CEESA Football Tournament 2025

Tournament Citizenship 

As athletes, coaches, officials, and spectators we all have a role in an athletic event. Together we all have RESPONSIBILITIES to make this event a positive and healthy experience for all! 

The athlete: 

• Maximizes one’s potential in the pursuit of individual and team excellence. 

• Perseveres in the face of adversity. 

• Wins with modesty and accepts defeat with poise and dignity. 

• Respects themselves, all participants, and the sport they participate in. 

• Represents his/her school with the highest standard of conduct at all times. 

The coach: 

• Inspires athletes to compete within the rules of the sport they participate in. 

• Teaches the importance of competing fairly regardless of the outcome. 

• Sets an example for players and spectators in respecting officials. 

• Models exemplary conduct at all times. 

The official: 

• Is impartial, fair, and firm in decisions. 

• Treats all participants with respect. 

The spectator:

• Recognizes that the goal of athletic competition is to provide young people with the opportunity for healthy, physical, social, and emotional growth. 

• Recognizes that spectators as participants have responsibilities for appropriate behavior. 

• Does not speak to other participants negatively and disrespectfully. 

• Respects decisions made by game officials and tournament organizers. 

• Allows coaches to coach 

CEESA Events – Regulations for Students 

These regulations shall be followed by students participating in all events (whether athletic, academic, cultural, etc.) organized and sponsored by the Central & Eastern European Schools Association (CEESA). Any student who participates in a CEESA event agrees, by signing below, to obey all regulations. 

• Smoking, any other use of tobacco, the drinking of alcohol, and the use of drugs are not permitted. Students involved with CEESA activities may not go to bars or nightclubs. 

• These regulations apply to all students- both those from the host school and those visiting throughout the event’s duration and, for visiting students, apply also during the journey to and from the site of the event. 

• Students must display appropriate respectful behavior at all times to their peers, event officials, event sponsors, coaches, and all members of the host community. 

Violation of these regulations will be reported to the responsible CEESA Official and the student’s coach and/or advisor. 

CEESA Athletics and Activities Handbook – Football 

RULES 

High School Football Rules - 7 a side Football - Boys 

1. Penalties - taken from 7 metres from goal line 

2. All free kicks awarded outside the goal keeper box are indirect. All opposing players must be 6 metres away. 

3. Playing Time - 20 minute halves x 2, with 5 minute half time 

4. Unlimited substitutions 

5. No offside (Warsaw 2019) 

6. Teams will consist of 7 players – 6 field players and 1 goalkeeper 

7. Games to be played on a modified field measuring 55-75 meters in length by 35-45 meters in width 

8. Goalposts should measure approximately 4.8 meters in length by 2.1 meters in height. 

9. Goal kicks allowed from the penalty spot 

10. Corner Kicks will be allowed from a spot equal-distant from the corner and goal keeper box. Host schools are entitled to mark a designated spot for corner and goal kicks. 

11. Ball Size - Size 5 

12. Other dimensions -  

Centre circle - Radius of 6 metres 

Penalty spot - 7 metres from goal line 

Goal Keeper’s Box - 16 metre by 8 metre 

The tournament director should keep a precise record of all Yellow and Red card offences. Any player sent off or ejected in a tournament game is ineligible to play in the following game; for example, the player is ‘banned’ for 1 game following the sending off.  

Two Yellow Cards in separate games do not result in suspension from the next game; i.e., cards do not become red. 

Any players penalized with a “red card” will be ejected from that game and also miss the next game, and will be ineligible for all-tournament selection. No substitutes will be allowed for penalized players.  

Tournament Format - High School - 7 a side Football - Boys  

1. Teams should play a minimum of 2 and maximum of 3 games in a day. Played over a 2 day tournament. 

2. Six teams maximum at the tournament 

3. The host school can determine the format of the tournament based on number of teams, field availability and referees available. Format needs to follow number of games guidelines and also playing time requirements. CEESA Executive needs to approve the format 

7 a side football - High School Boys  

Should be a minimum of one centre ref per game. Host schools can have 2 refs (1 on each side line) if available. For across pool games and or finals host schools should attempt have 2 refs. 

High School Football Roster - 7 a side Football - Boys  

Maximum of 12 boys. A minimum of 9 boys to participate in CEESA sanctioned tournaments. 

Uniforms and Equipment 

• Each player MUST wear protective shin guards. 

• Each player must wear a numbered shirt. 

• Players are not permitted to play with a hard cast even if it is wrapped in plastic or other materials. 

• Players should refrain from wearing jewelry, scarves, and hats. 

Tournament Scoring 

The following classification system will be used in all round-robin or pool play games. 

• 3 points shall be awarded for a win 

• 1 point shall be awarded for a tie 

• No points shall be awarded for a loss 

 

Tie Breakers 

In a round robin or pool play games, ties will be broken in the following way in descending order of priority: 

1. Head-to-head. 

2. Goal Differential; is defined as the difference between the number of goals scored and the number of goals conceded.  The maximum number of goals to be counted both for and against is 6. 

3. Goal Average; is defined as the number of goals scored divided by the number of games played. The maximum number of goals to be counted is 6. 

4. Points 2 and 3 above are first applied to all teams in the tie break and then if still tied then to all teams in the pool. Once a tie has been split eg. 3 - way tie then it is reverted back to head to head (point 1) 

All quarter-finals, semi- finals, placement and championship games that finish in a tie between the teams will be broken by a penalty shoot-out - best of 5 using ABBA format. 

Penalties will be taken in the following way: 

• Only players on the field at the end of the game are eligible for the penalty shoot out  

• The team nominates five penalty takers. 

• A toss of the coin will decide the option to take the first penalty. Each side must take a minimum of five penalties. If the scores are even at the end of the five penalties, the score must be noted and a ‘sudden death’ penalty shoot-out will begin. Only players not used in the original five penalties can be used until all of them have had a turn and the the original 5 players can be used again. This continues until one team wins on an equal number of shots.