2020-2021 Changes/Points of Emphasis
The MASL is implementing the following changes and points of emphasis for the 2020-2021 season. The full 2023-2024 rules can be downloaded HERE.
Roster Sizes: MASL teams will be limited to a 26 player roster throughout the season. Teams have until Dec. 8 to be at or under the roster limit for the 2020-2021 season. Game day rosters will be limited to 16 players, as long as two of the players are designated goalkeepers.
Injured Reserve: Teams may place players on an injured reserve upon submitting documentation of that player’s injury. The player shall be removed from the 26 player roster for a minimum of 14 days commencing. Upon expiration of the 14 days, the player can be placed back on the 26 player roster. No player may be added or removed from the injured reserve after the February 18th roster freeze. All injured reserve decisions are at the sole discretion of the Commissioner’s office.
Roster Freeze Deadline: Thursday, February 18, 2020 - Last date to register players who have not been registered with any MASL team during the current MASL season. This will be each team's final 26 player roster for the MASL playoffs. Any new contract or roster transaction must be submitted by 5pm Pacific/8pm Eastern on February 20. NO CHANGES after this deadline
Substitutions: Substitutions are permitted on fouls. Play will not be delayed to permit the completion of player subs on fouls. If too many players are simultaneously on the field when the ball is put in play and either player participates in play or gains an unfair advantage this is an illegal substitution “too many men”, and shall result in a 2-minute power play penalty.
Balls played to goalkeepers: A player may not use a deliberate trick to pass the ball (including from a free kick) to the goalkeeper with the head, chest, knee, etc. to circumvent the rule.
Blows to the Head: The MASL has a point of emphasis that contact to the head / face / neck region of players will not be tolerated. What raises this play to a point of post-game review and penalty is the following, which shall establish an ongoing standard for the Commissioner’s Office and Discipline Committee in reviewing and assessing outside of game penalties to players for the following acts: A deliberate act which is outside of game play that includes: a blow or strike, whether open or closed handed, headbutt, or elbow, to the head region of a player, coach, referee, fan or other person.
MASL Disciplinary Committee:
Disciplinary Committee to handle any on-field incidents that require extra attention. The purpose of the committee is not to re-referee the games, but instead to give support and extra attention to sensitive aspects of the game like violent conduct, embellishment, contact above the shoulder, mass confrontation and players leaving the bench during an altercation.The committee will consist of four members:
- Committee Chair
- Former MASL Coach
- Former MASL Player
- Former MASL Referee
Reviewable Incidents include, but are not limited to violent conduct, embellishment/faking, clear and obvious referee error.
MASL Rules Review
Arena soccer is a fast-paced game with lots of action from end to end. Although very similar to the outdoor game, arena soccer does have a few slight modifications.
- Number of Players on the Field – Each team plays with 5 field players and a goalkeeper, only the goalkeeper can use his hands and only inside the penalty box.
- Late in the game, a team that is behind in the score may choose to have a field player substitute in for the goalkeeper to create an attacking advantage. This player is referred to as a 6th Attacker. He will wear a jersey with a different color than his teammates and can use his hands inside his own penalty box.
- Out of Bounds – Arena soccer is played within walls and the ball is live at all times it is in the field of play. It is very common for players to bounce the ball off the wall as they pass to teammates or create attacking opportunities.
- If the ball goes over the wall and into the stands or netting, the ball is considered out of bounds and will be kicked in from the spot nearest where it went out of bounds.
- Penalties - Fouls committed during MASL games are penalized with a direct kick, if the foul is severe enough, the referee may show the player who committed the foul a blue, yellow or red card.
- Blue Card - A Blue Card indicates a two-minute timed penalty. The committing player will have to spend two minutes in the penalty box. His team will not be able to replace him on the field during those two minutes, resulting in a 'Power Play ' man advantage for the opposing team. If a goalkeeper receives a Blue Card, his team can choose another field player to serve his penalty for him. If his team is scored on before the two minutes expire, the player is excused from the remainder of the timed penalty
- Yellow Card - A Yellow Card indicates a Misconduct Penalty and results in the committing player spending five minutes in the Penalty Box. A player serving a Misconduct Penalty can be replaced on the field and his team will not be short-handed. However, when the five minutes has expired, the player can not return to the field until a guaranteed substitution.
- Red Card - Violent conduct, serious foul play and penalty accumulation are some of the reasons a referee might show a Red Card, resulting in the committing player's immediate ejection from the game. Following the ejection, the committing team will send a different player to serve a two-minute timed player and his team will not be able to replace him on the field during those two minutes, resulting in a 'Power Play ' man advantage for the opposing team.
