Format:

·   6 Players: 5 Field players plus a Goalkeeper

·   2 Pitches (Pitches 1 and 2) with Goals 4.2 Metres wide and 1.8 Metres high and 8 Pitches (3 to 10) with Goals 3.6 Metres wide and 1.2 Metres high

·   Goals can only be scored from your attacking half of the field

·   A 4 Touch rule to apply to all Competitive Games. So a Player may only use 4 consecutive Touches to control, pass and shoot the ball. An Indirect Free Kick will be awarded against the player in possession should they use a 5th consecutive touch of the ball 

·   3 points will be awarded  for a Win and 1 point awarded for a Draw

·  Number of Games will be determined by number of Teams in Each Division: Minimum of 5 Games per Team 

·  All Competitive Divisions will be decided by "First Past the Post". If equal on Points then "Goal Difference" will decide the Winner

·   A Horn will start and finish Games and signal the Half Time break at the same time. Please be ready.

·   No Shoes with Studs are allowed. Shin Pads must be worn. Jewellery and personal medical devices must be taped, covered or removed. Soft, flexible frame Prescription Glasses may be worn by a player. Please provide a doctor's certificate to confirm the suitability of your eyeware.

Rules of Play

All rules are to be read in conjunction with the FA Walking Football Laws of the Game – February 2025. The below Rules of Play are designed specifically for the Central Coast Walking Football Tournament and will override similar/same rules in the referenced Laws of the Game document.  If in doubt, please consult with the Tournament Director.

Walking/Not Walking 

• No running, jogging, skipping, crabbing, jumping is allowed at any time when the ball is in play, both on and off the ball. If it looks like you are not walking, you probably aren’t! The decision is at the referee’s discretion and is made if both feet are OFF the ground. 

• You may walk backwards. However, please also refer to the dot point above.

• Lunging is not allowed in the vicinity of another player.

• An In-direct free kick will be given if a player is not walking.  

• 4 Team "Not Walking/Running" Offences will result in a Penalty being awarded to the Opposing Team

• The referee will STOP play immediately if any player falls over, and the game is restarted with an indirect free kick to the team last in possession. Player Safety is our priority and therefore no advantage will be played if a player falls over.

Height Restriction 

·   The ball will not be allowed to go over crossbar height and is deemed out of play. This is determined by the Referee. An indirect free kick is awarded against the team that last touched the ball, before it went high.

·  Should the ball deflect over crossbar height from a Goalkeeper in the act of making a save, the following will apply: 

a) If the ball deflects above the crossbar height from a Goalkeeper's Save and goes behind the Goal       or into the fence behind the Goal, a Corner kick will be awarded to the attacking Team

     b) If the ball deflects above the crossbar height from a Goalkeeper's Save and goes into the fence on the side of the Pitch, a Kick In will be awarded to the attacking Team

   c)  If the ball deflects above the crossbar height from a Goalkeeper's Save and goes into the Goal, the Goal will be disallowed and a Kick In will be taken by the Goalkeeper

   d) If the ball deflects above the crossbar height from a Goalkeeper's Save and stays in the field of play, a Free kick will be awarded to the attacking Team to be taken 3 metres from the edge of the Goal Area

Heading

·   No heading of the ball is allowed at all. This is to prevent head collisions/injuries. An Indirect Free kick will be awarded against the player heading the ball or the last player who touched the ball before it goes above the crossbar height.

No Contact

·   Walking Football is a No-Contact sport. An indirect free kick will be award against the Initiator of any contact in our WF Tournament. The referees decision is final.

·   Whilst tackling the ball is allowed, no tackling from behind or the side is allowed.  Tackling from the side means within 1/2 a metre of the player in possession or receiving a pass.

·   Players cannot play the ball whilst on the ground/floor.

·   Front on tackling with any contact is a foul. Block the Pass or the Shot instead.

·   Any painful or preventable contact will result in at least an indirect Free Kick, at the referee’s discretion.

·   Reckless force in tackling will be punished with at least a yellow card and a sin bin of 10% of the playing time. Serious Foul Play will result in a Red Card with no return allowed during that game. No slide tackles or sliding will be permitted. This will be considered a Red Card Offence. No replacement player is allowed if there is a player dismissed for a Red Card nor for the duration of time a player is sin binned.

·  The Referee will at their discretion, use Yellow or Red Cards to penalise a player for repeated foul play, reckless or dangerous tackles and physical or verbal abuse of another player, spectator, referee or match official

Number of Players 

·   Teams will be allowed to register any number of players on the day, 6 players per Team on the pitch at any one time, including a Goalkeeper. 

·   There Must be a minimum of 3 Women players on the Pitch at all times in Mixed Competitive Games

Duration of Game 

·   20 minutes consisting of 2 x 9 minute halfs and there will be a two (2) minute half time break.

Substitutions 

·   There is no limit to the amount of substitutes allowed during a game and rolling substitutions will be permitted. A player who has been replaced may return to the pitch as a substitute for another player. 

·   Substitutions can be made at any time when there is a stoppage in play, as long as the referee is made aware and the substitute does not enter until the player they are replacing has left the field of play. 

·   If the referee deems a side is wasting time by asking for subs or taking too long no more substitutions will be allowed.

Playing Area

·   Play will be within the fenced area. 

·   If the ball hits or touches the fence a ‘kick-in’ is conceded by the last player to touch the ball before it hits the fence. The ball is kicked back into play from within 1 metre of the fence line. 

·   Goal kicks will be kicked in by the Goalkeeper on the team awarded the Goal kick. The Goal Kick may be taken from anywhere in the Goal Area. Opposition Players must be at least 3 metres away from the Goalkeeper when the Goalkeeper has the ball.

·   A player may not touch nor hold onto the fence. An Indirect Free Kick is awarded to the other team if a player holds onto the fence

Back Passes to the Goalkeeper

·   A Field Player can pass the ball back to the Goalkeeper

·   A Goalkeeper can pass the ball back to that Field Player

·   HOWEVER, once a Goalkeeper has passed the ball to a Field Player, that player CANNOT pass the ball directly back to their Goalkeeper. In this event, an indirect free kick will be awarded to the attacking Team 3 metres from the edge of the Goal Area.

· The ball must be passed to another player before it can again be passed back to the Goalkeeper  

The Penalty Area

·   During a game the outfield players of both teams are NOT allowed inside the penalty area.

·   If a defender deliberately goes in the Goal Area and gains an advantage a penalty kick is awarded. And a Red Card will be given to the offending player at the Referee's discretion.

·   If a defending player enters the penalty area accidently or due to their momentum, doesn't play at, nor gets struck by, the ball, nor gains an advantage then the referee will signal play on.

·   If an attacking player deliberately enters or gains an advantage by entering the area a free kick is awarded to the defending team to restart the game

·   If a player’s momentum takes them into the penalty area, following a shot which goes into the goal, the goal will be awarded so long as the ball goes into the goal before the player enters the penalty area. 

Penalty Kick

·        A Penalty Kick will be taken from the the Designated Penalty Spot as marked 6 metres from the centre of the goal line between the Goal Posts.

· The Penalty Taker must start from no more than 2 metres from the Penalty Spot. They must move forward in a continuous motion to kick the ball. No pausing, feinting or delay will be allowed. An indirect free kick will be awarded against the Penalty Taker if they pause, take a backwards step, feint and/or delay in the taking of a Penalty Kick. 

·        All Players must remain behind the penalty taker.

Offside

·   There is NO offside during a game. 

Free Kicks 

·   All free kicks, except for a Penalty, will be IN-DIRECT and shall be taken at the place as indicated by the referee. 

·   Players from the opposing team shall NOT stand any closer than 3 METRES to the ball. Free kicks shot at goal and deflected in will restart as a goal kick with no goal being scored.

·   All Free Kicks awarded within 3 metres of the Penalty Area will be taken from 3 metres away from the Penalty Area.

Offences

All players and Team members will be expected to abide by the CCWF Code of Conduct during the Tournament. Serious Breaches of our Code of Conduct will result in Disciplinary Action as per the Code of Conduct.

Running, contact or entering the penalty area to Deny an Obvious Goal Scoring Opportunity (DOGSO) will result in a Red Card to the player and the opposition will be awarded a Penalty Goal

Sin Bins and Send Offs

·   Persistent offenders (3) of any infringement will be given a Yellow Card and sin-binned for 2 minutes at the referee’s discretion. 

·   Not walking/contact to "Deny an Obvious Goal Scoring Opportunity" or excessive contact will receive an immediate red card at the referee’s discretion. 

·   A replacement substitute will NOT be allowed for yellow or red cards.

The Referee 

·   The referee’s decision is final. The Team Captain only, may politely ask a question of the referee to clarify the reason for their decision. However, persistent questioning or comment will be deemed as dissent and will result in a yellow or red card at the Referee’s discretion. 

·   Players are not to call out their interpretation of a foul during the game as that confuses other players and undermines the referee.

·   Please accept that the Referee is RIGHT !!, even if you think they are wrong.  Please show respect towards all match officials and all players at all times.