United Champions Cup

RULES

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United Champions Cup Tournament Rules

July 10-12, 2025

Eligibility: United Champions Cup is a UYSA-Sanctioned Tournament. It will be open to all FIFA, USSF, USYSA, and UYSA affiliates and members.

Registration: Registration must be done through our online portal located at:

https://www.unitedchampionscup.com/register

Registration closes on June 29, 2025.

PAYMENT MUST BE MADE IN FULL TO COMPLETE REGISTRATION.

Payment in full must be received by the registration closing date, June 29,

2025.

By registering your team, you are committing to playing all games scheduled for your team. Games not played will be classified as a forfeit under the rules below. ALL teams are committed to playing ALL games as scheduled.

TOURNAMENT CHECK-IN:

In-State and Out-of-State Teams: On-line registration will be required. Rosters

are due no later than Midnight Thursday, July 3, 2025.

Please Bring:

Six watermarked printed rosters (1 for each game). You will receive the

approved roster by email to print after your check-in is complete.

Player Cards (if you are from out of Utah)
Fully signed guest player forms for every guest player

Levels of Play: Tournaments may have multiple divisions within age groups, including divisions for state-level competition teams, district level competition teams, and recreation teams.

Teams, Players, and Coaches:

Teams will be divided into flights and brackets by age and gender. The Tournament Committee will make every effort to honor a team’s request for the division/level requested at registration. However, in some instances, it may be necessary to place a team in another division/level to achieve better parity among teams and thus ensure a fair competition within an age bracket. Further, the Tournament Committee reserves the right to combine divisions and/or age brackets if necessary.
All teams must be properly registered with US Youth Soccer, a USSF affiliated organization (i.e., US Club Soccer, AYSO), or an appropriate national organization.
Check-In Policy: Rosters are set at team check-in and no amendments to the roster will be allowed after check-in.
Any team playing an illegal or non-rostered player will forfeit that game and all games of the tournament without a refund of registration fee.
It is strongly advised that every team have more than one licensed, registered coach on their team roster. Any team playing a game without a rostered eligible coach present will forfeit that game.
Each team must present a copy of their certified tournament roster to the Field Referee at each game played, which will be kept by the Field Referee.
Players may play for only ONE team during the tournament (no double rostering).
All players, including guest players, must have the appropriate medical release form, player identification, and appropriate guest player form completed, and on-hand at the tournament.
If traveling within USYSA Region IV, no travel papers are required. For all others, travel papers must be presented to the Tournament Director not later than at check-in, but one week prior to the first game is recommended.
No team shall play without proper travel authorization to include rosters, laminated player passes and medical authorizations.
Guest Players: Teams may use an unlimited number of guest players as long as they are sanctioned under the same association as the rest of the team (USYS, US Club, AYSO), but are still subject to the maximum roster size rules below. Meaning: Guest players must have the same type of player card as the team they are guest playing for. If a team is using USYS player cards (from any state) then the guest player MUST have a USYS player card (and it can be from any state). If a team is using US Club player cards, then the guest player MUST have a US Club player card (US Club cards also include ECNL player cards). Ifa team is using AYSO player cards (from any state) then the guest player MUST have an AYSO player card (from any state). A guest player may not play for more than one team during the tournament.

Structure Of Games: The Tournament Committee reserves the right to combine age groups or levels if needed. Pool play games may end in a tie.

Three (3) points for each win

One (1) point for each tie

Zero (0) points for each loss

TIE-BREAKERS: In the event two teams are tied in points at the end of pool play, the teams to advance will be determined in the order as follows:

Winner in head-to-head competition
Best goal differential in overall competition (goals scored by team minus goals allowed by team with maximum of four goal differential limit)
Most goals scored (maximum credit of four goals per game)
Least goals allowed (maximum of four)
Most total wins
Most shutouts
If a tie still exists after steps 1 through 6 above, then both teams will kick from the penalty mark as per FIFA rules with the site and time determined by the Tournament Director

TIE-BREAKING IN SEMI-FINALS AND FINALS: In semi-final and final games, if the games are tied at the end of regulation play, there will be two overtime periods played. For ages U11 through U15 each overtime period will be 5 minutes. For ages U16 through U19 each overtime period will be 10 minutes. If the games are still tied at the conclusion of overtime play, then FIFA kicks shall be taken from the penalty mark to break the tie.

WATER BREAKS: At the discretion of the referees, a water break may take place at the first natural stop half-way through each half of play.

Tournament Age Groups. Teams will play in the age group assigned for the 2025-2026 competition year as follows:

*Note

While U16-U19 teams may roster 22 players, only 18 players may dress for each game and be present on the team bench.

RULES OF PLAY: The Tournament uses FIFA and Utah Youth Soccer Association (UYSA) Rules (as amended) for youth soccer competition, except as modified by these rules.

Game Time Check-In:

The field monitor or referee will check in each team with player cards or certified rosters 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time of each game. Failure of a team to report within 5 minutes of a scheduled game will be considered a forfeit by that team.
Referees will perform safety checks prior to the start of each game. Team managers must have a copy of the certified tournament roster at each game to give to the referees. All semi-final and final matches will involve a full roster check-in.
A Team representative must have the following at each game: a) A copy of a certified tournament roster to be provided to the head referee; b) Player passes, if required; c) A copy of medical authorizations for all players; d) A copy of all guest player forms; e) Failure to bring required documentation to a game will result in a forfeit of that game.

Headquarters:

A centrally tournament headquarters with staff will be provided.
Staff will be available to provide rules, up-to-date game scores and other pertinent information.
The headquarters will be displayed by a banner.

SUBSTITUTIONS: The tournament follows the UYSA Substitution Policy, including unlimited substitution allowed in all age groups with the referee's permission.

Playing Conditions: Games may be temporarily suspended, shortened, rescheduled, or canceled when fields are in an unplayable condition due to inclement weather or other unforeseen events. The immediate responsibility of game stoppage will rest with the Field Referee and/or Field Marshal.

Suspended Games: If a game is temporarily suspended due to weather conditions, play will restart per the Laws of the Game. If a referee has deemed it necessary to suspend a game for any reason, the game may be resumed but is subject to end no later than five minutes prior to the next scheduled game. So long as one full half is played, there is no recourse if the game is not played to the full-allotted time.

Canceled Games: Games will be considered complete if at least one full half has been completed, and the score at the time play is stopped will be the final score. The decision of game cancellation will be up to the Tournament Rules Committee and there will be no refunds for canceled games. If game cancellation takes place in a playoff game, for any reason other than misconduct, and the score was tied at the time of stoppage, the two teams will proceed to the Taking of Kicks from the Penalty Mark to determine a winner at a time and place dictated by the Tournament Director or the Tournament Scheduler.

Rescheduled Games: Any and all game times and places are subject to change in the event of inclement weather. The Tournament Director and the Tournament Scheduler will make decisions on how to reschedule games and reserve the right to alter the tournament format to do so. The most up-to-date schedules will be posted on the Tournament Website and every effort will be made to contact coaches and managers by text and email. Teams should ensure that they have provided the tournament committee with current cell phone and email information capable of receiving.

PLAYERS' EQUIPMENT: It will be at the referee's discretion to allow a player wearing an orthopedic cast or hard brace.

COACHING: All coaches have total responsibility for the conduct of their players,

substitutes, friends, and spectators at all times. Coaching from the sidelines (giving

directions to one's own team on points of strategy and position) is permitted,

provided that:

No mechanical devices are used.
The tone of voice is instructive and not derogatory.
1. No coach, player, or spectator uses profanity or incites, in any manner, disruptive behavior.
2. Each team must have at least one registered assistant coach in case of schedule conflicts or disciplinary action.

CAUTIONS AND EJECTIONS: A player receiving two cautions (yellow cards) in a single game will be given an ejection (red card). A player who has been ejected (sent off), will not be replaced. A player who has been ejected will not return for that game and will not be allowed to participate in the next scheduled game. A player who is ejected for violent conduct will not be allowed to participate in the next TWO scheduled games, at a minimum. Further suspensions for violent conduct or referee abuse may be issued at the discretion of the Tournament Director or tournament officials. Any player or coach who assaults a referee or tournament official will be expelled from the tournament. The tournament committee will eject players, coaches, or spectators from the tournament for any inappropriate behavior. A coach who has been ejected (sent off) will be suspended the same as a Player ejection. During game suspension(s) for coaches: there can be NO contact between theteam and the coach during the game and the coach must be out of sight and sound of the field. Additionally, the coach must not be involved in any unacceptable conduct (defined as coaching his/her players by any means or method, or harassment of opponents/players/referees/staff). Failure to adhere to this rule will result in an immediate ejection from the tournament for the coach.

INJURY AND/OR DELAY: Any conditions resulting in delays of the game may cause shortening of the game in order to maintain the tournament schedule.

HOME TEAM Vs. AWAY TEAM:

The home team will be the team listed first on the game schedule.
The two Teams must wear colors that distinguish them from each other and from the referee and assistant referees.
Each goalkeeper must wear colors that distinguish him/her from the other players, the referee, and the assistant referees.
The HOME team shall wear their DARK colored jerseys and the VISITING team shall wear their LIGHT colored jerseys.
If there is still a conflict, the home team will be required to switch to alternating jerseys to accommodate a color conflict as declared by the referee.
All teams must have alternate jerseys.
The HOME team is responsible for providing at least three game balls.

Spectators:

All spectators are to be on the opposite side of the field from the team benches. Spectators MUST be on the same half of the field as their team “mirroring” their team and spectators should not intermingle with each other. No spectators are allowed on the team side of the field.
No spectators may set up or sit past the endline/corner flag. All spectators must sit on the sidelines.
No spectators are allowed behind the goals.
Any spectator who fails to comply with these rules, will be given one verbal warning to comply with the Tournament rules. Any failure to comply after such a request will result in the spectator being asked to leave the tournament fields.

FORFEITS AND BYES: An automatic forfeit will be given if any of the following occur:

A team that fails to report ready to play within 5 minutes of the scheduled kick-off time will forfeit the game. A forfeit will be scored as a 1-0 game. The other team will be awarded three points.
A home team is unable to supply alternate jerseys in the case of color conflict.
A team fails to check in at mandatory registration.
A team whose actions are determined, solely by the referee, to cause the game

to be terminated.

SCORE CARDS: At the end of each game, the team coach or assistant coach must sign the game card. The score indicated on the game card cannot be disputed after it is turned over to the field monitor or referee.

Please pay attention to what you are signing.

PROTESTS: No protests will be allowed or considered for disputes on or off the field.

DISPUTES:

Game conduct is under the authority of the referee and the tournament will not overrule a referee’s decision.
All disputes off the field of play will be settled by the Tournament Director or by his designee and the Tournament Director’s decision shall be final. The Tournament Committee, for the good of the game, shall interpret any rule not expressly addressed herein.

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