MASTERS SUMMER LEAGUE

COMPETITION RULES

As at: 22 October 2025

"The Masters Spirit": Friendly Competition, Good Mental Health, Mateship, Unity, Inclusivity, Safety, and Respect.

1. Masters Summer League (MSL) is a football competition comprising a round robin and finals format.
2. A win is worth 3 points; a draw is worth 1 point; a loss is worth 0 points.
3. At the end of the round robin, teams will be rank on points firstly, then on goal difference, then on goals scored. In the event of a tie, the winner of the round robin match played between the two teams will be deemed to have finished higher. If that was drawn, a penalty shootout will be scheduled to decide which team finishes in the higher position.
4. Refer to the League Competition Structure and Game-weeks document for further details on the season structure.

FIFA Laws of the Game apply, save for the local rules listed below:

Matches and Players

5. Matches will be 60 minutes long, comprising two 30-minute halves. If agreed by both captains prior to commencement of play, the match may be 70 minutes long, comprising two 35-minute halves.
6. There is no limit to the number of players who may play for a team in any round robin match or minor finals match. In the “Grand Final”, the maximum squad size is 16.
7. Only players marked as in attendance by the referee via GoFootball prior to match start may take part.
8. Unlimited player interchange is allowed – players to leave and take the field with referee’s permission, as per FIFA rules.
9. “Fill-in players” - A team that is short of players may request “fill-in” player(s). These are player(s) registered to other teams, who agree to play for the team short of players. A team may request “fill-in” players only when they have 11 or fewer players of their own available. They may only add “fill-in” players until their squad reaches a size of 12. Such “fill-in” players must be approved by both the opposing captain and a member of the MSL committee or one of its delegates.
10. “Casual” players – any team at any time may add “casual” player(s) to their team. These are player(s) not currently registered to the MSL who register via GoFootball on or before match day and pay a casual registration fee. They do not need approval from the other team or MSL committee to play.
11. Players must be registered to their team and play a minimum of 50% of matches (including as “casual”) during the home and away season to qualify for the Grand Final. Games forfeited by the opponent will be included in this figure. Games played as a “fill-in” for another team will be included in this figure. A maximum of one game played per round applies.
12. No “fill-in” players will be allowed in the Finals round.
13. Players must be on or after their 35th birthday on match day, except for the goalkeeper who needs to be on or after their 30th birthday on match day.
14. If a team is found to have fielded an illegal player (for example, a non-goalkeeper player under 35 years of age, a goalkeeper under 30 years of age, or an unregistered player, or non-approved “fill-in” player), at the MSL committee’s discretion the match points can be awarded to the opposing team, with a result of 3-0 or the actual result, whichever is preferred by the opposing team; or any other final result as the MSL committee sees fit.
15. Players must prove their age if requested by the MSL committee.
16. A match abandoned for any reason prior to completion will be considered to have been completed if it has run more than 80% of match time, i.e. if 48 or more minutes have elapsed, with the score at abandonment being the final score. If the match is abandoned prior to 80% of match time having been completed, the result will be a 0-0 draw.

Heat and Uniform Policies

17. If the official weather forecast at 9am on match day predicts a high temperature of 34 degrees or over, the MSL committee will take one of three actions:
    1. reschedule the round to Sunday, if a significantly cooler temperature is forecast for Sunday; or
    2. shorten all games to 40 minutes with later kick off times; or
    3. cancel the round; or
    4. with approval of at least 50% of team organisers, proceed with the round as scheduled.
18. Uniforms will not be required to match exactly between team-mates; however, it is preferred that they do. The referee will make final decisions about the legality or otherwise of non-matching uniforms.
19. The team listed second on the schedule is considered the “away” team and will be responsible for bringing alternative strip to avoid strip clashes.
20. No Jewellery to be worn during play. Only approved sports glasses to be worn during play.

Referees and Discipline (including Blue Cards and sliding rules)

21. Referees may be FV official referees or casual referees.
22. If neither of the above is available, the game is to proceed with each Captain arranging someone to referee a half each, or another arrangement via mutual agreement. Theses referee(s) will be paid by the MSL.
23. The Referee acts as a representative of the MSL, with their version and account of events being considered final.
24. The MSL will endeavour to find neutral linesmen for each game. If unsuccessful in this, one assistant referee (linesman) to be provided by each team, beginning with the “away” team. If they do not have the numbers to provide this, the referee will make decisions on their behalf or appoint an independent linesman as he/she sees fit.
25. Referees will have the power to issue Yellow and Red Cards as per FIFA rules, plus Blue Cards.
26. A Blue Card to be shown to a player (including those on the interchange bench) in the following situations:
    1. Player slides illegally, endangering another player (see point 29).
    2. Player fails to respect the referee or the referee’s decision.
    3. Any other situation in which the referee sees fit to remove a player from the field to preserve the spirit of the MSL competition.
27. A player shown a blue card will be barred from playing for 10 minutes and cannot be replaced.
28. Any combination of two Blue and/or Yellow Cards will result in a Red Card being shown, as per two Yellow Cards under full FIFA rules.
29. In the interests of older player safety, sliding during play (leaving your feet and sliding along the playing surface) is considered illegal if any of these conditions are met:
    1. it commences, progresses and/or concludes within one metre of another player whilst moving towards that player,
    2. it is considered by the referee to be potentially dangerous to another player,
    3. it is considered by the referee that a player would not have allowed for a slide to occur whilst playing the game, as he would have expected it to be considered illegal.
30. An illegal slide will incur an indirect free kick and a Blue Card. If the slide also resulted in a foul that would incur a direct free kick under FIFA rules, the slide will result in a direct free and a Blue Card.
31. Goalkeepers may slide with the top half of their bodies in a standard attempt to prevent a goal or take possession with their hands; however, they may not slide with their lower half of their bodies as per non-goalkeeper players above.
32. The referee may issue a Red Card instead of a Blue Card if the slide is particularly dangerous.
33. Penalties for Red Cards and other breaches of discipline will be determined by the MSL Committee with reference to standard FV gradings and penalties for breaches.
34. A player or official indefinitely banned has the right to lodge a petition to be reinstated into the competition. The Disciplinary Sub Committee in reviewing a compelling and substantiated submission are to ensure adequate proof is provided that other League members are no longer at risk. The League members’ and referees’ wellbeing must be paramount in any such decision.
35. The MSL Committee reserves the right to decline a player’s registration prior to season start (with full refund) and/or cancel a player’s registration mid-season (with or without refund) and require the player to prove their worthiness to participate in future competitions as the Committee sees fit.
36. The committee will consider possible breaches of the spirit of the competition based on personal experience as well as information from referees and other available sources considered reliable. If a breach is judged to have occurred or possibly occurred, the committee undertakes to communicate with the team manager to discuss.
37. A ‘three strike’ system will be used to punish teams and players not upholding the MSL rules and playing within the competition’s spirit. Where players, in the eyes of the committee, consistently or on a single occasion, breach the spirit of the competition, through actions on the pitch or conduct off it, the strike system will be applied. Punishment for each strike is as follows:
    1. Strike 1 – written warning to the player and team/club,
    2. Strike 2 – points deduction for the team and suspension for the player,
    3. Strike 3 – the team will be removed from the competition and cannot reapply next season, the player will be removed from the league and can never reapply (dickheads won’t be tolerated).

Complaints

38. Complaints of any sort to be directed to a MSL committee member, referee, or Team Manager. These may be elevated to the central MSL committee by the local committee if necessary.