VMSC - Game rules

By Match Day 4, teams must be fully uniformed (matching shorts and jerseys) or they will not be allowed to play.
No player or team official may allow anyone to play without a uniform.
Player equipment must include: jersey with a visible number on the back, shorts, shin guards (proper protective material such as plastic, rubber, or similar), and appropriate turf shoes.
The captain must wear an armband that is different in color from the uniform. The captain’s role is to help the referee keep the match under control.

Each match lasts 40 minutes.
A team has 15 minutes to complete its roster.
If a team is not ready:
- At 35:59, the team starts losing 1–0.
- At 29:59, the team starts losing 2–0.
- At 24:59, the team loses by default.
The timekeeper is responsible for controlling the clock (game time and penalties) and may assist the referee when required.

Substitutions may be made at any time at midfield in the substitution zone.
The player leaving must hand the substitution jersey (pinnie) to the player entering.
Goalkeeper substitutions may only be made next to their own goal, and the replacement must be ready with a sweater/jersey of a different color.

Only two (2) people wearing long pants may enter the bench area, and they must have their VMSA league ID.

Players and coaching staff may be cautioned or sent off before, during, or after the match.
The referee’s decisions are final; no one has more authority than the referee during the match.
If a coach or assistant coach is sent off, the team must play 5 minutes with one player less, regardless of goals conceded.
If the referee stops play to assist an injured player, that player must leave the field (except the goalkeeper).

A goal may be scored from:
- Kickoff
- Corner kick
- Throw-in (kick-in)
Throw-ins must be taken on or outside the line; the ball must be stationary.
The opposing player must respect the required distance (red lines). Failure results in a blue card.
All free kicks must be taken within 5 seconds; otherwise possession goes to the opposing team.
If the goalkeeper does not restart play within 5 seconds, a free kick is awarded to the opponent from the top arc (semi-circle) of the goal area.
If the ball hits the net inside the area, the foul will be taken from the top arc (semi-circle).
The goalkeeper may score directly from a goal kick or by throwing/clearing with the hands.
The goalkeeper may not handle the ball with the hands after a teammate passes it back.
The goalkeeper may not carry the ball into the box and then pick it up with the hands, regardless of who touched it last.

The goalkeeper is the only player allowed to slide inside the area, provided no foul is committed.
If any other player slides inside the area, a penalty kick will be awarded and a blue card will be shown.
All sliding tackles will be punished with a blue card and 2 minutes with one player less.

Cards help the referee manage the match:
- Blue card: 2 minutes.
- Yellow card: 5 minutes; a bench player may enter.
- Red card: 5 minutes; the sent-off player cannot return and the team will play with 4 players.
Reasons for a blue card include: unsporting behavior, arguing with the referee, mocking, repeated infringements, delaying restarts, not respecting distance, etc.
Required distance is 3 meters or 5 steps away from the ball.
If a player accumulates 3 cards, the player cannot re-enter after the 2-minute penalty and will be fined with 1 game suspension or a $30 USD fine (no suspension).
Red card: one player less for 5 minutes regardless of goals conceded; the player cannot return and will be fined with 1-game suspension and a $30 USD fine. If the player continues insulting the referee, an opponent, or a league official after being sent off, the fine will be doubled.
If both teams have a player in the penalty box, they return after 2 minutes regardless of who scores.

Penalty kicks are taken on the area line. The referee is the only one who determines the exact spot.
If time expires, it may be extended to take a penalty kick or a direct kick (referee decision).
In a penalty shootout, the goalkeeper may be replaced by a player who participated in the match.

If a team has no bench players and has more than two players with blue cards, the player must go to the penalty box.
The first cautioned player may return first. If a player is sent off, that player must leave the field and the earliest penalized (blue or yellow) player returns first.

The match ends when a team is reduced to three (3) players.
A team that abandons the field loses the match and may be removed from the league.
If the referee suspends a match due to fighting or unsafe conditions, it will be resolved based on the referee’s report and the events that caused the suspension.
If a player receives a direct red card, the player must leave the field and another player must serve 5 minutes in the penalty box regardless of goals conceded. If the team has fewer than 3 players, the match ends.
The same rule applies if a coach or assistant coach is sent off.
Any situation not written in this rulebook will be decided by Valle del Mezquital Soccer Association (VMSA).

Game Rules – Valle del Mezquital Soccer Association (VMSA) Inc.