2026 SUNSHINE COAST MASTERS SOCCER TOURNAMENT REFEREES BRIEF

 

Please report to the Registration Desk at either the Buderim or Maroochydore grounds at least 20 minutes before your allocated games – you will confirm the Teams and Age Division, receiving a Match Card with those details.

 

You will also be given the 2 x Match balls or confirm their presence on the allocated pitch. For that game, the balls are your responsibility. Please either return them to the Desk, or hand them over to the next referee.

 

Be at your field 10 minutes prior to kick off for your first game to ensure the balls are handed over in good time.

 

NOTE: If Balls are kicked over the fence into bushland,  please make sure teams, who have subs on the bench, go and retrieve it straight away please. If any Balls are NOT recovered from the Bushland and only 1 Ball is left….please inform the Competition desk straight after the game. Balls are marked with numbers relating to the Pitch number you are on.

 

Start times for games All games will start on the hour and are 25 minutes each way. Half-time will be 3 minutes. Kick-off, half-time, second half start, and Fulltime will all be controlled by the Competition Desk using the siren. Please do not start games before the siren. This is to ensure that we achieve a very tight schedule.

 

In the event of the Federation Heat Policy being applied each half will be split into two 12-minute sections with a one-minute drinks break in between. After the half-time or full-time siren has sounded Every game will cease when the half-time or full-time siren has sounded. If a ball is in flight toward the goal when the siren has sounded, the ball must have crossed the line before the sound of the siren has finished for the goal to be awarded. Judging whether the ball has crossed the line will be at the discretion of the referee. The only time a game will continue after the half-time or full-time siren has sounded is if a penalty has been awarded before the siren has sounded. In that circumstance, the penalty will be taken.

 

General information for all groups

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If a team fails to show up, they will be allowed 5 minutes grace before forfeiting with a 3-0 score.

A minimum of 7 (5 for the men’s over 60’s) registered players must be on the field for a match to commence.

 

Please be ready for each siren. Please encourage teams to be ready. There is NO injury time; there is NO extra time EXCEPT to complete the taking of a penalty kick awarded in regulation time. If there is a clash of colours, all teams should have a second strip available. Bibs will be available if required at each venue.

 

Please ask the second team to go to the Registration Dest to collect bibs if necessary. The second named team will be required to change into their second strip, or use bibs, as appropriate.

 

There is unlimited interchange for all matches. Interchange must take place when the ball is out of play, at the half-way line, and having notified the match officials. Please be as lenient as possible with this rule to minimise time-wasting.

For the semi-finals and Grand Finals only, if scores are level at full time a “best of three” penalty shootout, followed by “sudden-death” penalties, will take place. If this happens in the Semi Finals …please be prompt in organizing the penalty shoutout, as all other games are held up, until it is finished.

 

Slide Tackles, Aggressive or violent play Slide tackles, aggressive or violent play will not be tolerated. In challenging for the ball, players other than the goalkeeper must remain on their feet. If a player, other than the goalkeeper, challenges for the ball and, in executing such challenge, goes to ground in a sliding or lunging motion or, if while on the ground, whether stationary or in motion, a player attempts to challenge for possession of the ball (this is subject to the discretion of the referee), the referee shall stop play and award an indirect free kick to the opposing team.

This rule applies in ANY PART OF THE FIELD.

Sliding away from a player to retrieve or win a ball is allowed. The same rule above applies to a goalkeeper who is outside the penalty box.

 

A player shall be sent to the Sin Bin for 5 minutes for any dissent to the referee. The player shall be issued with a Yellow card for the dissent. The player may be immediately replaced and can return with the Referees approval. If the player already has been issued with a Yellow card for a previous offence, the player shall be issued with a Red card and sent off.

At their discretion, Referees may send a player to the Sin Bin players for 5 minutes following an episode of aggressive play. The player may be issued with a Yellow card for the aggressive play (this is subject to the discretion of the referee).

The player may be immediately replaced and can return with the Referees approval. Referees will also issue Yellow and Red cards in accordance with FIFA Laws of the Game. Two Yellow cards (regardless of whether they were sin binned or not) will result in a sending off and missing the next game.

A Red card will result in sending off and missing the next game. If a player is sent off, they cannot be replaced in that game.

There is no difference between a Yellow card issued for a Sin Bin offence and a Yellow card issued during the game which does not result in time in the Sin Bin.

 

Match Cards Referees will complete the match card for every game, recording the result and any disciplinary action. The Referee MUST give this card at the end of the game to the Manager or Captain of the winning team with instruction for the Manager or Captain to hand the match card over to the Competition Desk. In the event of a draw, either Captain or Team Manager is appropriate.

 

Fees. Match fees will be paid by direct deposit at the end of the tournament. Referees will be advised nearer the time how to register for their match fees.

 

Thank you for supporting our Tournament!!