PLEASE NOTE THESE RULES ARE TO BE READ IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE OFFICIAL DRAW

Updated: 9th April 2025

RESPECT

• It is a priority that players, coaches, referees and supporters are respectful at all times - to themselves, each other and the facilities.
• Disrespectful behaviour will not be tolerated, and it is the responsibility of all to manage this.
• Referees are advised to ask any misbehaving players, coaches or spectators to move away from the playing area. Western Springs AFC does not tolerate any type of abuse.

PLAYER ELIGIBILITY

• Boys must be born on or after 1 January 2012 / Girls must be born on or after 1 January 2011.
• Any other players, outside of the above, that have received dispensation from their federation to play U13 Mixed or U14 Girls during the 2025 season will be considered by Tournament organisers on a case by case basis.
• All players must be registered members of the club they are representing - evidenced on NZF’s Comet database - and played for them in a federation competition during 2025.
• Clubs / teams must provide, together with dates of birth, a full list of their intended playing squad including playing (shirt) numbers on the tournament Player Registration form by TBC.
• Any late changes to squad lists must be provided by TBC. Thereafter all squad lists are final, and no movement between teams is permitted. 

DRAW

• Will be available on the Western Springs AFC website and App by Monday 11th November 2025.

RULES

• This is a FIFA fair play tournament, organised to provide players with an opportunity to learn, demonstrate their skills and enjoy themselves. Usual FIFA rules apply.
• Rolling substitutes - the coach must ensure that players leave the field of play at the nearest exit point so substitutions can be made quickly with the aim of not disrupting the flow of play.
• Where there is a clash of colours, the away team (i.e. the second named team) in the fixture must provide a change of shirts (or bibs) that does not clash with the home team’s colours.

PLAYING FORMAT

• Full field, 11 vs. 11, match balls provided by WSAFC (size 4 for U13, size 5 for U14)
• Maximum of 18 players in each squad.
• 2 x 20-minute halves, with 5 minutes for half time.
• Post-Pool (Finals) games will go straight to penalties (5 per side) in the event of a draw, EXCEPT for the Championship Finals, which will have 5 minutes of Extra Time one way before going to penalties.
• The Tournament will be played on a mixture of artificial turf and grass fields. Please refer to the Turf Rules outlined later in this document.

POOL PLAY AND FINAL PLACING GAMES – U14 GIRLS

• Pool play will be followed by final placing games
• 1 pool of 5 teams and 1 pool of 4 teams – each playing all teams in their pool
• 3 points awarded for a win and 1 point for a draw.
• Final Placings (Championship and Plate) to be determined as follows;
• Teams ranked 1 st and 2 nd in each group progress to Championship.
• Teams ranked 3 rd, 4 th and 5 th in each group progress to Plate
• Teams will be ranked in order of points, head to head result, goal difference, goals scored, coin toss

RESULTS

• All results will be posted on the Western Springs AFC App once ratified through receipt, at Tournament HQ, of the referees’ cards for that match.

 REFEREES / LINESPEOPLE

• NRF referees will be allocated to all matches.
• Each team should provide a linesperson for each of their matches. Note that lines people MUST have football boots or turf shoes for matches on Fields 1 and 2.

MANAGER’S MEETING

• We will not hold a Managers’ Meeting as such, but Team Managers should visit Tournament HQ (upstairs in the Clubrooms) prior to their first match on Saturday, to ensure that there are no final instructions or updates for participation.

DISCIPLINE

• Any player receiving two yellow cards in Pool Play will miss their next Pool match (if any remain).
• Yellow cards will not be carried through from Pool to post-Pool play. Any two yellow cards received during post-Pool play will result in the player missing their next match.
• Any player receiving a red card is suspended for games depending upon the offence and as per FIFA rules.
• Red cards will impact the subsequent match(es) irrespective of the transition from Pool to post-Pool play.
• If any player is shown a red card, yet plays in their teams’ next game, their team will automatically lose the match 3-0, or by the actual result, whichever is greater.

PRIZES

• Trophy and medals are awarded to Winner of the U13 Mixed Championship and U14 Girls Championship.
• Medals are awarded to the Runner Up in each Championship.
• MVP, Golden Boot and Golden Glove competitions will be run in each of U13 Mixed and U14 Girls competitions.
• Prize Givings will take place shortly after the final games in each competition.