PLEASE NOTE THESE RULES ARE TO BE READ IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE OFFICIAL DRAW
Updated: 10th March 2024
1 Team Eligibility
This is a tournament designed for Club youth teams. Teams must be hosted by a Club that is duly registered as such with its local federation.
The tournament is open to Club teams from both New Zealand and overseas. All overseas teams must have the approval of entry from its own National body as well as from OFC and NZF.
2 Player Eligibility
Males: Born between 1st January 2007 and 31st December 2010. Please contact the tournament director at u17s@wsafc.org.nz if you need to discuss these dates.
All Clubs must hold copies, on file, of suitable age verification (e.g. passport, student ID or driver licence) for every player listed on their online registration list as at Thursday 21st November 2024. These must be made available on request. In the case of changes for medical reasons, this information for new players must be available for review at the Manager’s meeting.
No player will be permitted to compete in the Tournament unless evidence of their age, acceptable to the Tournament Management Committee, is available on request.
NOTE: in the situation of protest or dispute regarding player eligibility, the Tournament Management Committee will determine whether the photo ID submitted shall be considered as conclusive evidence.
All players with the exception of 2 guest players, must be registered to play at the club they are representing between 1st April 2024 - 1st September 2024.
Registrations will be determined by the club(s) they were registered for on the national database, Comet by this date.
All Clubs must complete in full the online registration no later than Thursday 21st November 2023.
Two guest players per squad will be permitted. A guest player is defined as one who has not been registered with the Club entering between 1st April 2024 - 1st September 2023 and did not play for your club in the 2024 winter season. Any clubs proven to have been found abusing this rule in 2024 may be excluded from entry in 2025.
Guest players’ eligibility must be approved by the guest players’ own Club, with evidence of this to be provided by way of email from a club email address or letter signed by an official from the guest club. All players (including guest players) must be in the national database, Comet and registered to play in New Zealand. Any eligibility requests will be dealt with on a per Club basis, and tournament organisers reserve the right to allow a Club dispensation based on their individual situation.
If your club has an MOU with another Club to combine player resources, then please send proof of a written MOU, approved by your federation to the Tournament Committee for review.
3 Game Rules *Subject to final draw
Game rules are those of FIFA with the following tournament adaptations. All fields are accepted as being within acceptable FIFA size variations. It is the Tournament Director’s intention that all fields will be of the same dimensions. All match balls will be a size 5 supplied by the Tournament Management.
4 Tournament Format
Matches
Four pools of six teams will play each other once during pool play.
The top two teams from each pool progressing to the Championship Quarter-Finals.
3rd and 4th placed teams from each pool will progress to the Plate Quarter-Finals.
5th and 6th placed teams from each pool will progress to the Bowl Quarter-Finals.
Group Play
There will be no referees time added for any games during the Group play stage.
Games will be scheduled to last 50 minutes (25 minutes each way) with 4 minutes for half-time.
Quarter-Finals will be scheduled to last 50 minutes (25 minutes each way) with 4 minutes for half-time.
Semi-finals will be scheduled to last 50 minutes (25 minutes each way) with 5 minutes for half-time.
Finals will be scheduled to last 50 minutes (25 minutes each way) with 10 minutes for half-time.
Points will be awarded as follows:
- Three points for a win
- One point for a draw
- No point for a loss in the rounds
If teams are level on points:
If teams are level on points at the end of pool play, goal difference will apply
If teams are still level, the score of the match between the two equal sides will determine the top qualifier.
If teams are still level, the highest goal scoring team will qualify
If teams are still level, team from the Club with the superior disciplinary record in this competition shall be the highest placed team
Note: Western Springs AFC 2024 U17 Tournament rules state that one red card will take precedence over multiple yellows. In the event of the teams still being equal, lots drawn under the direction and supervision of the Tournament Management Committee shall determine the final position.
Progression from Pool Play
All teams will progress from Pool Play to the Knock-out phase.
1st and 2nd placed teams from each pool will progress to the Championship Quarter-Finals
Pool winners will play the 2nd placed team from an alternative pool
3rd and 4th placed teams from each pool will progress to the Bowl Quarter-Finals
3rd placed teams will play 4th placed teams from an alternative pool
5th and 6th placed teams from each pool will progress to the Plate Quarter-Finals
5th placed teams will play 6th placed teams from an alternative pool
Post Pool Play Match Details
For all games from the Quarter-Finals onwards, if the score is level at the end of normal time, penalties will be taken to decide the winner.
The only exception to this will be the Championship Final, where extra time will be played as a result of a draw at the end of normal time. It shall consist of two halves of 5 minutes. Straight change over – no half-time.
Best of 5 penalties and only the player’s on the pitch at the end of the final whistle are eligible to take a penalty.
Championship Finals
Winners of the Quarter-Finals will progress to the Semi-finals. Losing teams from the Championship Quarter-Finals will be knocked out of the tournament.
Winners of the Semi-finals go on to play in the Championship Final.
Bowl Finals
Winners in the Quarter-Finals will progress to the Semi-finals. Losing teams from the Bowl Quarter-Finals will be knocked out of the tournament.
Losing teams from the Bowl Semi-Finals will be knocked out of the tournament. Winners of the Bowl Semi-finals will play off for the Bowl Final.
Plate Finals
Winners in the Quarter-Finals will progress to the Semi-finals. Losing teams from the Plate Quarter-Finals will be knocked out of the tournament.
Winners of the Plate Semi-Finals will play off for the Plate Final. Losing teams from the Plate Semi -Finals will be knocked out of the tournament.
5 Team Squad
The maximum number in a squad is 18 players.
No new or additional players are permitted after Thursday 21st November 2024 without the written approval of the Tournament Management Committee.
Requests for new or additional players based on medical grounds may be made at the Manager’s meeting and will be determined by the Tournament Management Committee, at their sole discretion.
Names, dates of birth and squad numbers are to be clearly listed on the approved squad list. This must be supplied by the due date of Thursday 21st November 2024.
6 Team List
Any revisions to the original team list must be submitted prior to or at the Manager’s meeting on Wednesday 4th December 2024. Copies of all player IDs may be requested from the Tournament Organisers.
Copies of all player ID’s may be requested from the Tournament Organisers.
Guest players must be clearly indicated on the team list and must be approved by the guest players own club, with evidence of this to be provided.
All players’ strip numbers must be clearly indicated on the team list. No player will be allowed to play without a numbered strip.
All team management personnel must also be listed on this team list with one mobile phone contact in case of unforeseen emergencies.
Home and away strip colours must also be noted on the team list.
7 Substitutes
All 18 squad members will be allowed on the team card and all players can be used in any game. Rolling substitutions will be permitted. Substitutions can only be made during a maximum of two intervals during each half allowing for multiple player substitutions.
If the Championship Finals go to extra time, substitutions will be allowed before the start of extra time, and at half time of extra time. No substitutions will be allowed outside of these windows.
Concussion / serious injury substitution will be permitted.
All Substitutes must wear a bib in a different colour to their playing strip. Teams must provide their own bibs.
8 Strip
Teams need to have both a normal (home) strip and an alternative (away) strip complete with player numbers.
The Player’s number must match the name on the registration team card and match team cards. Players must only play in their designated strip number.
All strip colours, home and alternate, must be notified to the Tournament organisers at time of entry.
9 Protests
Protests in connection with player eligibility will be accepted at the Manager’s meeting and compared with details on record. All protests must be in writing, clearly stating all relevant facts. All other protests in connection with the Tournament must be received by the Tournament Management Committee (via registration and tournament HQ) within one hour of the conclusion of the match in which the dispute has arisen.
The dispute will be considered by the Tournament officer and the decision will be binding, with no appeal permitted.
A charge of $20 will apply for all protests to be heard. This is refundable if the protest is upheld.
10 Manager’s Meeting
This will be held at the Western Springs Clubrooms at 6:00pm on Wednesday 6th December 2023, Seddon Fields, Meola Road, Westmere, Auckland. It is a requirement of entry that your Club representative attends this meeting.
Each team must nominate one designated person with contact phone details for the purpose of the Tournament Management Committee needing to make contact during the course of the Tournament.
11 Referees
An official referee will be supplied for all pool games to control the match.
One assistant from each team will be requested to assist the referee during pool play.
3 Point control will be the Tournament Management Committee’s intention for all knock-out games – subject to the availability of suitably qualified officials.
12 Discipline
This will be controlled by the Tournament Management Committee.
Players incurring two cautions during group play will automatically be suspended for one match (i.e. the next match following the match in which the 2nd yellow card was incurred). If the 2nd yellow card occurs in the last pool match, the player will miss the first knock-out match (i.e. the Quarter-Finals for the Men’s).
If a player incurs one yellow card during pool play, this will be removed for the Quarter-Finals.
If a player incurs one yellow card in both their Qtr Final and Semi Final, they will miss the Final.
Players sent off (red card) will automatically incur a minimum one-match suspension. Players sent off twice will be banned from the remainder of the Tournament.
All players, coaches, team officials and spectators are bound by the NZF Code of Conduct. This is available on our website and App.
A red card for violent conduct, spitting, physical or verbal abuse of, or intimidation of, any match or Tournament official, or any other red card offence that is reported in writing to the Tournament Management Committee by a match official, will automatically be referred to the Tournament Management Committee. The Tournament Management Committee will determine the length of any suspension, up to and including ejection from the whole Tournament.
Further to the above, the Tournament Management Committee may refer the matter to NRF, and/or NRF may request (based on information received), that a player suspended from any matches in the Tournament appear before an NRF Judicial Committee (or if is unable to appear at the set time be dealt with in their absence) and any further sanctions be imposed. NRF may also refer the matter to another federation if this is deemed appropriate.
13 Refunds
Once payment is made in full, no refunds will be offered after 1st October 2024. The only exception will be if COVID-19, or any other pandemic, postpones the tournament and teams cannot make the rescheduled date.
A $60 admin fee will apply to each refund before 31st September 2023
