Tournament Rules

2027 Rules – Nike Spring Classic Recreational Weekend

A reminder to all teams, parents, and spectators –

1)  Drones and Aerial video and photography are NOT permitted at any time.

2)  The use of HI-Pods (or similar) video camera equipment will be permitted as long as all equipment is secure and all operators do not interfere with the game.

3)  Alcoholic Beverages & Smoking are Prohibited.

4)  NO DOGS are allowed at any complex or field used by the Nike Spring Classic. This includes all common areas and parking lots. If dogs are seen on the premises owners will be asked to leave the complex immediately and if a dog is present near or around any field the game will be halted until the dog is removed to the parking area, but must be removed permanently from the complex as well.

a) Properly marked and leashed service dogs are permitted at the complex but are not allowed within 15 yards of any field.

Age Groups for Nike Spring Classic Recreational Weekend

* Players must be enrolled in high school

A. Tournament Headquarters and Director

Tournament Headquarters will be located at:

Striker Park
4801 Pouncey Tract Rd.
Glen Allen, VA 23059

Tournament Director: Matt Brown – 804-288-4625

B. Team Onboarding and Check-In
The 2027 Nike Spring Classic will have Online Team Onboarding only.

All teams must also Check-In on site before their first game at the Site Coordinator tent at their assigned field location.

Team Onboarding Requirements – see also “Online Team Onboarding”

• Original 2026/2027 Player Passes
  • either USYS State Association or US Club Soccer passes
• Original 2026/2027 Official Roster
  • either USYS State Association or US Club Soccer
• Guest Player(s) identified
  • Written in at the bottom of the Official Roster
• Player Passes for Guest Player(s)
• Individual Player Medical Release Forms
• Permission to Travel Paperwork
  • Not Required for US Club Soccer Teams nor Region 1 USYS State Association teams
  • USYS State Association teams from all other Regions need Permission to Travel Paperwork.

The Nike Spring Classic is Dual Sanctioned for 2027

For US Club Soccer teams the tournament is sanctioned by US Club Soccer under the Open Cup format and a USYSA Sanctioned Tournament. This allows competitive teams from both US Club Soccer and any other USSF affiliated members (state associations, etc) to compete in this event. The US Club Soccer teams DO NOT have to have a US Youth Soccer Application to Travel Form, but must bring their proper roster, plus 2 copies for the tournament and player pass cards.

For USYSA Registered Teams: Teams must have the proper USYSA state rosters, plus two copies for the tournament, permission to travel forms, player pass cards and medical release forms for each player at registration.
Teams that are members of organizations of the United States Soccer Federation but not members of US Youth Soccer (such as AYSO, SAY, US Club Soccer or Super Y Leagues) DO NOT have to have a US Youth Soccer Application to Travel form (although that team’s organization may require that the team have permission). An approved team roster does need to be provided to tournament officials, along with current player passes from its organization.

Note for Region I teams:

Region 1 Policy Regarding Application To Host A Tournament

Region I has established the following policy concerning permission to travel when attending USYS sanctioned tournaments in Region I. The purpose of this policy is to make it as simple as possible for the US Youth Soccer Region I teams to travel to tournaments within Region I.
The new policy states that any USYS State Association teams within Region I that is accepted into a tournament in Region I do not need permission to travel papers.

C. Roster Sizes

This weekend is for true recreational players only – PLAYERS REGISTERED TO A 2026/2027 TRAVEL TEAM ARE NOT PERMITTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE RECREATIONAL WEEKEND.

**If a team is found to have any ineligible players at any point during the tournament, the team will forfeit all games and sanctions will be made against the team for all future Richmond United tournaments.

• U9 – U10 | 7v7 teams are limited to 16 players identified at Team Onboarding.
• U11 – U12 | 9v9 teams are limited to 18 players identified at Team Onboarding.
• U13 – U18/U19 | Teams can have up to 22 players identified at Team Onboarding

Five guest players per team will be permitted for all age groups.

• US Club Soccer teams may only take guest players registered under US Club Soccer
• USYSA teams may only take guest players registered with properly stamped USYSA player pass cards.

**Players can only play for 1 team throughout the tournament.

D. Ball Size

Size 5 – U19 – U13

Size 4 – U12 – U9

E. Game Duration (Recreational Weekend)

70 min. | U19-U13 (11v11)        Halftime – 5 min
60 min. | U11-U12 (9v9)           Halftime – 5 min
50 min. | U9-U10 (7v7)             Halftime – 5 min

F. Substitutions

NEW – There is now a ten second time limit for players to leave the field of play when being substituted. If the time limit is exceeded, the substitute cannot enter until the first stoppage after one minute has elapsed.  Referee Discretion is allowed for U12 and below.

NEW – Players who are injured and receive assistance on the field or who cause play to be stopped due to injury even without receiving treatment must leave and remain off the field of play for one minute after restart.

Substitutions shall be unlimited, but made only at the following times:

Teams playing in Tournament Format competition:

a) Goal kick, after a goal, half time, at the beginning of an overtime period, throw in – by the team in possession and by the team not in possession (only if the team in possession has a substitute), after a yellow card – for carded player.

b) An injured player may be substituted for at the discretion of the referee. If a substitution is made for the injured player, the opposing team may also make one substitution (with the referee’s acknowledgement).

** Under no circumstances may substitutions be made (1) on corner kicks or (2) after the game has ended in a tie and FIFA penalty kicks will be required to determine a winner

All substitutes shall inform the assistant referee on their side of the field that they wish to enter the game prior to the time they are entitled to enter the game as a substitute. The assistant referee will signal the referee that substitutes wish to enter the game at the first opportunity that the substitute is allowed to enter the game. The substitutes must wait until the referee signals that it is okay for them to enter the field.

G. Home Team

Team listed first is the designated Home Team and shall wear light colored uniforms. The Away Team will wear dark colored uniforms. Home Team must change jerseys when the referee determines a conflict to exist.

H. Forfeits

Teams not at the field ready to play with a minimum of 7 eligible players (5 players for 7v7) at the scheduled game time will forfeit the match at the discretion of the tournament director. Forfeited scores will be counted 3 – 0.

Teams forfeiting games will not be able to advance to the playoff rounds.

I. 7/9-a-side

U9, U10, U11, U12 Three referee system – Offsides will be called.

Penalty Kicks: Conform to FIFA

J. Heading Rule at Age Group Divisions U12 & Younger

Whenever the ball strikes a player in the head, play is stopped. The proper restart depends upon whether the player deliberately played the ball with his or her head.

If deliberate, the proper restart is an indirect free kick to the opposing team. If this occurs within the goal area, the indirect free kick should be taken on the goal area line parallel to the goal line at the point nearest to where the infringement occurred.

If the play by the head is deemed inadvertent, then the proper restart is a dropped ball.

K. Build Out Lines at Age Group Divisions U10 & Younger

Build out lines will be established for U10 age groups and younger. When the keeper has the ball in his/her hands; the opposing team must move behind the build out line until the ball is put into play. Once the opposing team is behind the line, the keeper may pass, throw or roll the ball into play. The ball is considered “in play” when the goalkeeper’s intended recipient has received the ball. Not the moment that the goalkeeper releases the ball.  Punts and drop kicks are not allowed.

Once the ball is put into play, the opposing team may cross the line and play as normal. The opposing team must always move behind the build out line during a goal kick until the ball is put into play. If a goalkeeper punts or drop kicks the ball, an indirect free kick is to be awarded to the opposing team from the spot of the offense. If a punt or drop kick occurs within the goal area, the indirect free kick is to be taken on the goal area line parallel to the goal line at the nearest point to where the infringement occurred.

The build out line is also to be used to denote where offside offenses may be called. Players cannot be penalized for being offsides between the halfway line and the build out line. Players may be penalized for offsides between the build out line and the goal line. The goalkeeper should wait to put the ball into play once all opponents are past the build out line; HOWEVER, this is not a requirement. Keeper can put the ball into play sooner; but if so, the keeper accepts the positioning of the opponents and the consequences of how the play resumes. Be mindful of any intentional delays being caused by players not retreating in a timely manner. Referees may manage the situation with misconduct if appropriate. Yellow card for USB.

Regardless of weather conditions, coaches and their teams must appear at their respective field site, ready to play as scheduled. Failure to appear will result in forfeiture of the match.

Only the Tournament Director(s) may cancel or postpone a match. Referees may suspend a match only in case of severe weather in his/her discretion.

The Tournament Director reserves the right to make the following changes in the event of inclement weather:

• Relocate and/or reschedule a match.
• Change a division structure.
• Reduce scheduled duration of a match.
• Cancel a match.

In the event of inclement weather, forcing play to be halted and preventing the match from completing during the scheduled time, the score shall stand if at least one-half of the match has been completed.

N. Player’s Equipment

All players must wear shin guards.

No metal-rimmed glasses of any kind will be allowed.

NEW – Jewelry is permitted if it is not considered dangerous AND if safely and securely covered.

Casts, splints or body braces made of a hard substance in its final form such as leather, rubber, plastic, plaster or fiberglass must be covered on all exterior surfaces with no less than 1⁄2 inch thick, high density polyurethane, or an alternate material of the same thickness and similar physical properties to protect the injury.

• A medical release for the injured player signed by a licensed physician must be available at the game site.
• Players may not play with these casts without the approval of the Referee.

O. Rules for Advancement

Teams will be awarded points on the following basis:

• Six (6) points for each Win
• Three (3) points for each Tie
• Zero (0) points for each Loss
• One (1) point for each goal scored up to a max of three (3) per game.
  • Losing teams receive points also.
• One (1) point for each shutout

Examples:

1. A 0-0 tie will be scored as 4 points for each team (3 for tie, 1 for shutout)
2. A 4-2 game will be scored as 9 points for the winning team (6 for win, 3 for goals) and 2points to the losing team (2 for goals).

In the event of a tie in points at the end of bracket play; the winner for advancement to Semi-Final or Finals will be determined as follows:

1. The winner in head to head competition. (If there is a 3 team tie, proceed to the next tie breaker)
2. Goal differential, max of +/-3 per game (Team wins 4-0, only gets +3 GD, losing team gets -3)
3. Goals For (max 3 goals per game)
4. Goals Against (max 3 goals per game)
5. Shoot-Outs*

When the tiebreaker system is used, the criteria are followed from 1 through 4 until one team is eliminated and then the criteria starts over again at Rule #1. Rules are repeated until one team remains.

*All Shoot-Outs for 1st in Divisional play will be at 7:30am Sunday morning or time determined by the Tournament Director and at a field location determined by the Tournament Director.

Ties between 2nd and 3rd in division play leading to both teams playing consolation games will be decided by the above criteria; except for #5 Shoot-Outs. These ties will be decided by the discretion of the Tournament Director.

P. Resolving Ties in Semi-Final and Final Match

If the Semi-Final or Finals match are tied at the end of regulation time, the teams will be given a five minute rest and then the game will be decided by the FIFA Kicks from the Penalty Spot Procedure as outlined in the Laws of the Game

Q. Protests

There will be no protests. No video review will be allowed for protests.  All officiating decisions are final.

R. Sideline Behavior

Both teams will sit on the same side of the field. Only staff and players listed on the official team roster as well as trainers or tournament staff may be on the team sideline at any time during the game.

Spectators are only allowed on the opposite side of the field from the coaches and players and are limited to being in the designated area from penalty box to penalty box.

No spectators are allowed behind the goal areas.

Harassment of the officials from coaches, spectators or players will not be tolerated.

S. Send-offs

Players (Any Age Group)

• If a player receives a red card or two yellow cards during a match, that player will sit out the rest of that match and also their next match.
• Players serving Red card suspensions are allowed to sit on the bench during their team’s next game but are not allowed to be in uniform.

Coaches (Any Age Group)

• A coach or other authorized bench personnel sent off during a match must leave the field immediately upon being sent off and must remain away from the field during the team’s next match.

T. NO alcoholic beverages are allowed in the park or the parking lot of any of the game sites. Your team will be subject to forfeiting 1 game. Smoking or use of tobacco products on or near playing fields is prohibited at all times.

U. Outdoor Grilling is prohibited at all tournament venues.

V. NO dogs are allowed at any of parks or field complexes used for the Nike Spring Classic. Only service animals are allowed at the facility.

W. The use of HI-Pods (or similar) video camera equipment will be permitted as long as all equipment is secure and all operators do not interfere with the game.

X. Game Balls:

All game balls will be provided by tournament. Only balls provided by the tournament can be used.

*The tournament will be played in accordance with FIFA Laws of the Game except as modified by these rules above.

Y. Tournament Postponement/Cancellation

The Nike Spring Classic, Tournament Director(s), Richmond United reserve the right to decide all matters pertaining to the tournament – and may, in their sole discretion, delay, postpone, or cancel the tournament, or otherwise alter the tournament structure (such as the duration of and/or number of games for teams), The decision of Richmond United and the Tournament Director(s) on these matters shall be final, and shall not entitle any team to a refund or other return of entry fees paid, except as provided below (subject to any exception set out below, entry fees are nonrefundable).

Tournament registration fees are non-refundable. However, teams who purchase Event Cancellation Team Coverage from ViCoverage, powered by Vertical Insure, may be eligible for refund up to a 100% if the event is canceled or shortened due to unsafe playing conditions caused by weather. Refunds are determined based on games played versus games guaranteed and are paid directly to the team through Vertical Insure.

If your team registered for a 3-game minimum tournament and only 1 game was played before weather made fields unplayable, you will be refunded for the 2 games you did not play. If the tournament is canceled in full before any games begin, covered teams will be eligible for a 100% refund of the registration fee.

For teams that do not purchase insurance, if the tournament is canceled for any reason before any tournament matches are played,  teams will NOT receive any monetary refunds of their entry fees.

The Nike Spring Classic, Tournament Director(s), and Richmond United will not be responsible for any costs or expenses incurred by tournament participants (including, without limitation, for travel, lodging, or meals) if the tournament is delayed, postponed, cancelled, or otherwise altered for any reason.

Amendment for COVID-19 effective August 25, 2020: If a tournament is cancelled by Richmond United 30 days or more before the start date of the tournament due to reasons related to COVID-19, Richmond United will provide teams with a 100% refund of entry fees paid for that tournament.

Z. Team Withdrawal

All Entry Fees must be postmarked by April 24, 2027 to guarantee consideration. All late applications will be put on a waitlist for review. Upon acceptance, the fee is non-refundable.

If your team is accepted and later withdraws, the entry fee is non-refundable and sanctions will be placed against your team/club for future participation in Richmond United events.