RULE 3 - THE NUMBER OF PLAYERS

A match is played by two teams, each consisting of no more than five players, one of them being the goalkeeper. There are up to 5 (five)substitutes according to the regulations of the competition.

Substitutes may be used in any match played under the rules of an official competition at FIFA or USBSF level.

The maximum number of substitutes permitted is five.

The number of substitutions made during a match is unlimited. A player who has been replaced may return to the field as a substitute for another player.

A substitution is one which is made when the ball is in or out of play and for which the following conditions are to be observed:

· the player entering the field must signal his intention to enter the field by raising above his head a sign with the number of the player to be

substituted;

· the player leaving the field must do so at his own substitution zone;

· the player entering the field must also do so at his own substitution zone but not until the player leaving the field has passed completely over the touchline;

· a substitute is subject to the authority and jurisdiction of the referees whether called upon to play or not;

· the substitution is completed when the substitute gives the sign with the number of the player leaving the field to the player being substituted and enters the field, from which moment he becomes a player and the player whom he is replacing ceases to be a player.

The clock will not stop during the substitution.

The goalkeeper can be substituted at any time by his substitute; the clock will not stop during the substitution.

Any of the other players may change place with the goalkeeper provided that:

· the referee is informed before the change is made;

· a field player can only replace a goalkeeper in case no other goalkeeper is in playing condition due to serious injury. In this case, the goalkeepers will not be allowed to return to the match;

· the player must wear a goalkeeper shirt. He will keep with his number on the shirt the same number as used when he was playing as a field player for the record of the score-sheet.

If, while a substitution is being made, a substitute enters the field before the player being replaced has completely left or leaves the field from a place other than the substitution zone or infringes the Substitution procedure:

· play is stopped;

· the player is cautioned and shown the yellow card;

· play is restarted by a free kick to be taken by the opposing team from the center of the halfway line. In addition, if the ball was out of play, the match shall be re-started according to the Rules of the game;

· in case of re-occurrence of this infraction of the substitution regulations by the same player, the referee shall adopt the same procedure and caution the substitute player showing him a blue card. The suspended player will not be allowed to enter the game in the next 2 (two) minutes. The team remains with the same number of players on the field that it had before the infraction.

1 At the start of a match, each team must have a minimum of four players. In The case of a match starting in a situation like this, if other players arrive to the field during the match, they are allowed to get in the game if they were already listed with the starters.

2 If, in the event of players being sent off by red or yellow cards, fewer than three players (including the goalkeeper) are left in either of the teams, the match must be abandoned, not dependent on the score of the match at that moment.The final score of the match for goal average purposes will be 10 x 0 for the winning team (the team with at least three players in the pitch).

3 For matches played by players under twelve years old, the maximum number of substitutes permitted is seven. For matches played by women, the maximum number of substitutes permitted is six.