The 2019 U-15 Generation adidas Cup will be held at the home of FC Dallas in Frisco, TX from April 13 to March 20, 2019.
U-15 Division
MLS
- LAFC
- New York Red Bulls
- Philadelphia Union
- Toronto FC
LIGA MX
- CD Guadalajara
- CF Monterrey
- Club Leon
- Cruz Azul
1. PLAYER REGISTRATION
1.1. Player Eligibility
1.1.1. Each participating player must be a maximum of fifteen (15) years old by the end of the calendar year in which the Competition will conclude (i.e., all players were born on or after January 1, 2004).
1.1.2. By the time a Club registers for the Competition, each participating player who will compete for such Club must be duly registered with such Club and with the federation of the country in which such Club is located (e.g., United States Soccer Federation, Canadian Soccer Association), subject to the Guest Player initiative described below:
1.1.2.1. A maximum of three (3) guest players (each, a “Guest Player”) is eligible to compete for a Club, provided the federation of the country in which the Club is located holds the Guest Player’s International Transfer Certificate (“ITC”).
1.1.2.2. The Club must provide proof to MLS of each Guest Player’s ITC status (e.g., documentation from the federation of the country in which the Club is located that it holds the Guest Player’s ITC), the sufficiency of which shall be determined by the Competition Committee in its sole discretion.
1.1.3. All players must provide proof of identification upon registration for the Competition. An unexpired actual or color photo-copy passport (or other identification document, as determined by the Competition Committee in its sole discretion) will be the only accepted proof of identification.
1.2. Club Rosters
1.2.1. Each participating Club’s roster must have a minimum of eighteen (18) eligible players and a maximum of twenty (20) eligible players.
1.2.2. Extreme Hardship
1.2.2.1. “Extreme Hardship” is defined as one (1) of the following two (2) potential scenarios:
1.2.2.1.1. Fewer than two (2) available goalkeepers.
1.2.2.1.2. Fewer than sixteen (16) available outfield players.
1.2.2.2. In the event a Club qualifies for Extreme Hardship, it may add eligible players to reach the minimum of eighteen (18).
1.2.3. Roster Submissions
1.2.3.1. Provisional rosters for the Competition must be submitted via the online registration portal provided by MLS (the “Online Registration Portal”) by 5pm ET on Monday, April 1, 2019.
1.2.3.1.1. Rosters will freeze and become final at 5pm ET on Monday, April 15, 2019. At this time, no further changes will be accepted for the Competition except due to an Extreme Hardship. It is the responsibility of each Club to ensure that details for each of its players are complete and accurate in the Online Registration Portal by this date. Such details include, but are not limited to, player name, kit number, and date of birth.
1.2.4. Any use of an ineligible player will result in a forfeit.
2. COMPETITION FORMAT
2.1. All Clubs will compete in four (4) group stage matches (each, a “Group Stage Match”) and one (1) knockout stage match (the “Knockout Match”) pursuant to Section 2.2 below. Subject to performance in the Group Stage Matches, the Knockout Match may be the championship match (the “Finals”) or a performance-based match as dictated by the official 2019 GA Cup match schedule, pursuant to Section 2.2 below.
2.1.1. All matches will occur between Wednesday, April 17, 2019 through Saturday, April 20, 2019. Please refer to the official 2019 GA Cup match schedule for specific times.
2.2. A total of four (4) MLS Clubs and four (4) Liga MX Clubs shall compete in the U15 Division. Each MLS club shall play each Liga MX Club once during the Group Stage Matches. Thereafter, each MLS club shall play the corresponding Liga MX Club in the Knockout Match (i.e., the first place MLS Club from the Group Stage Matches shall play the first place Liga MX Club from the Group Stage Matches, such match which shall be the “Finals”, the second place MLS Club from the Group Stage Matches shall play the second place Liga MX Club from the Group Stage Matches, etc.).
2.3. Each Group Stage Match will consist of twenty-five (25) minute halves, with a halftime rest period of ten (10) minutes. Each Knockout Match will consist of thirty-five (35) minute halves, with a halftime rest period of ten (10) minutes. Each Club will be permitted five (5) substitutions per match. For the avoidance of doubt, this number does not include any substitutions executed pursuant to Section 2.4.3.
2.4.1. A player may not re-enter a match.
2.4.2. Substitutions may be executed during any moment during the first half of a match. During the second half of a match, each Club is permitted no more than three (3) moments to execute its substitution(s).
2.4.2.1. A moment refers to a match stoppage. For the avoidance of doubt, halftime does not count as a moment.
2.4.2.2. Where a Club uses a moment in the second half to execute a substitution and the opposing Club uses the same moment to execute a substitution, such moment will count towards each Club’s permitted three (3) moments.
2.4.2.2.1. Example: It is the second half. Club 1 has not yet executed any substitutions. Club 2 has already executed two (2) substitutions across two (2) separate moments in the second half. Club 1 decides to use a moment to execute its first substitution. Club 2 decides to use that same moment to execute a substitution. Once Club 2 executes such substitution, it may not execute any more substitutions during the match.
2.4.3. Head Injury Substitution(s)
2.4.3.1. Each Club may substitute a player who is suspected to have suffered a head injury while he is being evaluated. The substitution for the evaluation of the concussion / head injury will not count against the Club’s total number of allowed substitutions / substitution moments. However, a Club must be in possession of at least one (1) substitution and one (1) substitution moment to execute this temporary substitution. Three (3) points will be awarded for a win and one (1) point will be awarded for a draw.
2.5.1. In the event of a draw at the end of regulation of the Finals, two (2) five (5)-minute halves will be played in their entireties. There will be a three (3)-minute break between the completion of the second half of regulation and the start of the first extra time period. If the match is still tied at the end of an additional ten (10) minutes, both Clubs will be awarded one (1) point pursuant to Section 2.4 above, and a FIFA-style shootout of kicks from the penalty mark will be held to determine a winner. One (1) additional point will be awarded to the Club who wins the shootout.
2.5.2. In the event of a draw at the end of regulation of any other match not described in Section 2.5.1 above, both Clubs will be awarded one (1) point pursuant to Section 2.5 above, and a FIFA-style shootout of kicks from the penalty mark will be held to determine a winner. One (1) additiona
3. TECHNICAL AREAS AND SUBSTITUTES’ BENCHES
3.1. Only one (1) person at a time is authorized to convey tactical instructions from the technical area.
3.2. No more than fourteen (14) people, which shall consist of a maximum of nine (9) eligible substitute players on the Club’s roster and a maximum of five (5) technical staff members, shall be allowed to sit on the substitutes’ bench and/or stand in the technical area during a match. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in the imposition of discipline by the League. This requirement may be waived by the League in its sole and absolute discretion.
3.2.1. Example: If eight (8) eligible substitute players are sitting on the substitutes’ bench and/or standing in the technical area during a match, then a maximum of five (5) technical staff members shall be allowed to sit on the substitutes’ bench and/or stand in the technical area during such match.
3.3. A suspended player or technical staff member will not be allowed to sit on the substitutes’ bench or stand in the technical area and must abide by the direction provided by the MLS staff.
4. MATCH EQUIPMENT
4.1. Each Club is required to have two (2) different sets of kits with corresponding numbers. Each player is required to have a consistent kit number throughout the Competition. Failure to adhere to this policy may results in discipline including, but not limited to, player ineligibility and/or awarding of disciplinary points, to be determined in the sole and absolute discretion of the Competition Committee.
4.2. Thermal shorts or pants (slide shorts) may be worn under uniform shorts if they are the identical color as a player’s uniform shorts.
4.3. Any apparel worn under the jersey must be the identical color as a player’s uniform jersey.
4.4. Adidas will supply, or has supplied, each Club with adidas balls. No other balls may be used in any Generation adidas Cup activities (e.g., practices, warm ups, games), other than the ones supplied by adidas.
5. PRE-MATCH PROCEDURE
5.1. For each match, each Club must submit a start list (eleven (11) selected players and a maximum of nine (9) substitutes) to the match warden before the scheduled time of kick-off via the Ortec Digital Match Form. Furthermore, each Club is required to submit a minimum of five (5) hard copies of the start list to the match warden before the scheduled time of kick-off of each match.
5.1.1. Each Club is responsible for ensuring that their start list is completed properly and submitted on time and that only the selected players start the match. In case of any discrepancies, the matter will be submitted to the Competition Committee and subject to an assessment of Disciplinary Points at the discretion of the Competition Committee.
5.2. Five (5) minutes before the scheduled time of kick-off, players included on start lists and referees shall enter the field and shake hands FIFA-style.
5.3. Following the field entry described above in Section 5.2, team captains shall gather with the referee crew for the pre-match coin toss.
6. POST-MATCH PROCEDURE
6.1. Players shall shake hands at midfield at the conclusion of each match.
6.2. The match report must be signed by both coaches and the head referee immediately following the completion of each game.
7. DISCIPLINE
7.1. Yellow Cards
7.1.1. A player must serve a one (1)-match suspension if, across the course of the first three (3) Group Stage Matches, he accumulates two (2) yellow cards. A player shall not be suspended for a Knockout Match due to yellow card accumulation.
7.1.2. Yellow card accumulation thresholds are reset for the start of the fourth Group Stage Match. For the avoidance of doubt, any suspensions received prior to such reset must still be served.
7.1.2.1. Examples:
7.1.2.1.1. A player who receives his second yellow card in the third Group Stage Match is suspended for the fourth Group Stage Match.
7.1.2.1.2. A player who receives his second yellow card in the fourth Group Stage Match is eligible for the Knockout Match.
7.2. Red Cards
7.2.1. One (1) red card will result in a minimum of a one (1)-match suspension.
7.2.2. Red card accumulation thresholds are not reset at any point during the Competition.
7.2.2.1. Examples:
7.2.2.1.1. A player who receives a red card in the third Group Stage Match is suspended for the fourth Group Stage Match.
7.2.2.1.2. A player who receives a red card in the fourth Group Stage Match is suspended for the Knockout Match.
7.2.3. The Competition Committee shall have the ability to increase a suspension depending on the severity and circumstances of the red card. Any Competition Committee decision is final and shall not be subject to an appeal.
7.3. Disciplinary Points
7.3.1. One (1) point will be assessed for each yellow card received during a match.
7.3.2. Three (3) points will be assessed for each red card received during a match.
7.3.3. Five (5) points will be assessed for any ejection of a technical staff member or player from the technical area or substitutes’ bench during a match.
8. ADIDAS COMPLIANCE
8.1. All MLS Academy players are required to wear adidas products (including, but not limited to, footwear) when participating in Generation adidas Cup activities (e.g., practices, warm ups, games, camps, filming, posing for photographs). Any violations will be subject to discipline pursuant to the League Enforcement Policy under Section XV of the Club Commercial Guidelines.
These 2019 Generation adidas Cup Finals U15 Competition Guidelines (the “Guidelines”) are intended to summarize the playing rules, regulations, and operational procedures to be followed by Major League Soccer, L.L.C., the Division I professional league in the United States and Canada (“MLS” or the “League”) and each soccer team participating in the U15 Division (each, a “Club”) during the 2019 Generation adidas Cup finals (the “Competition”).
Strict compliance with the rules, regulations, and procedures described in these Guidelines are critical to the successful operation of the Competition.
Failure to comply to the requirements of the Guidelines will result in the imposition of discipline by the League.
MLS reserves the right to revise these Guidelines at any time at its sole and absolute discretion.
The Generation adidas Cup Competition Committee (the “Competition Committee”) shall always have overriding, ultimate, and absolute League authority over the requirements set forth in these Guidelines.
