OBGC House Soccer Standings, Playoffs and Tie-Breaking Procedures
Standings Overview
Standings will be kept for each league (boys and girls) by age group (U10, U12 and U14).
The only purpose for standings is to determine the team rankings at the end of the regular season which
establishes the match-ups for the playoffs. All teams will make the playoffs.
The new standings and playoff seed procedures described below are intended to promote fair, competitive and
fun play – and discourage teams from feeling the need to “run up the score”.
We will be using the outcomes of games as recorded by the referees to drive the standings. In the outlier case
where a referee isn’t available and a game is played, both coaches from the game are asked to send the results
to [email protected]. Coaches may still be asked for confirmation; and coaches are responsible for
checking the standings regularly to ensure there are no errors.
Standings Display
The current standings of the teams in the league will be kept up to date (beginning after the 2nd week of games)
on the House Soccer main page on the OBGC web site. Teams will be kept by team color and coach and the
standings will be shown in descending order of points during the regular season. Tie-breakers will not be
applied during the regular season. Teams which are tied will be shown in alphabetical order of their team
colors. Scores of games will not be displayed on the web site.
Points Calculation
Points are given as follows:



3 points for every game won
1 point for every game tied
0 points for every game lost
End of Regular Season Standings Order
At the end of the regular season, the final season standings will be determined by applying the following criteria
in order (resolving ties in this order)
1. Most points (using the calculation defined above)
2. Goal Difference 4 (per game, goals scored minus goals conceded, limited to a maximum of 4, for or
against)
3. Head-to-head matchups
4. Most wins
5. Least goals allowed
6. Coin flip
As you can see, goal differential is capped positively or negatively; coaches need to understand that we are
attempting to remove incentives for any team to continue scoring after the outcome of a game is no longer in
doubt.
Page 1 of 3
Playoffs and Trophies
Just to reiterate: All teams make the playoffs, regardless of record or standing. Also, all teams will continue to
play games throughout the playoffs whether they won or lost the previous game.
Once the playoffs begin, the winners of the games will continue in the championship bracket. Once a team has
lost a game in the playoffs, it will not have a chance to win the championship.
Trophies will be given to the two teams in each age group that make the championship game.
Playoff Seeds and Rounds
Playoff seeds are determined by using the 1-N ranking obtained with the final season standings.
There are two conditions:
1. A league has a number of teams which are a power of 2 (e.g. 4 teams, 8 teams)
a. In this case, Playoffs begin with round 1 and the seedings are:
i. For a 4 team league: Seed #1 plays Seed #4; Seed #2 plays Seed #3
ii. For an 8 team league: Seed #1 plays Seed #8; Seed #2 plays Seed #7; Seed #3 plays Seed
#6; Seed #4 plays Seed #5
b. The other rounds of the playoffs should be statically seeded (there is no dynamic re-seeding
after each round). For example, if all match-ups went according to form in an 8 team league,
Seed #1 would play Seed #4 in round 2. However, if Seed #8 beat Seed #1 in the first round,
Seed #8 would play Seed #4 in round 2 (effectively taking their slot).
2. A league has a number of teams which are not a power of 2 (e.g. 6 teams, 10 teams, 12 teams)
a. In this case, Playoffs begin with round zero which is necessary to get the teams down to a power
of 2.
i. For a 6 team league: Seed #3 plays Seed #6; Seed #4 plays Seed #5; Seed #1 and Seed #2
get a bye into Playoff round 1. In round 1, Seed #1 would play the winner of Seed #4 vs.
Seed #5. Seed #2 would play the winner of #3 vs. #6.
ii. For a 10 team league: Seed #7 plays Seed #10; Seed #8 plays Seed #9. In the next round,
Seed #1 would play the winner of #8 vs. #9; Seed #2 would play the winner of #7 vs. #10.
iii. For a 12 team league: Seed #5 plays Seed #12; Seed #6 plays Seed #11; Seed #7 plays
Seed #10; Seed #8 plays Seed #9. In the next round, Seed #1 plays winner of #8 vs. #9;
Seed #2 plays winner of #7 vs. #10; Seed #3 plays winner of #6 vs. #11; Seed #4 plays
winner of #5 vs. #12.
iv. For leagues with an odd number of teams, a similar procedure will be followed with a
round zero to get down to a power of 2.
b. Playoffs now continue with a round 1 that has teams which are a power of 2.
When a team loses in the playoffs, it is no longer part of the championship bracket, but it will continue to play
games throughout the playoff timeframe.
Playoff Procedures
Obviously playoff games cannot end in a tie, therefore in the event a game ends in a tie:
Page 2 of 3
1) See the OBGC House Soccer Rule modifications document for the length of the overtime periods (based on
age group) during the playoffs. Do a coin toss before the start of overtime. Winner of toss loses ball but selects
goal to defend.
2) If the tie remains after overtime a five player shoot out must occur (i.e., all five players from each team
shoot), using only the players on the field at the end of the overtime. Do another coin toss to determine who
kicks first in penalty kicks.
3) If the tie still remains then continue with single player shoot outs beginning with the remaining players that
were on the field at the end of the overtime, i.e., players 6, 7 and 8. Single player shoot outs continue until the
tie is broken. No player is allowed a second attempt until all team members have made an attempt.
The goalie shall remain in place throughout the entire shoot out (but, as a player on the field, can be one of the
players shooting). Prior to the overtime commencing the goalie can be substituted and the maximum one half
per goalie rule is suspended in this situation only. The goalie used during overtime must remain in goal if shoot
outs proceed.
Additional FIFA information on procedures for a Penalty Kick
FIFA Penalty Kick Procedure (aka, Shoot out)
• At the end of the five minute overtime, if still tied, all players on the field will meet at the center circle with the
referee and 1 coach from each team (all other players MUST remain on the sideline).
• Each team will select five players to participate in the shootout. These five players will move out of the center
circle to a position part way between the center circle and the 18 yard box. At this point the coaches MUST
move back to the sideline for the duration of the penalty kicks.
• The team to take the first kick is decided by a coin toss and the referee chooses the goal at which the kicks are
taken. All kicks are taken at one goal to ensure that both teams' kick-takers and goalkeepers face the same pitch
irregularities (if any).
• Each kick is taken in the general manner of a penalty kick. Each kick is taken from the penalty mark, with the
goal defended only by the opposing goalkeeper. The goalkeeper must remain between the goal-posts on his
goal-line until the ball has been kicked, although he can jump in place, wave his arms, move side to side along
the goal line or otherwise try to distract the shooter.
The correct position, after placing the ball on the PK spot, is for the Referee to be on the goal line observing
whether the ball completely crosses the plane.
Each kicker can kick the ball only once per attempt. If the ball is saved by the goalkeeper the kicker cannot score
from the rebound (unlike a normal penalty kick). Similarly, if the ball bounces off the goal posts, the kicker
cannot score from the rebound.
Important Notes about the Playoffs
The Dominance rule remains in effect during the playoffs. See the OBGC House Soccer Rule modifications for
details.
Overtime length is specified in the Game Length section in the OBGC House Soccer Rule modifications
document.
Page 3 of 3