ARTICLE 1:
The SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL CUP (SIC) 2025 is organised by Sports Globo Consulting.

ARTICLE 2:
Rules and Regulations for the Sydney International Cup 2025 may be updated at any time without notice. The most recent set of rules will be uploaded to the www.sydneyinternationalcup.com website, App, any previous versions of the Rules and Regulations will be null and void.

ARTICLE 3:
A unique shirt number will be attributed to each player, who will keep it during the whole competition, the shirt number will be allocated to the player in the Cup Manager team registration system by the team manager. (This will insure individual player performance is captured appropriately for individual awards).

ARTICLE 4:
Games will be officiated by Official Referees.

ARTICLE 5:
Each team will wear its home uniform. In the case of two teams wearing the same colour jersey or colours likely to cause confusion, the team first identified on the sheet retains its colours and the second team wears its second strip (each team should bring a second strip). Player numbers must be visible and the same on both strips. In the case that the away team does not have an alternative strip, bibs may be worn so long as player shirt numbers are visible through the bib.

ARTICLE 6:

The Teams Competition Structure:

Round Robin Phase – Teams will be drawn into appropriate groups. Each team will play in a round robin format, the number of round robin games will depending on the number of teams drawn in the group.

After these matches:

Cup Competition – The first team of each group of the round robin phase will move into the Cup. Progression into the Cup for teams finishing  2nd will depend on the number of teams in the category and round robin rules of that category. (In some cases the best third will also advance to the Cup depending on the number of teams in the category).

Plate Competition – In some cases, depending on the number of teams, the third & fourth of each group of the round robin phase will move into the Plate or continue directly into ranking games if there is no Plate Competition for the category.

Ranking – Losing teams will continue playing ranking games until Monday.

All teams will play 7 games, all teams will play on all four days of the tournament.

ARTICLE 7:
A team consists of up to 10 players, of which 7 including the goalkeeper can play at the same time.  (Teams may register additional players to their team at an additional registration fee).

ARTICLE 8:
The game duration is 25min with no break and no change of ends.

ARTICLE 9:
For matches in the round robin phase, teams are classified by earning points:

Match won: 3 points
Match tied: 1 point

Match lost: 0 point
Match lost by forfeit: 0 points

Rankings and tiebreakers after round robin phase. 

Position on the table is determined by the following order:

1. Greatest number of points obtained in all of the group matches
2. Goal difference in all of the group matches
3. Greatest number of goals scored in all group matches

If after the above steps, two or more teams are still tied, the tiebreaker steps below are used. The steps below are considered head to head tiebreakers.

1. Points obtained in the group matches between teams concerned
2. Goal Difference from group matches between teams concerned
3. Greatest number of goals scored in all group matches between teams concerned
4. The total points have deductions based on red cards as follows:

Red Card: -4 points

The knockout format allows winning teams to progress towards the Cup/Plate and losing teams to proceed to SIC ranking games. In the case of a tie during the knockout, the declared winner will be the team that won the penalty shootout session according to its rules. Note: The penalty shootout session rules are included in THE RULES OF THE GAME.

ARTICLE 10
Before each match and during the warm up, the referee will draw lots, and the winning captain (wearing an armband) will choose either the right to kick off or the side of the pitch on which his team will be located.

ARTICLE 11:
For any red-card violation, the player will automatically be suspended for the following match.
A second yellow card received by the same player during a game will automatically lead to a red card with no automatic suspension for the following game.

ARTICLE 12:
Whatever the situation is, the SIC Competition Organisation Committee reserves the right to increase the penalty.

ARTICLE 13:
To begin a match, a team must have a minimum of 5 players. If expulsions occur during a match, a minimum of 5 players per team is required to continue the game for the match to continue. If a team does not have enough players to finish the game (5 players), it will lose the match by forfeit.

ARTICLE 14:
All disputes will be analysed by a commission designated by the SIC Competition Organising Committee. The SIC Competition Organising Committee reserves the right to punish teams during and outside the competition. Any, and all protests must be made in writing by the team manager. Protests must be delivered to the SIC Official Competition Desk no later than 90 minutes after the match is finished. A protest fee of $100 will be paid at the time. This fee will be returned if the protest is approved. The decisions of the referee regarding facts connected with the play are final. No measures will be taken on protests on decisions made by referees.

ARTICLE 15:
All players must have their Proof of Age included with their registration form in order to be able to play. Registered players will be given one wristband at the beginning of the tournament. The wristband is to be worn for the duration of the tournament.
In case the wristband is lost or broken the Team Manager and Player will need to present themselves to the SIC Official Desk to be re-registered and purchase a new wristband for $10 at least 60 minutes prior to their next game.

ARTICLE 16

There is an allowance for up to 2 overage players per team born no earlier than the 1st July the year prior. No further overage dispensation will be allowed.

The overage allowance does not apply to the girls only competition as the age groups are already combined.

Players are allowed to play up to 2 years up at the discretion of the team’s coach and player’s parents in respect to the player’s ability and physicality.

A player is not allowed to play in more than 1 team during the tournament. Teams who field players who are not registered to their team/age category will lose all points for that game.

ARTICLE 17: IMPORTANT INFORMATION: 

All the games will kick off at the same time. Teams are required to be next to the Field Number Flag ten minutes before kick off. The referees will lead the teams onto the field on the sound of the tournament song five minutes before kick off.

The games will kick off and end on the sound of a centralised buzzer.

Please note the following changes with respect to the rules for 7-side football:

LAW 1 – The Playing Pitch

All Categories
The dimensions of the pitch will be:

Length: 50M – Width: 32M
Goal dimensions: Width: 5M x 2M
The offside line will be located 12M from the goal line
The penalty mark will be located 7 meters from the goal line.

LAW 2 – The Ball
U8 & U9, Matches will be played with a size 3 ball.

U10, U11, U12 & U10/11G, U12/13G Matches will be played with a size 4 ball.

LAW 3 – Number of Players
A team will consist of 7 players on the pitch, including a goalkeeper.
A team can bring 7 players plus substitutes; during each match, substitutes may enter and leave the game at any time, provided that they wait for the replaced player to come to the bench. These changes are unlimited.

LAW 4 – Kick-Off and Resumption of Play
The players on the opposing team during a kick-off will maintain a 5m distance from the ball until the kick-off has occurred.  Players cannot score directly from kick off. The ball has to be played to at least 1 team mate. The ball is live once it is in play.

LAW 5 – Fouls and Misconduct
Identical to those for 11-a-side football, except for the following modifications:

All the faults punishable in the 5m goal box will incur a penalty kick. If the referee considers that the fault occurred outside the penalty box this will be punishable by a direct free kick,

No kicking from the hands by the keeper (including drop-kicks into play or drop-shots on goal) after putting the ball down. If this rule is not respected, it will be punished by a direct free kick perpendicularly brought to the offside line.

If the goalkeeper catches the ball in his hands from a voluntary pass from the foot of one of his team-mates, the fault will be punished by a direct free kick perpendicularly brought to the offside line. All free kicks are direct and the distance to be maintained by players on the opposing team, when the kick is made, is 6 meters.

LAW 7 – Penalty Kicks
Penalty kicks will be made at a distance of 7 meters.

LAW 8 – Goal Kick
The ball will be placed in front of the goal at a distance of 5 meters from the goal line.

LAW 9 – Corner Kick
Players on the opposing team must maintain a distance of 6 meters when the kick occurs.

LAW 10 – Penalty Kicks

10.1 The session will take place at the specific goal kick area.

10.2 The referee tosses for the team which is designated to execute the first kick.

10.3

10.3.1 Each team will shoot three times, respecting the rules stated in paragraphs 10.3.3 and 10.3.4.

10.3.2 Teams will shoot alternatively.

10.3.3 If a winner can be declared before both teams have taken their 3 shots, the session ends.

10.3.4 If, after both teams have shot 3 times, both have the same number of goals or misses, the session will continue until one team has scored one more goal than the other, with both teams having shot the same number of times (not necessarily three more shots will occur).

10.4

10.4.1 Except as mentioned in paragraph 10.5. hereafter, only the players on the pitch at the end of the match are permitted to participate in the goal shooting session. This also applies to any player who may have left the pitch temporarily, with- out being replaced, and who is not on the pitch at the end of the match.

10.4.2 If a goalkeeper is injured during the goal shooting session and can no longer continue as goalkeeper due to the injury, he can be replaced by a registered replacement.

10.5 Each shot will be taken by a different player, and no player on the same team may shoot a second time until all players on each team who are permitted to shoot, including the goalkeeper—or the registered replacement who has replaced him according to paragraph 10.4—have kicked once at the goal.

Note: If, during a match, a team has had one (or several) player(s) sent off or injured and therefore cannot field 7 players, and if it is necessary to take more shots than the number of players available to the team, the player(s) who will shoot at the goal in place of the absent player(s) will be the one who shot first and any others following in sequence.

10.6 Subject to the provisions of paragraph 10.5, any authorised player can switch with his goalkeeper at any time during the goal shooting session.

10.7

10.7.1 Other than the player kicking from the penalty mark and the 2 goalkeepers, all players must remain outside the kicking area during the goal shooting session under the referee’s control.

10.7.2 The goalkeeper who is a team-mate of the kicking player must be on the pitch beyond the point from which the kicks are being made, behind the goal line and at least 9 meters from the penalty mark.

Individual Trophies

Each age category will be awarded with the following distinctions on Monday 6th October 2025:

• Ballon D’Or (MVP) 
• Golden Boot 
• Golden Glove

The judging for these awards will be done by a Technical Commission. The decision of the Technical Commission is final and not subject to appeal. 

Golden Boot 

In case of a tie between two or more players having scored the same number of goals, the winner will be determined as follows:
If two or more players have scored the same number of goals, the winner will be the one who scored less penalties; in case of another tie, the winner will be the one whose team scored the most goals; in case of another tie, the one with the best defence and then the one having received less yellow and red cards. As a last resort, the youngest player will be designated best striker.

Perpetual Trophies – the following Trophies will be presented to the winning teams; Perpetual Cup Championship Trophies will be returned to the presentation area before the team departs the venue on the 6th of October 2025. It is the team manager’s responsibility to return the trophy. The 2025 Sydney International Cup Champion team name will be engraved on the perpetual trophy ready for SIC 2025. (A penalty and sanctions will apply for teams who fail to return their trophies in its original condition).

Cup Championship -Perpetual Trophy (return on the day) & Winners Trophy (keep)

Cup Runner Up – Runner’s Up Plate (keep)

Plate Winner – Silver Plate (keep)

Individual Medallions – will be given to all registered players on October 6th 2025 during the Official Awards Ceremony.

The SIC Organisers will take no responsibility for awards that teams do not collect during the ceremony. Awards will not be given to participants outside of the scheduled Awards Ceremony run sheet, and will not be posted to teams/participants after the event. Players must be in attendance at the Awards Ceremony to receive their award.

TECHNICAL AREA & WARM UP ZONE
This is the space where:

• the players will warm up – Warm Up Zone
• the interchange players and team officials will sit while their team plays.

On the benches we will have :

• the 3 or more registered substitute players
• the Coach and Manager only – Official Accreditations to be worn

At the Match tables we will have:

• the Match Official

The area separating the pitches is reserved for the exclusive use of the SIC Competition Organising Committee.

The Coach and Manager commit to have gained knowledge of the SIC 2025 Competition Rules and commit themselves to respecting and applying them throughout the whole event.