THE FOLLOWING RULES AND GUIDELINES ARE REQUIRED TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALL Teams, Team Officials and Players
All teams must have two representatives in the ABPL committee and an active participation is needed by all members.
All teams must follow the League Format, Point Distribution rules and all other related rules as provided by the ABPL Committee.
All teams should have its own Viber group to communicate with its players and should provide a list of available players/line up at least five (5) hours before the game starts (no later than 1pm CST on every Sunday).
Teams should ensure that all of their players get an opportunity to play when they are available (for at least 30 minutes out of the 80 minute long game). However, this rule needs to be followed during the first two phases of the league (6 games). During the last phase (3 games), teams may select their best 12 (plus few subs) and play with that lineup.
It is highly recommended that teams communicate with the players for their availability ahead in time and complete the team list by 1pm CST on game day.
Teams should ensure that all of its players have similar jerseys. It’s up to the team if they would order jerseys for all their players or not, but they have to ensure that all players will wear the jersey/shirt of same color.
Teams should ensure that substitute players only enter the field of play at the halfway line and a player should leave the field first before the substitute enters the field. Teams will be held responsible if they put more players on the field (even if it happens accidentally). For example, during game runtime if a team by mistake put one additional player in the field and they score while they have that extra player in the field, then that goal will be disqualified.
3-Goal Difference rule (currently under review): If one team goes up by 3 goals, then the opposing team must add 1 additional field player to the game. If the opposing team then score and goal difference becomes 2, then they need to drop that extra player (or drop any player so that both teams start playing again with equal number of player)
If a team fails to participate in a game, then the other team will earn an automatic 1-0 win and 3 points.
Rules Regarding Rainout Games
If it is heavily raining (/thunderstorm) and it becomes obvious that the game could not take place, then teams will not have to come to the field and the game will be considered as a 0-0 draw with both teams will be awarded a point each.
If the weather is cloudy and there’s a possibility of rain, then all teams must show up to the game. At the field, the referee will decide if the weather conditions or the field conditions are playable or not. If the referee decides that the conditions are not playable (and may discuss with ABPL Committee), then the game will be called off and both teams will be awarded a 0-0 draw.
However, for both the above situations (1&2), if both teams decide to play the game in the weekdays (before their next Sunday game), then the game will take place on the any of the weekdays. However, both teams need to agree to it. If one team agrees and other team don’t, then the game will be considered as 0-0 draw.
ABPL Committee recommends that teams agree to play the washed out game on a weekdays. If enough players are not available, then try to play the game in 7 vs 7 format and in smaller goal-post.
Rules Regarding Team Line UP/Formation
All games are expected to be 12 vs 12 game when both teams have all their players.
It is important that games kick-off at their scheduled time. A game may begin with a minimum of 7 players although we encourage the other team to loan players in this instance.
Both teams should have minimum 7 players to start a game (6 players and one goal keeper).
If one team have 8 players and anther team have 7 players, then game will start at 8 vs 7. If another player from the first team arrives, then the first team will have to loan one player to the other team to make it 8 vs 8. If at that time, a player arrives for the first team, then first team can play with 9 players (this will continue until both teams have 12 players each).
Guest Player Rules
ABPL Committee will allow guest players but the Committee will decide for which team the player will play.
Guest player cannot be someone ( who lives in Austin) who is a friend of another player or a co-worker or classmate that you know or something similar. Only the following two types of players will be considered as guest player –
An individual (of Bangladeshi origin) who has recently moved to Austin from a different city/country after the league has started
A friend of one of our players, who does not live in Austin (visiting Austin and staying with the player who brought him). He needs to be of Bangladeshi origin.
Someone (we know) who has not signed up for a team when the league started but decided to participate in the middle of league.
Once a guest player is assigned to a team, it will be up to the team to decide whether he will play in the starting line up or as a substitute. However, when the team will have enough players available for that game, then guest player will not be permitted to play more than 50 minute of the game.
If there are too many players and a third “non-league” game has been arranged for additional players, then the ‘guest players’ will not be permitted to participate in the league game. They can only play the ‘non-league’ game.
Individual who brings the guest player must ensure that the guest player sign ABPL Waiver Form before they come to play.
Non-League Games
As each of the four teams now have 22 or more players in their team, and every Sunday the two regular games can accommodate 48 people maximum (in the starting lineup), if too many players show up on the same day, then ABPL Committee may have to ask some players to play by themselves in a separate field as non-league games. Any player who would choose or be sent to play the non-league games should be automatically in the team’s starting line up in their next game (/when they are available for their next game).
