1.
The tournament is the HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens.
2.
The tournament is organised by the Hong Kong Football Club in conjunction with the Hong Kong Football Association and will be played in accordance with FIFA Laws of the Game except as amended within these rules and regulations.
3.
The tournament comprises matches between teams of seven players per side on a pitch that is approximately 90 metres in length by 55 metres in width. The offside law will not apply.
4.
The tournament is open to all clubs/teams, both local and overseas, that have been invited by the Organising Committee.
5.
All participating teams should note that by accepting an invitation to participate in this tournament, they are deemed to accept and agree to abide by these Rules and Regulations.
6.
The 2026 tournament will take place at the Hong Kong Football Club on Friday 22 May, Saturday 23 May and Sunday 24 May 2026. The draw will be made by the Organising Committee, which reserves the right to seed teams at their discretion.
7.
Player registration is required by each team and must be completed before or at the briefing meeting held at 2:30pm on Friday 22 May 2026. Player details, including tournament shirt numbers, should be provided on the prescribed forms along with proof of birth date and identity. Assigned tournament shirt numbers must remain consistent for each player across all home and change kits.
Teams in the Women’s Main competition may register a maximum of 10 players. All players must have reached the age of 16 by Friday 22 May 2026.8.
The tournament will be played on the following basis:
Women’s Main competition will feature three tiers: Cup, Shield, and Plate.
Women’s Main Competition
Will feature 8 teams, beginning with a league phase of two groups, each containing four teams, followed by a knockout phase.- League Phase - Each team will play all other teams in its group on Friday 22 May and Saturday 23 May
- Knockout Phase – Cup, Plate and Shield matches will be played on Sunday 24 May
Progression to Knockout Stages- Top two teams in each group will advance to the Cup semi-finals.
- -The losing teams from the Cup semi-finals will contest the Shield final.
- Third and fourth teams in each group will advance to the Plate semi-finals.
9.
The match schedule will be announced on the official website, www.hksoccersevens.com, in advance of the tournament.10.
Team sheets for each game must be handed to tournament officials at least 10 minutes before the kick-off of every game using the tournament team sheet pro forma. Team sheets shall contain the full names of all players and their shirt numbers. The team sheet shall identify separately the seven players who are to start each game and those who are available as substitutes. The registration officials will be located at the announcers’ desk in the main stand.
11.
Substitutions will be allowed at any time during the normal time period of a game up to a maximum of:- 3 players for the Women’s Main competition
Substitutes shall enter the field of play at the halfway line after the player they are replacing has left the field of play. Substituted players may not re-enter the field for that game.12.
No players are allowed to play for more than one team for any reason whatsoever.
13.
NEW RULE FOR 2026:
During normal time of all matches, teams must ensure at least one player (goalkeeper or outfield) remains in each half of the pitch at all times. Any infringement of this rule will result in an indirect free kick awarded to the opposition from the halfway line. Referees may play advantage instead of awarding a free-kick. Players committing deliberate or repeated offenses may be shown a yellow card. This rule does not apply to extra-time as described in Rule 20 (below).14.
In all league games, points will be awarded as follows:
Win - 3 points
Draw - 1 point to each team
Loss - 0 points
15.
If two or more teams tie for a place in the league tables, the team with the highest goal difference will be placed higher in the table. Should there still be a tie after applying this rule, the team with the highest number of goals for will be placed higher in the table. Should there still be a tie between two teams after applying this rule then the team placing in any league will be decided by a sudden-death playoff between four players as described in Rule 20 (below). If more than two teams are tied after applying the above rules, then league placings shall be decided by sudden-death penalty kicks.
16.
Each league game will last seven minutes each half with a one-minute break at half-time.
17.
Each game in the knockout phase of all competitions will last seven minutes each half with a one-minute break at half-time.
18.
The Cup final in the Women’s Main competition will last 10 minutes each half with a three-minute break at half-time. All other finals will last 7 minutes each half with a one-minute break at half-time.
19.
Timekeeping for each game will be at the sole discretion of the referee in charge for that game.
20.
In the event of a draw at the final whistle of any knockout game, extra-time will be played.
Extra-time will take the form of a sudden-death playoff between four players from each of the two teams for a period of up to a maximum of four minutes with the ‘golden goal’ rule applying, i.e. the first team to score will be declared the winner.
Any four players from the registered squad can be selected to start in the sudden-death extra-time period.
If a player has been sent off in normal time prior to extra-time, they are ineligible to play in the extra-time period. The team that has not had a player sent off will carry forward a one-player advantage in the extra-time enabling them to field five players instead of four.
The kick-off in a sudden-death playoff will be by way of a ‘drop-ball’ at the centre-line.
If there is no score at the end of the four minutes, teams will then be further reduced by one player (e.g. 4 to 3) and sudden-death will continue up to a maximum of three minutes with the ‘golden goal’ rule also continuing.
Any three players from the registered squad can be selected to start in this additional sudden-death extra-time period.
If this additional period of extra-time has not produced a winner, the winner will be decided by a sudden-death penalty kick format by the three remaining players of each team, i.e. penalty kicks will continue until one team has scored more goals than the other from the same number of kicks, at which point that team will be declared the winner.
Teams will have a one-minute break to determine their starting lineups for extra-time periods.21.
Times shown on the draw are indicative only. The tournament normally can run ahead of schedule. Team managers and captains are advised to always be available and to check with tournament officials on the next scheduled game.
22.
Team officials are responsible for getting their team on the field by the time shown on the draw or as advised by the tournament officials. Five minutes grace for late arrivals may be permitted at the discretion of the tournament officials, but after this time has elapsed the team on the field ready to play will receive a walkover with three match points and two goals for. A minimum of five registered players must be on the field for a match to commence.
23.
If a player is shown a red card by the referee, they will be suspended from the subsequent game in which their team plays. Any player accumulating two red cards will be banned from the tournament. Any player accumulating two yellow cards will be suspended for the next game. Thereafter, any player who has already received two yellow cards and a match suspension will receive a match suspension for any other yellow card shown to them during the day’s play. Yellow cards do not carry over from the league phase to the knock out phase, i.e. all players commence Sunday’s play with no yellow cards on their record.24.
All matches will be officiated by the Hong Kong Chinese Football Referees Association. Their decision on the field is final and no appeal against their decision will be entertained.
25.
In the event of clash of kit colours, the first-named team in the draw shall change. Teams are expected to bring two full kits of contrasting colours for the tournament. No team will be allowed to play without jerseys or with unnumbered jerseys.
26.
The Organising Committee reserves the right to alter the format of the tournament due to inclement weather conditions.
27.
All disputes, queries or objections not covered by the above rules shall be referred to the Organising Committee whose decisions shall be final and binding.
28.
The Hong Kong Football Club officials and employees and the Soccer Sevens Organising Committee accept no responsibility for any damage or loss or injury caused to participant players or spectators during the duration of the tournament.
29.
Clubs/teams are strongly advised to ensure that their players are adequately insured. The Hong Kong Football Club, however, will provide touchline physiotherapy assistance when and if required and a tournament doctor will be in attendance during all three days of competition.
30.
In the event of an injury to a goalkeeper, the Organising Committee, at their discretion, may allow a replacement goalkeeper to be registered during the tournament.
Event Manager
