Futsal Rules and Format

League or Knockout or both, decided by number of team registrations at close of entries
Format and grouping to be finalised and communicated after registration closes

5 players on court at any time
3 substitutes, Maximum 8 players per squad
Each player may be substituted only once during the match — once substituted, that player cannot rejoin the game

2 x 15-minute halves, stopped clock (clock pauses whenever the ball is out of play)
Each team gets one 1-minute time-out per half, only when in possession
No offside rule

Ball out over the touchline: restarts with a kick-in (not a throw-in), taken within 4 seconds. A goal cannot be scored directly from a kick-in
Ball out over the goal end line (last touched by attacking team): corner kick, taken within 4 seconds
Ball out over the goal end line (last touched by defending team): goal clearance — the goalkeeper releases the ball by hand from within the penalty area, within 4 seconds
Opponents must stay at least 5m from the ball on any restart (kick-in, free kick, corner, kick-off) until it's in play

Goalkeeper may only handle the ball with hands inside their own penalty area
Once in possession (hands or feet), the goalkeeper must release the ball to a teammate within 4 seconds
After releasing the ball, the goalkeeper's own team cannot play the ball back to them in their own half until an opponent has touched it, or the goalkeeper is in the opponent's half — including from a kick-in
A deliberate back-pass or kick-in received by the goalkeeper in violation of this results in an indirect free kick to the opposing team; if the goalkeeper deliberately handles it outside the penalty area to stop the ball going in, it's a sending-off

Direct free kick offences: kicking, tripping, jumping at, charging, striking, pushing, holding, or deliberately handling the ball against an opponent
All direct-free-kick fouls by a team in a half are tallied as accumulated fouls
From a team's 6th accumulated foul in a half onward, the opponent takes a direct free kick with no defensive wall allowed:
- Foul happened within 10m of goal → free kick taken from the spot of the foul
- Foul happened 10m or further from goal → free kick taken from the 10m mark (second penalty spot)
Yellow card: caution. A second yellow in the same match = red card (sent off)
Red card: player sent off, cannot be replaced for 2 minutes of playing time or until the opposing team scores, whichever comes first — the team plays a player short until then
Sliding tackles are not automatically illegal, but any sliding challenge judged careless, reckless, or using excessive force is a foul and may be carded

League matches: higher score at full time wins; drawn scores stay a draw (3/1/0 league points apply)
Knockout matches level at full time: extra time, 5 minutes each way
Still level after extra time: penalty shootout decides the winner

- Umpire's decision is final

- Organising Committee's decision is binding in disputes

- Abusive or foul language = player or team suspension

- Only team captains may approach the referee or organising committee