A. If a team does not have at least seven players at the field at game time, checked in, and in uniform, the game will be declared a forfeit. At the scheduled kickoff, the referee will bring players on to the field; if after one minute, a team has not lined up on the field and made themselves ready to begin, the referee may caution the captain of the team for delaying the start of the game.
B. Any team viewed to be at fault for causing a match to be abandoned (in the opinion of the referees at the field) will automatically forfeit the match, no matter what the score of the match at the time of the abandonment.
C. If a team cannot field a team for a scheduled match (at least seven players for full-sided matches, at least five players for 7v7 matches), then that team will forfeit the match. Such games will NOT be rescheduled. In order to avoid the forfeiture fee, that coach is responsible for contacting the league by completing the
Forfeit Submission Form to give notice of the cancellation at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled kick-off. Any team giving less than 48 hours notice of not being able to field a team will be responsible for the $200 referee match fee. (GMSA games are ONLY rescheduled in case of weather-related postponement.) If fields are declared playable (by the Mike Rose Soccer Complex, and subsequently by the referee at the field), all matches will be played as scheduled.
(GMSA does not reschedule matches to a later date, simply because a team cannot field enough players.)
D. For "unplayed" games (where a team does not show up with at least seven players, or does not give the minimum notice for cancellations that are declared forfeits), the team causing the forfeit will be responsible for the FULL referee match fee of 200 (which is the $100 that each team would normally pay.) In those cases where the league was to sponsor the referee fees (such as advanced tournament games), the forfeiting team must pay the $200 fee back to the league.
E. The forfeiture fees must be paid within 15 days of the date of the forfeited game. If not paid, all games following the 15-day period (beginning on the following day) will be cancelled and declared forfeits until the forfeit fee is paid. (NOTE: For teams having posted a $200 forfeiture bond, that money is surrendered to the league and the standard $180 forfeit fee must still be paid per standard GMSA policy.)
F. The score of a forfeited match is usually recorded as 2-0. Should the team causing the abandonment of a match be trailing by a margin greater than 2-0, then the score at the time of the abandonment may be allowed to stand, if it is to the statistical advantage of the winning team. If both teams are viewed to be equally at fault, then GMSA shall rule that either (a) the match will be declared a double-forfeit, or (b) the score of the match at the time of the abandonment will stand as the final score.
G. Teams who incur a “no-show forfeit” three times in the same season (meaning that the team does not show up with at least seven players without giving required notice) shall be expelled from the remainder of league competition. The team in question is still responsible for repaying the forfeit fees incurred for these matches. Should payment not be made, individual players from that team will not be allowed to re-register for other teams during the following season, unless they pay their “percentage” of the fees still owed. (i.e., players on a team with a 20 man roster that owes $400 in forfeit fees will not be allowed to re-register with another team until they pay an extra $20 to the league, over and above standard registration fees.)
H. Teams who are unable to field a team for each potential tournament game must notify the league prior to the commencement of the tournament. If a team finds that they cannot field a team for any tournament match, then the standard 48-hour notice and forfeiture fees still apply. The league has the right to substitute a team in the spot of the forfeiting team. Additionally, the league has the right to declare forfeits in any or all prior tournament matches, and record those games as a 2-0 loss.
