World Nations Cup Rules

FIWFA WORLD NATIONS CUP – RULES

 

• FIWFA World Nations CupOverview
  1. The age specific Tournament shall be called the FIWFA World Nations Cup
  2. The Tournament shall comprise:
     1. Men Over 50
     2. Men Over 60
     3. Duration of play:
        1. Men Over 50 and 60 – 40 minute game, two equal periods of 20 minutes
     4. All group games will be played on a league basis
        1. Three points for a win, 1 point for a draw
        2. The winner and runner up of each group will qualify for the quarter finals
  • If points are level the team with the superior goal difference will qualify

  iii.i If the goal difference are level the team with the superior goals scored will qualify

  iii.ii If the goals scored are level the team with the team that won the head-to-head game will qualify

  iii.iii If the head-to-head game was a draw then if time permits the teams that are level then the qualifying team will be decided by the taking of kicks from the penalty mark in accordance with the Walking Football Association National Cup Rules (penalty shoot-out)

  iii.iv If time does not permit a penalty shoot-out, then the teams will draw ‘lots’ to qualify

  1. Quarter Final, Semi Final and the Final Ties will be played on a Knockout basis
  2. These ties will be played on a single leg basis, if the scores are level at the end of the game, the tie will be decided by the taking of kicks from the penalty mark in accordance with the Walking Football Association National Cup Rules (penalty shoot-out)
  3. Groups will be decided by the FIWFA Board
  3. The tournament described as “Men” is an open tournament as both genders can participate
  4. The entire management and control of the Tournament shall be vested in the FIWFA World Nations Cup Director who reports to the Board of the FIWFA. The Board of the FIWFA shall have power to deal with any matter for which no specific provision is made
  5. The Rules of the Walking Football Association shall apply to this Tournament as far as they are applicable to the World Nations Cup Tournament, except as specifically provided for in this document
  6. The Tournament shall observe the Rules and Regulations of the FIWFA and all matches shall be played according to the Walking Football Association Laws of the Game as published by the Walking Football Association Board
  7. The date(s) for Tournament and the Grand Final Ties will be decided by the FIWFA Board
  8. Each team competing in the World Nations Cup Tournament, shall send pre-tournament registration of squads by 30 June 2023- full squad details and eligibility support to be emailed to the Registration Secretary.
     1. Tournament player registration (passports) will take place at SGP on Wednesday 23 August 2023 at the briefing
  9. For the Men’s Over 50s and Over 60s tournaments the Grand Finals for each age group shall be the Winners of the Semi Final games for that age group

   

  Players

  10. In all matches, any Player who has been duly registered with the FIWFA shall be eligible
  11. The maximum number of players allowed in a squad is 12
  12. A minimum number of 6 players, one of whom must be a goalkeeper, must be registered before the commencement of the Tournament
  13. A match day squad in all games during the Tournament will be a maximum of 12 players, one of whom must be a goalkeeper
  14. The age eligibility criteria is based on the age of the player at the time of the match, not the registration date
  15. All players MUST wear a number either on their shirt or shorts that can easily be recognised by the match officials
  16. All players must retain the same shirt number throughout Tournament
  17. Teams must bring at least one spare un-numbered shirt as a ‘blood injury shirt’
  18. Any Club found guilty of playing an ineligible Player shall be removed from the Competition and be subject to a fine at the discretion of the FIWFA Board. Their opponents shall be reinstated into the competition

   

  Administration Procedures

  19. Each Team shall pay an Entrance Fee of £2000.00, payable before entry can be confirmed
  20. The payment for entry to the FIWFA World Nations Cup Tournament(s) is non-refundable
  21. A Team may at its discretion use a substitute that is a member of their named squad at any time in a match, except to replace a player who has been dismissed from the field of play by the referee for misconduct after play has commenced.

   

  Discipline

  22. Any team not complying with the WFA Laws of the Game and the FIWFA World Nations Cup Rules may be expelled from the Tournament
      250. The guilty team (country) will be liable to pay all expenses incurred by the FIWFA in investigating the incident up to a maximum of £250.00
  23. Any player dismissed will be subject to a period of suspension as detailed in the ‘Schedule of Offences and Periods of Suspension’ [as attached to this attached document]

   

  Match Officials

  24. The Referee will be appointed by the FIWFA appointing authority. An Assistant Referee and 3rd official will also be appointed

   

  The Draw

  The draw conducted by the FIWFA executive team will be filmed and published in April

   

  Tournament Director: John Garrett – email: johngarrett@fiwfa.org

  Registration Secretary: Ian Moore – email:  ianmoore@thewfa.co.uk

   

  From WFA Laws of the Game

  The Taking of Kicks from the Penalty Mark

  • Kicks from the penalty mark are taken after the match has ended and unless otherwise stated, the relevant Laws of the Game apply. A player who has been sent off during the match is not permitted to take part
  • Warnings and cautions issued during the match are not carried forward into kicks from the penalty mark

   

  Procedure Before kicks from the penalty mark start

  • Unless there are other considerations (e.g. ground conditions, safety etc.), the referee tosses a coin to decide the goal at which the kicks will be taken which may only be changed for safety reasons or if the goal or playing surface becomes unusable
  • The referee tosses a coin again, and the team that wins the toss decides whether to take the first or second kick
  • With the exception of a substitute for a goalkeeper who is unable to continue, only players who are on the field of play or are temporarily off the field of play (injury, adjusting equipment etc.) at the end of the match are eligible to take kicks
  • Each team is responsible for selecting from the eligible players the order in which they will take the kicks. The referee is not informed of the order
  • If at the end of the match and before or during the kicks one team has a greater number of players than its opponents, it must reduce its numbers to the same number as its opponents and the referee must be informed of the name and number of each player excluded. Any excluded player is not eligible to take part in the kicks (except as outlined below)
  • A goalkeeper who is unable to continue before or during the kicks may be replaced by a player excluded to equalise the number of players or, if their team has not used its maximum permitted number of three substitutes, a named substitute, but the replaced goalkeeper takes no further part and may not take a kick
  • If the goalkeeper has already taken a kick, the replacement may not take a kick until the next round of kicks

   

  During kicks from the penalty mark

  • Only eligible players and match officials are permitted to remain on the field of play
  • All eligible players, except the player taking the kick and the two goalkeepers, must remain within the centre circle
  • The goalkeeper of the kicker must remain on the field of play, outside the penalty area, on the goal line where it meets the penalty area boundary line
  • An eligible player may change places with the goalkeeper
  • The kick is completed when the ball stops moving, goes out of play or the referee stops play for any offence; the kicker may not play the ball a second time
  • The referee keeps a record of the kicks
  • If the goalkeeper commits an offence and, as a result, the kick is retaken, the goalkeeper is warned for the first offence and cautioned for any subsequent offence(s)
  • If the kicker is penalised for an offence committed after the referee has signalled for the kick to be taken, that kick is recorded as missed and the kicker is cautioned
  • If both the goalkeeper and the kicker commit an offence at the same time, the kick is recorded as missed and the kicker is cautioned

   

  Subject to the conditions explained below, both teams take three kicks

  • The kicks are taken alternately by the teams
  • Each kick is taken by a different player, and all eligible players must take a kick before any player can take a second kick
  • If, before both teams have taken three kicks, one has scored more goals than the other could score, even if it were to complete its three kicks, no more kicks are taken
  • If, after both teams have taken three kicks, the scores are level, kicks continue until one team has scored a goal more than the other from the same number of kicks
  • The above principle continues for any subsequent sequence of kicks but a team may change the order of kickers
  • Kicks from the penalty mark must not be delayed for a player who leaves the field of play. The player’s kick will be forfeited (not scored) if the player does not return in time to take a kick

   

  Substitutions and sendings-off during kicks from the penalty mark

  • A player, substitute or substituted player may be cautioned or sent off
  • A goalkeeper who is sent off must be replaced by an eligible player
  • A player other than the goalkeeper who is unable to continue may not be replaced
  • The referee must not abandon the match if a team is reduced to fewer than four players