Fixtures & Format

In order to maximise your playing time on the pitch we will be playing the following formats for each age group:

• U7/U8 Group – 5 teams will play a round robin tournament of 8-minute one-way matches during both weeks.
• U9/10 Group – 5 teams will play a round robin tournament of 8-minute one-way matches during both weeks.

All our fixtures, results and league tables will be available via our online Score Centre. This can be accessed by going to www.pitchscores.co.uk and will be available approximately a few days before the event itself. Our event team will be updating these throughout the event you can keep track via your phone.

• All teams will play 3v3 (Squad of 6 players, but only 4 can play each week). This allows you to register 6 players over the course of both weeks in case players can’t make each session.

Arrival

• On arrival at the school please make your way to the sports hall. This is buzzer access so please wait outside and our staff will come and let you in.
• Please do not arrive more than 10 minutes before your start session in order for us to setup the sessions and ensure we finish one before starting the next.
• Parents are welcome to attend but must stay in the designated spectator area and we ask that no coaching happens from them.

Team Sheets

• All teams are required to submit a team sheet on arrival to the event staff.
• Strictly no academy players allowed to play in this competition. Any team found to be playing an academy player may be disqualified.
• Teams are based on 2025/26 age groups.

Medals & Presentation

• Teams will be playing for the championship trophy over two weeks. Winners of the competition will receive medals and the winners trophy.

On the Day Expectations

• We want everyone to enjoy their day out with us and as such we expect that all teams are responsible for all persons within their party. Our staff should not be expected to police your own spectators and we reserve the right to ask anyone who causes disruption or disregard to the festival nature of the day to leave.

These rules are ‘tournament rules’ and are in addition to the ‘Laws of association football’, ‘The laws of mini-soccer football’, ‘Walking Football Laws of the Game’ and ‘Beach Soccer Laws of the Game’ where applicable. A copy of these Laws can be downloaded from the FA website.

Rule 1 – COMPETITION NAME

i) The name of the Competition shall be the:
Pitchside Football – 3v3 Championships
ii) The competition shall be affiliated to Lincolnshire County Football Association.
iii) The Competition will comprise teams in the following age groups:
U7-U12 (based on 2025-26 season)

Rule 2 – ENTRY TO COMPETITION

i) Entry to the competition is by invitation of the Management Committee.
ii) Any team withdrawing from the competition after having accepted the invitation for entry will forfeit its entry fee, unless otherwise directed by the Management Committee.

Rule 3 – MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

The competition shall be governed by a Management Committee who shall be responsible for the running of the competition. The Management Committee’s decision on any of the Competition Rules, or on any matter not covered by the rules, shall, subject to Rule 9 and 10, be final and binding.

Rule 4 – QUALIFICATION OF PLAYERS

i) All players must be registered with the competition on the Competition Registration Form available for download from the website.
ii) No player who is under a County FA or any Affiliated Organisation suspension is eligible to play in the competition.
iii) No player who is registered for an academy is allowed to compete. A registered player for an academy in this context means they have a signed contract with a professional club.
iv) In the event of player ineligibility proof of age may be required. This can be in the form of your Whole Game team sheet or identifiable documentation.
v) No player who has not attained the age of 6 will be allowed to play.

Rule 5 – TEAMS

i) A maximum number of players per team are set out below and no player shall play for more than one competing team. All players must be within the correct age group.

• All Age Groups – 3v3 (6 players – Only 4 players allowed per week)

ii) In the event of a colour clash the second named team shall change colours. No team shall wear black or very dark shirts.

Rule 6 – SUBSTITUTES

Substitutes will be on a roll-on/roll-off basis with the permission of the referee.

Rule 7 – MATCH RULES AND FORMAT

i) The competition will be played on a “Festival” League basis for all age groups.
There will be 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for a defeat.
In the event of two or more teams having the same number of points their position shall be decided on:
(a) goal difference (b) goal scored (c) Head to head (d) deciding match/es played under the conditions as laid down by the Management Committee
ii) All teams will play a maximum of:

• U7/8 60 minutes per day
• U9/10 90 minutes per day
• U11/12/13/14/15/16 120 minutes per day

iii) Games during week 1 will play as normal. Games during week 2 will be handicapped based on the position teams finish during the 1st week. Teams that finish lower on Week 1 start Week 2 matches with a goal advantage over higher-ranked teams.
For example if you finish the group in 1st place when you play the 5th place team on week 2 you’ll start 3-0 down. The criteria for this is if you are more than 3 positions different you will start 3-0, if 2 positions you’ll start 2-0 and 1 position you’ll start 1-0.

Rule 8 – REFEREES

Registered Referees shall be appointed to matches. Referees will wear black uniforms.

Rule 9 – PROTESTS AND APPEALS

i) All questions of eligibility, qualifications of players or interpretation of the Rules shall be referred to the Management Committee within 15 minutes of the game or decision being made.
ii) Any dispute occurring between teams in the competition shall be referred to the Management Committee whose decision shall be final and binding on all parties.

Rule 10 – MISCONDUCT

i) Referees shall report to the County Football Association all case of serious misconduct (ie. Breaches of Law 12 or of FA Rule and/or Regulation).
ii) Cautionable offences should be reported to the Competition Management Committee who shall record such against the name of the player, who should they receive two cautions in the competition should be excluded from the next applicable fixture.
iii) Any player who has been sent from the Field of Play for an offence covered in above shall be banned for the next match. If a player commits an offence deemed to be ‘assault’ or cause serious injury they will be expelled from the tournament.

Rule 11 – POWERS OF THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

Any other Rules or issues that are not contained in the Rules will be dealt with and covered by the Management Committee.

RULE 12 – SAFEGUARDING, PHOTOGRAPHY AND SOCIAL MEDIA

Our safeguarding, photography and social media policies and procedures can be found on our website:

• https://pitchsidefootball.co.uk/safeguarding/
• https://pitchsidefootball.co.uk/policies/ 

3v3 Playing Rules

The rules for 3v3 are available here: https://pitchsidefootball.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/3v3-Playing-Rules.pdf

John Whitgift Academy, Crosland Rd, Grimsby DN37 9EH

Car Parking

• The academy has a large car park situated directly outside the sport hall.