TOURNAMENT RULES

Surf Cup International Salou - Tournament Rules

Dates: November 27 - December 1
Location: Salou, Barcelona

Categories:

  • Boys:
    • BU19: Players born after 1/1/2006
    • BU17: Players born after 1/1/2008
    • BU16: Players born after 1/1/2009
    • BU15: Players born after 1/1/2010
    • BU14: Players born after 1/1/2011
    • BU13: Players born after 1/1/2012
    • BU12: Players born after 1/1/2013
    • BU11: Players born after 1/1/2014
    • BU10: Players born after 1/1/2015
  • Girls:
    • GU19: Players born after 1/1/2006
    • GU16: Players born after 1/1/2009
    • GU14: Players born after 1/1/2011
    • GU12: Players born after 1/1/2013

Game Format:

  • 11v11: For U19 through U13 categories.
  • 8v8: For U12, U11, and U10 categories.

Offside Rule:

  • 11v11: Offside applies as per standard FIFA rules.
  • 8v8: Offside is enforced. If no specific offside line is marked on the field, the edge of the goal box will be used as the offside line.

Ball Size:

  • Size 5 for all 11v11 matches (U19-U13).
  • Size 4 for all 8v8 matches (U12-U10).

Game Duration:

  • Two halves of 25 minutes each.
  • Halftime: 5 minutes, which may be shortened at the discretion of the Tournament Director if the schedule falls behind.
  • Running Clock: All games will be played with a running clock. The referee is the official timekeeper, and all disputes will be settled at the discretion of the Tournament Director.
  • No Extra Time: For knockout matches tied at the end of regulation, penalties will determine the winner.

Roster Rules:

  • Max Roster Size:
    • 24 players for 11v11 formats (U19-U13).
    • 18 players for 8v8 formats (U12-U10).
  • Overage Players:
    • 3 overage players allowed for 11v11.
    • 2 overage players allowed for 8v8.
  • Substitutions: Unlimited rolling substitutions are permitted.

Tournament Structure:

All teams are guaranteed at least 4 games. The tournament is bracket-based with the following formats:

  • Brackets of 8: 2 groups of 4 teams. Top 2 teams advance to Gold Semifinals, and bottom 2 advance to Silver Semifinals.
  • Brackets of 12: 3 groups of 4 teams. Top 8 teams advance to Gold Quarterfinals, and bottom 4 advance to Silver Semifinals.
    *Clarification Nov 29: Top 8 are defined as the two top teams of each bracket, plus the two best thirds.
    The organization reserves the right to change match-ups in the Silver semifinal, to avoid teams playing against each other again.
    *Clarification Nov 29: Bottom 4 are defined as the three bottom teams of each bracket, plus the third best thirds.
  • Brackets of 16: 4 groups of 4 teams. Top 2 from each group advance to Gold Quarterfinals, and bottom 2 advance to Silver Quarterfinals.
  • Brackets of 20: 5 groups of 4 teams. Top 16 teams advance to Gold Round of 16, and teams ranked 17-20 advance to Silver Semifinals.

Tiebreaker Rules (Group Stage):

In case of a tie in points, the following tiebreakers will be applied in order:

  1. Head-to-head result
  2. Goal differential
  3. Goals scored
  4. Goals against
  5. FIFA Penalty Kicks: If still tied, the Tournament Director will organize penalty kicks at their discretion.

Forfeits:

  • A team is allowed a 10-minute grace period after the scheduled kickoff time before the match is awarded to their opponent.
  • In 11v11, a minimum of 7 players must be present for the match to begin.
  • In 8v8, a minimum of 5 players must be present for the match to begin.
  • If a team forfeits, they are ineligible to be declared a group winner or wild card.
  • If a team causes a match termination, they are deemed to have forfeited the game.
  • For tie-breaking purposes, forfeits are recorded as a 3-0 win for the opponent. In knockout rounds, forfeits are also recorded as a 3-0 win.

Red Card Policy

  1. Automatic Suspension:
    Any player who receives a red card, either directly or as a result of two yellow cards in the same match, will automatically be suspended from their team's next match in the tournament.
  2. Additional Sanctions:
    The tournament organizing committee reserves the right to impose further sanctions, including additional match suspensions, based on the referee's report and the severity of the offense.
  3. No Appeals:
    Decisions regarding suspensions are final and cannot be appealed during the tournament.

Uniform Submission:

  • All teams must submit their home and away uniform colors 3 days prior to the event.
  • In the event of a uniform color clash, the away team must change their uniforms.

Field and Game Equipment:

  • Shin Guards: Mandatory per FIFA Laws of the Game.
  • Field Positioning: Players and coaches occupy one side, spectators on the opposite. No one is allowed behind the end lines.
  • Casts: Covered casts are permitted with referee approval.
  • Match Balls: The tournament will supply game balls, but each team should bring one FIFA-approved match ball for backup.

Protests and Appeals:

  • Appeals must be submitted in writing within 1 hour of the match’s conclusion.
  • All decisions made by the Tournament Committee are final.

Sanctioning and Referees:

  • The tournament is sanctioned by the Catalonian Football Federation.
  • All referees will be officially appointed by the Catalonian Federation.

Permission To Travel:

All international teams participating in the Surf Cup International Salou must obtain official permission to travel from their respective federations. This permission is mandatory and should be submitted to the tournament organizers prior to the event. Failure to provide this documentation may result in disqualification from the tournament.