Tournament regulations

The tournament in Football Festival® Denmark is played in accordance with FIFA Board’s law of Football 2009 and regulations with exemptions of the changes in the tournament regulations below and those found in age groups 2010

Click here to learn about the tournament jury and the grounds for making a protest

Click here to learn more about the referees and how to become a FF®D referee

Ball sizes
In the classes from B15 and G15 ball size no. 5 is used. In all other classes ball size no. 4 is used. Employment of a wrong sized ball is not considered a reason for protest. The ball will be brought to the game by the referee.

Fields
All matches are as a rule played on the natural grass fields of Vejlby-Risskov Sports Centre (FFD -Centre1 fields 1-19), CIF Sports fields (FFD Centre 2 - fields 21-24) and Firmasportens Fields (FFD Centre 3 - Fields 31 - 34) >>> See addresses here. Some matches may on occation be played on Vejlby- Risskov Sports Centre's third generation artificial turf. Ordinary football boots may be used.

In case of severe drought or heavy rain, it should be expected that the tournament management may decide to move matches to other fields such as the clay fields at FFD centre 1 and 2 as well as other fields. 

Field halves and dress
Before each game, both teams turn up with their captains. Upon a signal from the referee, the captains should go to the centre of the field, where field halves and kick-off will be decided by the toss of a coin. The winner of the toss-up gets to choose end, whereas the loser will conduct the kick-off.

In cases where the jerseys of the two teams are considered too identical by the referee, the team placed last in the program, will be obliged to change into another outfit. If the team is not in possession of alternative jerseys, these can be obtained at the tournament office.

In matches with no officially appointed neutral linesmen, each team is obliged to provide linesmen. In such cases team managers, coaches and reserves of each team, are asked to position themselves at the centre of each long side.

A number must be imprinted on all the jerseys and each individual player must carry the same number throughout all the matches in the tournament. A participants list including the number on each players jersey should be handed in at check-in. Two identical numbers are not be used within the same team.

From the month of May you can also fill in your teams player list online.

Use of wrong jersey number is not considered a reason for protest.

Player’s equipment
All players must wear shin guards, and it is not allowed to wear any kind of jewellery during the match. However, the Football Festival® Denmark bracelet must be worn at all times. It is the team manager’s responsibility to make sure that the players follow these rules at all times. The lacking or wrong use of shin guards, football boots, shirts, shirt number etc. is not grounds for protest.

Number of players and substitution
In all the classes – except B19, G17 Open EC, G17, B17 and B16 Premier cup - free substitution is allowed. The referee must be informed by every substitution. For each match - also 7-a-side-matches - a number of 5 substitutes will be allowed. 

Attendance
All team members must be present at the respective field at least 15 minutes before kick-off. Teams that fail to meet these requirements without a justifiable reason will lose the match 0-3 as well as the right to move on to the A Play-offs. If there is a just cause for the delay however this must be reported to the jury, who will then make a decision accordingly. At any time it will be up to the jury to estimate what qualifies as a just cause.

Legitimacy of the players
Each player is legit to play for his og her team   if the player meets the standard of legitimacy for players in his or her  own country as long as the player does not exceed the age limit set by Football Festival® Denmark. All players must be able to document their age by means of satisfactory certification with a photo. Throughout the tournament random tests will be made with the purpose of checking age and legitimacy of the players.

All teams must bring the forwarded player list filled in with names and date of birth of all the players upon arrival. You may also fill in your teams player list online. A given team is not entitled to participate in the tournament until this list is handed in. Only the players mentioned on the list and wearing the FF®D bracelet are allowed to participate in the tournament. Ransom tests will be made during the tournament.

A player is able to play for more than one team, if it is in another age class. The player must appear on both teams player list at check-in. It is NOT allowed to play at more teams in the same age class.

Only players whose names are present on the list at the start of the tournament, are allowed to play. Only in very special cases - and always with the concent of the president of the jury, an extra player may be entered into the tournament.

Special rules for 7-a-side football in the B12 (7), B12 Premier Cup (7), B11 (7), B10 (7), B9 (7), and G13 (7) classes:
1. there is no off-side
2. all free kicks are direct free kicks. Penalties are taken 8 m. from the goal line.
3. at back-passes the goalkeeper may take up the ball with the hands – also from throw-in.
4. a goal kick is taken as goal kick from the ground or as kick/throw from the goalkeeper.
5. corners are taken between the sideline and the goal area.  

Special for the classes G17 Open EC, B16 Premier Cup, B14 Premier Cup, B13 Premier Cup and B12 (7) Premier Cup
A club can participate in these classes with their primary team and in the ordinary class with their secondary team. At check-in a list of players for both teams must be handed in. The club is obliged to mark 13 players on the elite class team's team list, who can only play matches for the primary team. All other players on the list for the primary team are also allowed to be on the list and play for the secondary team.

Time schedules, breaks and drawing matches
In all matches, in preliminary matches as well as in the Play-off-matches, there will be a 5 minutes break between 1st and 2nd half. In the case of drawn matches in the Play-offs the teams go into an extended playing period (see age groups 2010) . There will be no break inserted between 1st and 2nd half in the extended time periode. If the score is still at a tie after the extended playing period, all classes go directly into the penalty competition in A Play-offs as well as B Play-offs.