Soccer rules committee proposes change to overtime rules

The NCAA Men's and Women's Soccer Rules Committee during a virtual meeting last week proposed changes to overtime rules for both the regular season and the postseason, effective for the 2022 season.

All rules changes must be approved by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel, which is scheduled to discuss soccer rules recommendations April 20.

For the regular season, committee members proposed eliminating overtime periods, meaning the game would end in a tie. Currently, teams play two 10-minute overtime periods in a sudden-victory (golden goal) format, and if neither team scores, the game is a tie.  

In the conference tournament and NCAA postseason games, the committee recommended eliminating the sudden-victory component and, instead, having the teams play two 10-minute overtime periods. Also, when a substitution is made by the winning team in the last five minutes of the second overtime, the game clock would stop.

If the game remains tied, a penalty-kick shootout would be held to determine the winner.

"The rules committee has been surveying this topic for many years and, based on support from all divisions, agreed it was time for change," said Tiffany Christian, chair of the committee and associate dean of students at William & Mary. "This change will reduce playing volume for student-athletes in the regular season and place value on a tie. In addition, eliminating golden goal in postseason overtime will provide a more equitable playing experience for student-athletes." 

Reentry

The committee proposed a change where players would not be allowed to reenter a game after being substituted for in the second half.

This would align the substitution rule with the rest of the periods in the sport (first half, and both overtime periods in conference tournaments and postseason games) where players are not allowed to reenter a game after leaving the field for a substitute.

The committee held thorough discussions on this topic, which has been on its agenda in recent years. Committee members contemplated different possible models before making this recommendation.

Video review

Committee members recommended expanding video review to include whether a foul occurred inside or outside the penalty area.

Protests

The committee proposed expanding the protest rule to include a review of violent behavior II and fighting red cards.

• The protest, including video of the incident, must be filed within 48 hours of the completion of the game (same as other protests) and be submitted by the conference office or coordinator of officials.
• The scope would be limited to changing a violent behavior II or fighting red card (two-game suspension) to a violent behavior I red card (one-game suspension).

• A committee consisting of the NCAA men's and women's soccer secretary-rules editor, NCAA national coordinator of soccer officials and one NCAA soccer regional advisor, who is not affiliated with the team, conference or region, will consider the protest and render a decision.