Brooklyn AYSO Rules - Spring 2024

Rules for all divisions:

All AYSO games shall be conducted in accordance with the current “Laws of the Game” and “AYSO National Rules and Regulations,” with the exceptions noted below and in the specific Division Rules that follow below.

Shin guards are required for all players, and they should be completely covered by socks. Players should wear the full uniform provided, including team jersey, shorts, and socks. Players will not be allowed to play in a game if they are wearing anything that is dangerous to themselves or to any other player on the field. This includes, but is not limited to, hard splints, casts, soft casts with rigid bracing, metal bracelets, soft bracelets (“friendship bracelets”), necklaces, rings, earrings, nose jewelry (including “tiny nose piercings”), wristwatches, fitness trackers, and hair barrettes, hard hair bands, and hair beads that are loose or uncovered. Medical alert bracelets and necklaces and religious emblems may be worn, provided they are under clothing or secured to the body. Medically mandated monitors may be worn with prior permission of the Regional Safety Director.

Trees at the Parade Grounds are “Outside Agents.” An "outside agent" is anything that enters the field without the permission of the referee and contacts or misdirects the ball or otherwise interferes with the game. Play should be stopped and restarted with a dropped ball.

Coaches, officials, and spectators shall not enter the field of play unless specifically requested by the referee. They should wait behind the touchline until invited by the referee to enter the field.

In games where a uniformed referee is not present, a Coach or Assistant Coach may serve as the game manager. Only one adult serving as game manager may be on the field at any time. A parent or anyone else may not serve as the game manager unless they are a registered and certified volunteer, or have been granted prior provisional game manager status by the Region 473 Board, preferably the respective Division Coordinator.

Goalkeepers (C10 and above): Players are to play at least one-half of the game with rotation of the goalkeeper. In 12U and below, a player may not be a goalkeeper for more than one-half of the game. In 14U and above, goalkeepers may play the entire game, if they choose. Goalkeepers must wear a jersey of a color different from their team and the opposing team, or a color-contrasting pinnie.

Time slots: The first portion of the time slot is for warm-ups and technical development of the players through drills and other fun activities. The second portion of the time slot is the game itself, which should be divided into equal halves, with a designated half-time for full rest of players. All games must finish at the end of the scheduled time slot. Even if your game started late, it still must finish at the end of the scheduled time slot, to allow the next game to begin on time.

Substitutions (6U through 12U):

At the midpoint in each half, the game will be temporarily paused for substitutions.
The referee will stop play, allow the substitutes to enter and substituted players to leave, then restart play where it was left off.
The substitution break should last no more than 1 minute. Non-substituted players should remain on the field, and this time may not be used for assembling all players on or off the field for instruction.

Substitutions (14U and 19U):

If a certified referee is present, Monitored Return Substitutions will be used and if a referee is not present, the substitutions for 6U through 12U are used.
Substitutions occur before a natural break in play (throw-in, corner kick, goal kick, kickoff, free kick) and the coach will designate the substitutes and substituted players.
The coach will audibly signal to the referee that he wishes to make substitutions and will line up the substitutes near the halfway line.
At a natural break in play, the referee will pause play, substituted players will leave the field (at any point), and the substitutes will only enter from the halfway line.
The substituted players must leave the field before the substitutes enter.
The referee will restart play once the substitutes have entered.
No substitute may enter the field without the referee's express permission.
At the sole discretion of the referee, the halftime "substitution break" may be eliminated in the middle of each half (quarter breaks). However, on warmer days, the referee may pause the game for one minute in the middle of each half for a "drinks break."

Division Specific Rules:

6U Division

A Size 3 ball is used.
Teams play 4 vs. 4. There are no goalkeepers.
Game time: 20 minutes, divided into two 10-minute halves.
Players will not throw the ball in from the sideline. A “kick-in” (a simple kick from the touchline) will be performed instead. Opposing players must be at least 2 yards from the place of the kick-in.
No intentionally heading the ball. Deliberately heading will result in an Indirect Free Kick (IFK) for the opposing team.
There are no offside, direct free kicks or penalty kicks.
Slide tackling is not allowed.
The major fouls for this age group include kicking, tripping, pushing, intentionally heading or handling the ball.
All fouls in this age group will be awarded with an IFK to the opposing team.
All players shall compete up field. The goal will remain unprotected by a keeper. No defenders can be in the goal area unless the ball is in the goal area.

8U Division

A Size 3 ball is used.
Teams play 5 vs. 5. There are no goalkeepers.
Game time: 40 minutes, divided into two 20-minute halves.
No intentionally heading the ball. Deliberately heading will result in an Indirect Free Kick (IFK) for the opposing team.
There are no offside, direct free kicks or penalty kicks.
Slide tackling is not allowed.
The major fouls for this age group include kicking, tripping, pushing, intentionally heading or handling the ball.
All fouls in this age group will be awarded with an IFK to the opposing team.
All players shall compete up field. The goal will remain unprotected by a keeper. No defenders can be in the goal area unless the ball is in the goal area.

10U Division

A Size 4 ball is used.
Teams play 9 vs. 9, including goalkeepers.
Game time: 50 minutes, divided into two 25-minute halves.
No intentionally heading the ball. Deliberately heading will result in an Indirect Free Kick (IFK) for the opposing team.
Slide tackling is not allowed.
Direct free kicks and penalty kicks are awarded when appropriate.Slide tackling is not allowed.
The goalkeeper may NOT punt or dropkick the ball after a save. Distribute ball by rolling, throwing, or kicking the ball
A deliberate punt, dropkick or volley will result in an IFK awarded to the opposing team.
U10 Buildout Line (BOL): The Buildout Line is painted on the field. halfway between the top of the penalty area and halfway line.
All opposing players must drop behind the line when there is a goal kick or when the goalkeeper has possession of the ball.
The ball is in play when it is kicked, and opposing players can cross the BOL and attempt to gain possession at that point.
The goalkeeper does not have to wait until all opposing players are behind the line before distributing the ball
Opposing players do not have to drop behind the BOL for free kicks.
Offside: The buildout line is now the boundary for defining if a player is in an offside position.
A player cannot be considered offside if they are in their own half of the field.
A player cannot be considered offside if they are in the opposing half and are between the halfway line and the buildout line.
A player can be offside if they are in their opponents’ half of the field and are between the buildout line and the goal line.

12U Division

A Size 4 ball is used.
Teams play 11 vs. 11, including goalkeepers.
Game time: 60 minutes, divided into two 30-minute halves.
Direct free kicks and penalty kicks are awarded when appropriate.
No intentionally heading the ball. Deliberately heading will result in an Indirect Free Kick (IFK) for the opposing team.
Slide tackling is allowed.
The goalkeeper may punt or dropkick the ball after a save.
The BOL (build out line) does not apply to U-12 and above. If BOL is present, ignore it. Fields are shared by many age divisions.

14U Division

A Size 5 ball is used. Teams play 11 vs. 11, including goalkeepers.
Game time: 70 minutes, divided into two 35-minute halves.
Direct free kicks and penalty kicks are awarded when appropriate.
Yellow and Red Cards will be shown at the referee’s discretion.
Headers are permitted and slide tackling is allowed.
If a certified referee is present, Monitored Return Substitutions will be used and if a referee is not present, the substitutions for 6U through 12U are used.

19U Division

A Size 5 ball is used. Teams play 11 vs. 11, including goalkeepers.
Game time: 80 minutes, divided into two 40-minute halves.
Direct free kicks and penalty kicks are awarded when appropriate.
Yellow and Red Cards will be shown at the referee’s discretion.
Headers are permitted and slide tackling is allowed.
If a certified referee is present, Monitored Return Substitutions will be used and if a referee is not present, the substitutions for 6U through 12U are used.