The Build-Out Area - Small-Sided 7v7 Fields

The Build-Out Area on each half of the field is located between the Offside Line and the Goal Line and bound by the two touchlines.

The Build-Out Areas are designated for use only on the small-sided 7v7 playing fields and shall only be used for 8U/Passers & 10U/Wings matches.

SMALL-SIDED 7 v 7 BUILD-OUT AREA - 8U/Passers & 10U/Wings

The opposing team must move outside the Build-Out Area:

A. on all goal kicks;

B. on any defensive free kick taken anywhere within the Build-Out Area (and players must also move and remain at least 8-yards from the ball);

C. whenever the goalkeeper gains possession of the ball with their hands during play.

The opposing team’s players must remain outside the Build-Out Area until the ball is put back into play on all restarts within the Build-Out Area by the defending team.

A. On goal kicks the ball is in play when it is kicked and clearly moves.

B. On free kicks (DFK or IFK) taken from within the Penalty Area the ball is in play when it is kicked and clearly moves.

C. On free kicks (DFK or IFK) taken from outside the Penalty Area the ball is in play when it is kicked and clearly moves.

D. On goalkeeper possession the ball is play when:

(1) the ball is placed on the ground and kicked;

(2) the goalkeeper releases the ball by rolling it into play

(3) the goalkeeper releases the ball by throwing it into play

Goalkeepers have six (6) seconds to put the ball back into play once the ball is in their possession and all the opponents have moved outside the Build-Out Area.

After the ball is put back into play, the opposing team’s players may then move into the Build-Out Area and play resumes as normal.

Opponents who enter the Build-Out Area before the ball is put back into play are guilty of encroachment. The Referee should stop play and restart with an indirect free kick (IFK) at the spot of the encroachment.

Goalkeepers are not allowed to punt or drop-kick the ball. If the goalkeeper punts or drop-kicks the ball, an indirect free kick (IFK) is awarded to the opposing team at the spot of the offense.

At any time the defending team may put the ball back into play before their opponents have moved outside the Build-Out Area, but by doing so they accept the positioning of their opponents and the consequences of how play resumes.

In 10U/Wings division games players are not in an offside position when they are completely within the area between the two Offside Lines and thus cannot be guilty of being offside. Attacking players are in an offside position only when they are in an opponent’s half of the field between the Offside Line and the Goal Line, i.e. the Build-Out Area. There is still NO offside in 8U.

In addition, in the 8U/Passers and 10U/Wings divisions when any free kick is being taken by the kicking team from within their own Build-Out Area, players of the opposing team should move and remain outside the Build-Out Area, as well as being eight (8) yards from the ball. [See Law VIII].