TOURNAMENT REGULATIONS
Welcome to the 2025 U.S. Futsal NorthWest Regional Championship. U.S. Futsal is proud to host the U.S. Futsal NorthWest Regional Championship, the West Coast biggest Futsal event in the United States, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, California and what promises to be a very exciting event.
Futsal is experiencing recent unprecedented growth, and is also celebrating its 44th anniversary this year. The popularity and interest in our sport has never been higher. It is the goal of the competition to generate even further attention and excitement in Futsal, while promoting teamwork and camaraderie for those who participate.
United States Futsal would not have attained this level of success without all of you and your support. We would like to thank players, coaches, referees, parents, spectators and volunteers alike for your time and efforts. In addition, we would like to acknowledge the tremendous help from the State Associations and all the volunteers for all their help and support in making this a successful tournament.
We appreciate your love-of-the-game, and the spirit and enthusiasm with which you participate. Best of luck to you all and have a wonderful time.
Registration and Check-In
For teams commencing play on Friday, March 7 (starting a 2 pm), a team manager or coach is required to check in his team on Friday between 9am – 1pm, March 7 at the Santa Clara Convention Center. The phone number is (844) 855-MEET . For directions go to:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/k6wHTdsk3CLgu7av8
Teams commencing play on Saturday morning before 12noon should register Friday anytime between 12 and 9pm. Teams whose games start Saturday after 12 noon, may register throughout the day at the Santa Clara Convention Center, as long as they do so at least two hours before their first game. Please bring your U.S. Futsal player passes and a copy of your current US Futsal Roster form that you will leave at registration. All Rosters must clearly designate the Player Jersey Number for each attending player. Also, each Youth Player should have an Authorization for Medical Treatment Form filled out (commonly referred to as a Medical Release) to ensure that medical services can be provided in the absence of a parent or guardian.
All items must be presented at check-in to the U.S. Futsal Registration Administrator. Please ensure that you have all the required paperwork from your state association. The players do NOT need to be present – only the team manager, coach or representative. Teams will be requested to identify the Hotel at which their team will be lodged. Also, teams will be requested to provide or confirm contact information during their stay, and identify the primary emergency contact number (mobile phone) that should be used in the event the team needs to be contacted. Remember, all teams, players and coaches participating at U.S. Futsal NorthWest Regional Championship must be registered with US Futsal.
Entrance Fee:
There will be an entrance fee of $15/day or $35 for a weekend pass of 3 days, and $25 for a weekend pass of 2 days for any spectator older than 8 years
Directions:
Travel directions to the Santa Clara Convention Center Their phone number is (844) 855-MEET. Directions can be found at:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/k6wHTdsk3CLgu7av8
To get online travel directions you can also try www.google.com and click on their map option, then the “get directions” option. Type in your origin address, and insert Santa Clara Convention Center, as your destination.
Schedules:
The tournament schedules are posted on the Championship page of the U.S. Futsal web site (Available March 2, 2024), by going directly to:
U.S. Futsal NorthWest Regional Championship game results and standings will be posted online regularly during the course of the event so that our Futsal National fans can see them at home or at their place of lodging.
Make sure that you have provided an easily reachable mobile phone number for a team contact who will be attending the Nationals, as requested on the online team application.
Tournament Rules for Advancement from Group Play
All teams are organized into Group Play Brackets. Group winners are determined using the following rules:
Teams are awarded three points for a win, one point for a tie and no points for a loss. In the event of a tie, the following criteria shall apply:
(a) Total Points
(b) Largest Goal Differential (i.e., Goals Scored minus Goals Allowed) .
(c) Goals scored. (NO MAXIMUN LIMIT ON GOALS SCORED)
(d) Fewest goals allowed.
(e) Head to Head Competition. (Does not apply in a three-or-more-way tie)
(f) Fair Play. Red and Yellow cards against the team. ( Red card minus 3 points, Yellow card minus 1 point)
(g) Penalty kicks using current F.I.F.A. rules. Initial round of three alternating
penalty kicks per team, followed by single alternating kicks if still tied.
After group winners are determined seeded teams will be determined by the best second place teams.
NOTE! A player may be able to play on a maximum of two teams as long as they are not in the same age bracket and they comply with the age requirements.
Coaches Information
The Regional Championship will adhere to the U.S. Futsal Laws of the game, as accepted and published on the USFF website at: https://futsal.com
Except as modified or expanded for this Championship and published below.
Teams must be at their Court at least fifteen minutes before their match, and present their USFF Player Passes to the official at the Court, as well as a copy of their Player Roster (which clearly identifies each player’s Jersey
Number). The Referee will review the passes and rosters. Upon completion of the match each coach must retrieve the passes from the Scorekeeper
Please especially note the following Rules, some of which are new to this competition:
The first criteria for advancement out of group play, after team record is Goal Differential (Goals scored minus goals allowed), then goals scored, then fewest goals allowed. After that are head-to-head results (only in the event of a two-way tie between teams) and then the Fair Play system of using red (3 points) and yellow cards (1 point) against the team.
Forfeits are recorded as 5-0 scores. If a team drops out after playing some but not all group play games, the Tournament Committee reserves the right to declare all of that team’s games as forfeits if the interests of fairness would be served.
In Group Eliminations. If the Play off bracket has only one Wild Card Team; then, the Wild Card Team will play the Best Seeded Team unless it is from the same Bracket, then it will play the second best Seed Team. If the Play off Group has two (2) Wild Card Teams, then the Second place Wild Card Team will Play the Best Seeded Team and the First Place Wild Card Team will play the Second Seeded Team, unless they came from the same group, then they will switch so they don’t play the team from the same bracket. If the Play off bracket has three (3) Wild Card Teams; then the Third Place Wild Card Team will play the Best Seeded Team, while the second place Wild Card Team will play the Second Best Seeded Team and finally the Third place Wild Card Team will play the Highest Seeded Team, unless they came from the same group, then they will switch so they don’t play the team from the same bracket.
All disputes must be resolved within 2 hrs of the ending of game in question. In particular, any scorekeeping errors must be addressed to the Scorekeeper within two minutes after posting or omission of posting, halftime scores cannot be challenged after play commences in the second half, and coaches must sign Game cards immediately after matches to verify the scores.
If a player or coach is ejected an automatic one game suspension at a minimum will be enforced within the age group for which the red card was issued. A U.S. Futsal representative will maintain possession of the player / coach pass until the suspension is served. The U.S. Futsal Tournament Disciplinary Committee will review the incident(s) involving each ejection. Upon review of the incident, the player or coach may be suspended for more than one match.
At halftime each team will change benches. This ensures that all your substitutions take place in your defensive half of the court. This is a U.S Futsal and FIFA rule.
The team listed second (guest) on the schedule will kick off.
Please make sure that your team is on the court immediately following the previous match and ready to begin play. There will be NO grace period (except as permitted by the tournament director) for a team to take the court from the appointed time for its game (four players minimum constitute a team).
Each team will be permitted one 30 second time-out per half.
Please remember that the goalkeepers in the U14 and below age groups CANNOT distribute the ball directly across midfield with a throw, punting the ball or drop kick without it first having touched another player or having bounced on their team’s defensive half of the court. This infraction results in an indirect kick for the opposing team at midfield were the ball crossed the line.
Also note that a team CANNOT score directly from a kick off. Such kicks are considered indirect and if taken will result in a goal clearance. Coaches are ONLY permitted to stand on the touchline on front of their bench during the match. Players and other personnel on the sideline must be seated. If the coach and other personnel do not comply, may result in the coach being warned or if he/she persists in being disqualified.
Player substitutions must take place in front of your player’s bench. Please remember that a player must completely exit the court before another player can enter the court. This infraction may result in a yellow card violation.
A player must distribute the ball within 4 seconds of any restart and the goalkeeper must distribute the ball within 4 seconds whenever the keeper is in possession of the ball.
Advise your players that the ball must be stationary and placed on the touchline or 9” behind the line when placing the ball back into play with a kick in. The player’s foot must also be on the touchline, or off the court when striking the ball during a kick in (foot fouls are the same as during a throw-in in soccer). A violation of this will result in a possession turnover.
Following each game, coaches are required to report to the timekeeper and verify the official Game card to ensure the score is correctly reported. Coaches may also be requested to select game All-Stars upon completion of each game. Remember to retrieve Player passes as well.On the spectators’ sideline, spectators are to remain behind the designated line. No one will be allowed behind either end line
All teams must shake hands at the end of each game as a gesture of friendship and sportsmanship.
Regional and National Championship rosters may include up to 14 participating players.
The Rules & Disciplinary Committee reserves the right to decide on any/all matters and its interpretation of these rules shall be final. No protests will be entertained upon Committee decision / ruling .
Note: Under no circumstances will the Tournament Committee or staff be responsible for any part of any expenses, including tournament fee, incurred by any team due to, but not limited to, part or total cancellation of this tournament.
Rules & Disciplinary Committee:
Don Evans(Chair), Mike Trettick as (Co-Chair), Keith Matney, Kymi French (alternate)
We hope to make this event a very enjoyable experience for you and your family. On behalf of U.S. Futsal, I wish your team the best of luck and sportsmanship.
