Question Number: 28593

League Specific 7/12/2014

RE: rec Under 11

ken mcmaster of ajax, ontario canada asks...

the team you are playing has only 5 players on the field including the goalie. you on the other hand have a full team are you allowed to play your full 7

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The only time that teams must have the same number of players is before the commencement of kicks from the penalty mark to determine a champion or who moves on in a tournament. Otherwise, the laws of the game recognize that one team may have fewer players than the other.

But, TLOG require at least 7 to start a match, and most leagues by rule require that each team have a minimum of 7 players to continue the match. Very young divisions of amateur leagues often have different rules for small fields.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Depending on what each independent youth associations decide ten year olds can be stuck in 11 aside, 10 aside or 9 aside matches! However, I gather yours is a 7 versus 7 mini soccer league? I only assume the age based on the u-11 attached to your question. Almost any altered youth matches with less than 11 aside have a different resolution than the FIFA 11 versus 11 scenario where less than 7 a match can not continue. Your independent mini soccer association under which your bylaws and match conditions are governed would need to be contacted as to their decision on what constitutes a legal match for the children. Personally I think all low age kids should play for fun with no keeper but sigh what I think does not matter. It is likely if the bylaws say you field 7 players you can field 7 to their 5 and let them play. You can also choose to play 5 versus 5 or even mix up the teams and play for fun. Sorry I can not give a definitive answer as only your local soccer association will have one.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Ken
The Laws of the game state that a game cannot continue with less than 7 players in an 11 v 11 game. That though means that it can be 7 v 11
At underage where the Laws can be amended the answer depends on the competition rules. You do not state why the team has just 5 players. In a recent game that I officiated at one team turned up with 8 players. Both teams agreed to play a small sided game of 8 v 8 with rolling subs. The home team felt that 11 v 8 would have not been a fair proper contest. As the competition rules only allowed for 11 v 11 the full strength team would have been entitled to play the full 11 but chose otherwise which I believed was the correct approach.
In the case of misconduct some small sided games have timed suspensions which means that the team plays short for a period. Also some competition rules that that a match should not be considered valid if the playing strength of either team is reduced by more than two players (for five –a-side) and by three for (six and seven –a side)