Rules for Women's H-Town CUP:  April 03-04, 2021.  Houston, TX, USA.   Last updated:  February 17, 2021.

Format:  Each team will be guaranteed to play 3 games in the first round.  The top 8 teams will advance to the Q-Finals, which will be single elimination. 

The team check-in will be the Friday before the tournament and it starts from 7pm to 9pm at the facilities where the tournament will be at.  Players do not need to be present.

1 PLAYER REGISTRATION: All players must be registered on their teams' registration form before the player participates in a game. Any team or player determined by the event director to have falsified the name, age or skill level will be dismissed from the tournament. All players must carry identification proof, i.e.: driver’s license, passport, etc.  The document must be an original and must have the players name, birthdate and a recent picture.   The team must produce the identification proof immediately upon request from the tournament officials.
2 ROSTERS: All rosters are final once it is turned in on Friday night at check-in.  No player may participate in a game unless she is registered in the official roster form.  The tournament will provide each player with bracelets, which the players must wear at all time.   Roster Form.
3 NUMBER OF PLAYERS: The the team registration fee of $750 includes the free registration of 18 players.  If a team wants to register more than 18 players and up to 35 players, the team must pay the following:
$30 extra per player if registered the day of check-in or before,
$50 extra per player if registered on Saturday.
$100 extra per player if registered on Sunday.
4 GENDER: No males will be allowed to participate in any female divisions, except co-ed division. Females may play in male divisions.
5 EQUIPMENT: All players must wear shin guards and may not wear anything deemed dangerous to the referee or tournament officials. Teams are responsible for providing game balls (at least one acceptable game ball per game).
6 UNIFORMS: All teams must have at least two different set of uniforms (distinct colors).  If in the opinion of the referee both teams have similar colors, then the home team must change colors.  All uniforms must have different numbers on the back of at least 8 inches high.
7 FIELD DIMENSIONS: They will be specify by FIFA regulations.
8 Referee Fee: Each team must pay $80 before each first round game at the main table ($100 per game after that).  At that time, the team will receive a game roster form, which will be filled in by the team and turned in to the referee before the game begins.  There will be at least 3 referees per game.  Without this paid and filled in form, the referees will not start the game.
9 GAME DURATION: The duration of the game shall be 30 minutes per half with a 5-minute half-time. Pool games tied after regulation play may end in a tie. Playoff games cannot end tied.
10 PLAYOFF OVERTIME: There will no be additional time in games where a winner must be determined.  The game will go directly into penalty kicks if there is tie at end of regular time (5 penalty kicks).
11 SCORING (IN POOL PLAY): 3 points for a win; 1 point for a tie and 0 points for a loss. A forfeit by a team is scored as 3-0 win.  A double forfeit will be scored as a 0-0 tied.  A team must be present to be able to win by forfeit.
12 TIEBREAKERS: In pool play, ties between two or more teams will be broken by; 1)  points; 2) goal difference in pool play; 3) most goals scored for in pool play; 4) head to head results between tied teams; 5) coin flip.
13 PLAYER EJECTION (RED CARD): Referees have the right to eject a player from the game for continual disobedience or as a result of an incident that warrants sending the player off. A RED CARD in a game (or two yellow cards), implies a suspension of at least 1 game unless the player is eligible to pay a fine.   The tournament offcials may expell a player from the tournament or give a suspension of more than 1 game.  A player that received a red card in a game, may play the following game if a $60 fine is paid if the tournament officials determine that the red card was not grave.
14 Yellow Cards: A player that receives a single yellow card in two different games will be suspended in the next game unless he is re-instated by paying the corresponding fine.    The fine in this circumstance is $60.
15 SPORTSMANSHIP: Players, coaches and spectators are expected to act in the nature of good sportsmanship at all times. Abuse of the referees will not be tolerated. Any instance of such conduct will disqualify the responsible team from the event. 
16 PROTEST: A team may protest a game.  The protest form will be available at the tournament and must be filled in.  Please note that a referee decisions (such as if a play was a foul or not, handball, offside, etc.)  may not be protested.   The cost to protest a game is of $250 and must be done to the tournament officials within 2 minutes of the end of the game.
17 Substitutions: There will be free substitutions, which means a team may have an unlimited number of substitutions during the game and a player that was substituted out may go back into the game.
18 Awards: $7,500 in Total Awards:
-- 1st and 2nd: team trophy, indivudual medals. 1st: $6,000.00 cash, 2nd: $1,500.00 cash.
19. At check-in, each team must turn in a filled-in roster form.  The form is located at the tournament's website (print it and fill it in).  It is not necessary for the players to be there.
20. Each player will receive a wristband at check-in (given to the coach).  This wrist band must be weared by the player at all times during the game and it is good for both days.
21. At the bench, only the registered players and 5 (five) coaches and assistant coaches may be present.
22. There will not be waiting time, the games will start on time.   The referee may start the game clock if both teams are at the field, but not ready to start the game.   There will not be a coin flip except on the finals.   The home team will choose the side of the field and the visitor team will kick-off.
23. Each team must be ready at the fields at least 30 minutes before game time at the field so they be checked in by the referee of tournament officials.   The teams must already have the filled in roster form, which will be given after paying the referee fee at the main tent.
24. Teams and players may bring in food or beverages inside the park.


For any questions about the tournament, please text Juan E. Vasquez-Ani at 713-210-9090.

Return to the tournament's website.