VISION

Our mission is to create a pre-season and end-of-season environment where football players, coaches, managers, parents, and officials worldwide can compete and explore their potential while expressing their love of the game and respecting the values of camaraderie, respect and fair play. Let’s Play!

1. THE GENERIC LAWS

1.1 Players Registration

You will receive a link via the Cup Manager system to register your players.This registration must be completed by Sunday, 20th April.

Please note that only registered players will be allowed to compete.

When registering, you must:

• Enter each player’s full name
• Assign a shirt number to each player
  (If you don’t yet have confirmed numbers, you may use temporary numbers from 1 to 12)
• Include each player’s date of birth

Check in on Day 1:

• Each team manager must report to the AIC Reception for player registration checks.
• Each registered player will receive a wristband that must be worn during all matches. Players without a wristband will not be allowed to play.

1.2

Official Referees will officiate games.

The referee is the highest authority on the field of play and may suspend or terminate a match if persistent unsportsmanlike behaviour is observed from a team. While the referee will always seek to use all available means to maintain control and allow the game to continue, their decisions are final.

To support this, maximum collaboration is expected from everyone involved — players, coaches, and supporters — in line with the values promoted by the tournament.

1.3

Each team is expected to wear its home uniform.
In the event that both teams wear similar colours, which may cause confusion, the team listed as the ‘away’ team in the official draw will be required to wear bibs.
Bibs will be provided by the Auckland International Cup and distributed by the match referee.

2. The Teams Competition Phase:

Competition Format – Auckland International Cup 2025

We’re excited to welcome all participating teams to the Auckland International Cup! Below is a breakdown of the tournament format for each age category:

2.1

⚽ Categories:

• U9, U10, U12: 16 teams per category

• U11: 24 teams

2.2

📋 U9, U10, and U12 Format:

Group Stage:

• 4 groups of 4 teams each

• Round-robin format (each team plays 3 matches)
  

Playoffs:

• All teams progress to the playoff stage
  

• Teams are matched based on group stage rankings

• Winners of the first playoff round advance to the AIC Gold Cup

• Losers move into the AIC Silver Cup

• Both Gold and Silver competitions continue with Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Finals

📋 U11 Format:

Group Stage:

• 4 groups of 6 teams each

• Round-robin format (each team plays 5 matches)
  

Playoffs:

• The top 3 teams from each group (12 teams total) qualify for the AIC Gold Cup
• Bottom 3 teams from each group qualify for the AIC Silver Cup

AIC Gold Cup:

• The 1st place team in each group advances directly to the Quarterfinals

• 2nd and 3rd place teams enter the Round of 16

AIC Silver Cup:

• The 4th-place team in each group advances directly to the Quarterfinals

• 5th and 6th place teams enter the Round of 16

This format guarantees many competitive matches for every team, while providing a clear path through both Gold and Silver divisions. We’re looking forward to a weekend of football, fun, and fair play!

2.3

The pool matches: Two 15-minute halves with a 1-minute break.

Playoffs Gold and Silver Cup: Two 20-minute halves with a 2-minute break.

2.4

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

2.5

Rankings and tiebreakers after the round-robin phase.

The following order determines the position on the table:

1. The most significant 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

The knockout format allows winning teams to progress towards the final and losing teams

to proceed to 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.

In the event of a penalty shootout to decide a match, a ‘sudden death’ format will be used:
If one team scores in a round and the other team misses, the shootout ends immediately, and the team that scored is declared the winner.

2.6

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.

2.7

The player will automatically be suspended for any red-card violation in 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.

Whatever the situation is, the AIC Competition Organization Committee reserves the right to increase the penalty.

2.8

U9/U10: A team must have at least five players to begin a match. 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 has not enough players to finish the game (5 players), it will lose the match by forfeit.

U11/U12: A team must have at least seven players to begin a match. If expulsions occur during a match, a minimum of 7 players per team is required to continue the game for the match to continue. If a team has not enough players to finish the game (7 players), it will lose the match by forfeit.

2.9

All disputes will be analyzed by a commission designated by the AIC Competition Organizing Committee. The AIC Competition Organizing Committee reserves the right to punish teams during and outside the competition. Any protests must be made in writing by the team manager. Protests must be delivered to the AIC Official Competition Desk no later than 90 minutes after the match. 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.

2.10

All players must have their Proof of Age included with their registration form 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 must present themselves to the AIC Official Desk to be re-registered and purchase a new wristband at least 60 minutes before their next game.

2.11

Teams are required to be next to the Field Number Flag ten minutes before kickoff. Five minutes before kickoff, the referees will lead the teams onto the field on the sound of the tournament song.

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

2.12

The Playing Pitch

U9/U10

The dimensions of the pitch will be:

Length: 50M – Width: 32M

Goal dimensions: Width: 4M 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.

U11/U12

The dimensions of the pitch will be:

Length: 70M – Width: 50M

Goal dimensions: Width: 5M x 2M

The offside line will be located from the halfway line

The penalty mark will be located 9 meters from the goal line.

2.13

The Ball

All Categories Matches will be played with a size four ball.

2.14

Kick-Off and Resumption of Play

The players on the opposing team, during a kick-off, will retreat behind the offside mark until the kick-off has occurred. The ball is live once it is in play.

2.15

Fouls and Misconduct:

Identical to those for 11-a-side football, except for the following modifications:

• Any fouls committed inside the penalty area will result in a penalty kick.
• If the referee determines that a foul occurred outside the penalty area, it will be penalized with an indirect free kick.

Goalkeeper Restrictions:

• The goalkeeper is not allowed to kick the ball directly from their hands (including drop kicks or drop shots on goal).

   

• If this rule is violated, an indirect free kick will be awarded, taken perpendicularly from the offside line.

   

• If the goalkeeper catches the ball with their hands following a deliberate pass from a teammate’s foot, this will also result in an indirect free kick, taken perpendicularly from the offside line.
  

Free Kick Rules:

• • All free kicks are indirect.
  • Opposing players must maintain a distance of 6 meters from the ball when the kick is taken.

2.16

Penalty Kicks

U9/U10 Categories: Penalty kicks will be made at a distance of 7 meters.

U11/U12 Categories: Penalty kicks will be made at a distance of 9 meters.

In addition to the player taking the penalty and the goalkeeper, all other players must remain outside the penalty area while the kick is being taken, under the referee’s supervision.

2.17

TROPHIES and Medals

Individual Trophies

Each age category will be awarded with the following distinctions on the last day of the category(From AIC GOLD CUP):

– Ballon d’Or (MVP)

– Golden Boot

– Golden Glove

A Technical Commission will judge these awards. 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 fewer 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 fewer yellow and red cards. The youngest player will be designated the best striker as a last resort.

Trophies – the following Trophies will be presented to the winning teams;

AIC GOLD CUP Championship Trophies (keep)

AIC SILVER CUP Championship Trophies (keep)

Individual Medallions – will be given to all registered players on the last day of the category during the Official Awards Ceremony.

No arrangement will be made to hand out or post Awards or Medallions before or after the Official Awards Ceremony.

2.18

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 three 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 AIC Competition.

2.19

Medical Services
First aid assistance is available on-site.

2.20

The Coach and Manager commit to learning the AIC 2025 Competition Rules and respecting and applying them throughout the event.