Rules
A-League rules: 6-a-side football, cards and the Killing Message
The official rules of the league, as written by A-League: team size, match duration, cards, match rules, the Killing Message and the power of the fans.
The essentials
The rules at a glance
6
players per side, including the goalkeeper
2 × 15 min
two halves of 15 minutes
3 min
off the pitch for a yellow card
1
Killing Message per half
The match
How a match is played
Team size
6 players per side, including goalkeepers.
Match duration
15 minutes first half and 15 minutes second half.
Starting
A ball will be at the center and every player will stay in their goalkeeper box to collect the ball and play in every half.
Discipline
The cards
Yellow card
- The player goes off for 3 minutes.
- He pays a fine.
- A player can get 2 yellow cards and still be in the game.
- With 3 yellow cards, he is eligible for a red card and is sent off the pitch.
Red card
- The player is directly sent off.
- He pays a fine.
- He is able to play the next game if the team pays his card.
Match rules
The match rules
- 01Yellow card
Hands
The keeper is the only person allowed to touch the ball with the hands, in his surface area. Any player who touches the ball with the hand during the game gets a straight yellow card.
- 02Yellow card
Dangerous contact
Any strong or dangerous physical contact during the game can be blown as a yellow card, depending on the referee’s and fans’ decisions.
- 03Yellow card
No slide tackles
No slide tackles during the game. A slide tackle is equal to 2 yellow cards.
- 04Yellow card
No headers
Outfield players should not head the ball. Heading the ball during the game is a straight yellow card.
- 05Red card
Three yellow cards
A player with 3 yellow cards is eligible for a red card and will be sent off the pitch.
- 06
The goalkeeper stays in his box
The goalkeeper is not allowed to leave his box. Only a KM can give a goalkeeper the freedom to leave his box.
- 07
Fans can cancel a card
Fans are able to cancel a card given by the referee during the game.
- 08
When KMs are used
KMs are used during every half (5 minutes to half-time).
- 09
Who uses the first KM
The captain of the team that scores first is the first person to use a KM, during the first half, and the captain of the second team will use a KM at the end of the second half.
- 10
A 3rd KM voted by fans
Fans are able to vote for a 3rd KM during the game and give it to a team, only if the winning team is leading by 3 goals or more.
- 11Penalty
The goalkeeper box
No outfield players should be in the goalkeeper box. Any player in the goalkeeper box will be blown as a penalty (this applies only if the player and the goalkeeper are in the same team).
- 12
Goals count double
During the first 5 minutes of a game, every goal will be counted twice. A bell will be rung to tell players the end of the 5 minutes.
The KM
The Killing Message (KM)
A Killing Message is a message that should be used by the captain of a team. It is used at the end of every half (5 minutes to the end of the half).
The captain of the team that scores first is the first person to use a KM, during the first half, and the captain of the second team will use a KM at the end of the second half. Fans are able to vote for a 3rd KM during the game and give it to a team, only if the winning team is leading by 3 goals or more.
A Killing Message can include:
- A red card to a team, and the team will decide who to remove.
- A 1 vs 1, 2 vs 2, 3 vs 3, 4 vs 4 during the last 5 minutes of the half. Goalkeepers are allowed to leave their box.
- 1-3 penalty.
- A double goal (a goal can count as 3 during the last 5 minutes of the half).
- A reduction of 2 goals in your final score.
- The cancellation of a red card in the captain’s team (if no red card was given, the team can use it for the future).
- An addition of 2 goals in the final score.
The fans
The power of the fans
Cancel a card
Fans are able to cancel a card given by the referee during the game.
Judge contacts
Any strong or dangerous physical contact during the game can be blown as a yellow card, depending on the referee’s and fans’ decisions.
Vote for a 3rd KM
Fans are able to vote for a 3rd KM during the game and give it to a team, only if the winning team is leading by 3 goals or more.
A question about the rules?
Write to us: the A-League team will answer.