division.
Competitive Format
A ten team table where the top six advance to the playoff and bottom four will play a fourth consolation game. Seeding is determined by points earned in the three random group play games. The #1 and #2 seeds will advance to the semifinals and seeds three through six will play in a quarterfinal.
Intermediate Format
Four teams will play in a round robin format to decide seeding. All four teams will advance to semifinal.
Each player must be registered in order to play.
The max goal differential is +/- 10 per game
The tournament director and coordinator reserve the right to alter the league playoff format.
Equipment
A size 5 ball will be used for all matches.
Game Time, Shoot Outs
Games will consist of 2 halves of 20 minutes.
Time will be kept by the referee
All stoppages of play are at the referees discretion.
If any free kick is given (DFK, IFK, PK) and time runs out before the kick is taken, the referee will add ten seconds to the clock and allow the kick to be taken. There will be no other exception to the prolonging of a game.
Penalty kicks for elimination games will follow IFAB’s penalty kick procedure.
Substitutions
All substitutions must be made during a stoppage of play and players must enter at half field.
Players must alert the referee before making a substitution.
Teams have unlimited substitutions.
Players must completely leave the field before the substitute may enter.
Fouls, Discipline, Appeals
No slide tackling allowed. Slide tackles will be punished with a yellow card and a direct free kick, at the discretion of the referee.
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. An indirect 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.
A slide is valid if, and only if, there are no other players around.
There is no offside rule in 8v8 play.
Opponents must be a minimum of 8 yards from all direct and indirect free kicks.
Indirect free kicks
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

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

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.
Discipline will be at the discretion of the official. Certain actions will be cause for immediate cards and ejections.
Card accumulation, suspensions and fines will be handled as follows:
If a player accumulates 3 yellow cards in group play, they will be suspended for their next game. Yellow card accumulation only matters in group play.
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 and the following game.
Teams are not able to replace the ejected player and must play with one less player for the remainder of the match.
A team can only be reduced to 5 players. If they are reduced below 5 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.

6. Throw-Ins, Goal kicks, and Kick offs
   a. Throw-ins will be used to restart play in the following situations.

7. A ball goes out of bounds on either sideline.
   b. Goal Kicks will be used to restart play when the ball goes over the goal line.

8. The ball must be stationary and is kicked from any point inside the goal area.

9. Opposing players must be outside of the 18 yard box until the ball is kicked.
   c. 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.

10. Goalkeepers
    a. The goalkeeper is able to handle the ball inside his own area.
    i. A goalkeeper cannot handle the ball after an intentional pass back from a teammate.
    b. Penalty area
    i. A goalkeeper is able to slide, providing he/she is INSIDE his/her penalty area and does not cause an infraction against an opposing player.
    c. An indirect free kick is awarded against the goalkeeper IF, inside their penalty area, commits any of the following offenses:
    • controls the ball with the hand/arm for more than six seconds before releasing it
    • touches the ball with the hand/arm after releasing it and before it has touched
    another player
    • touches the ball with the hand/arm after it has been deliberately kicked to the goalkeeper by a team-mate, or receiving it directly from a throw-in taken by a team-mate
    d. A goalkeeper is considered to be in control of the ball with the hand(s) when:
    • the ball is between the hands or between the hand and any surface
    (e.g. ground, own body) or by touching it with any part of the hands
    or arms, except if the ball rebounds from the goalkeeper or the goalkeeper
    has made a save
    • holding the ball in the outstretched open hand
    • bouncing it on the ground or throwing it in the air
    A goalkeeper cannot be challenged by an opponent when in control of
    the ball with the hand(s).

11. The Corner Kick
    A goal may be scored directly from a corner kick
    The defending team’s players must be 8 meters away from the spot where the corner kick is taken.

12. Uniforms
    All teams MUST wear matching numbered jerseys.
    Players are required to wear their jersey at each match.
    Players will not be allowed to play without their jerseys.