TOURNAMENT PLAY 2025-26 Rules For Harford Sports/Performance Center
Tournament-Specific Rules
All regular season rules apply unless specifically noted below.
1. No Mercy Rule
- The Mercy Rule does NOT apply during the tournament.
- The losing team may NOT add players, and the winning team will NOT remove players.
- However, coaches are expected to display good sportsmanship at all times.
2. Timeouts
- Each team is allowed ONE (1) timeout per game (not per half).
- Timeout duration: 30 seconds.
- A timeout may only be called when your team is in possession of the ball.
3. Penalty Kicks at the End of Regulation
- If a defensive foul occurs inside the goalie box and time expires before a penalty kick is taken:
- The penalty kick WILL still be awarded.
- No rebounds are allowed on this kick.
- If the penalty kick results in a goal, it will be added to the score.
- If the kick ties the game, Overtime rules apply.
- Once the penalty kick is taken, play is over unless it results in a tie.
4. U8 Age Group Fouls
- All fouls continue to result in indirect free kicks, except for penalty kicks.
5. Red Cards
- A player who receives a Red Card:
- Is removed from the game for the remainder of that game and MUST leave the building.
- Team plays short handed for 5 minutes, non-releasable
- Will not be eligible to play in the next game.
- A Player who receives a Yellow Card:
- Player is removed for 2 minutes.
- Team Plays short for 2 minutes
- Carded Player can return to game after 2 minutes.
- Penalty is released if the other team scores a goal.
Overtime
⚽ Overtime & Penalty Kick Rules
Overtime Format
- One 5-minute sudden death overtime period will be played.
- The team that scored last in regulation starts with the ball.
- If no goals were scored in regulation, the higher seed takes the kickoff to start overtime.
- Normal game rules apply during overtime.
Penalty Kicks (If Needed)
- If the game remains tied after the 5-minute overtime period, proceed to Penalty Kicks.
- A coin flip between the two goalkeepers determines which team kicks first.
First Round of Penalty Kicks
- Each team selects 5 different players.
- Teams take alternating shots from the PK mark (mark may vary by age group).
- If one team is ahead after both teams have taken 5 kicks, that team wins.
Sudden Death Penalty Kicks (if still tied)
Both coaches may reuse players, even if one team still has unused players.
If tied after the first 5 kickers, proceed to Sudden Death PKs (kickers 6 through 10).
The shootout ends when one team misses and the other scores in the same round.
Example: Team A misses their 6th kick, Team B makes theirs → Game over.
No player may repeat until a full set of 5 different kickers has been used.
Once all players have taken a kick, coaches may reuse players from previous groups of 5.
Questions?: Contact Jay Grabowski1@aol.com