2023-2024 League Cups Rules and Procedures

THE CUPS

1. The CSL shall sponsor three cups: John Kilby League Cup, Harry J. Saunders Cup and Over-30 Cup.
   1. The John Kilby League Cup is open to 1st Division, 1st Division Reserve and 2nd Division teams. 2nd Division Reserve, 3rd Division and 4th Division teams may enter at the discretion of the cups committee.
   2. The Harry J. Saunders Cup is open to 2nd Division Reserve, 3rd Division and 4th Division teams.
   3. The Over-30 Cup is open to Over-30 Division and Over-40 Division teams. 
2. The cups are expected to start in January. The competition shall have a group stage and then a "knockout" (single loss elimination) playoff.

TEAMS & PLAYERS

1. Only CSL affiliated teams are eligible to participate.
2. Clubs may enter multiple teams, but players may only participate for one team of their club. Once a player has signed a match day roster form for one team, he may not play for any other team.
3. The following player participation rules also apply:
   1. Any club regsitered player may participate in the John Kilby League Cup as long as the player is not "league cup tied" to another team.
   2. Only players registered on the CSL website for a 2nd Division Reserve, 3rd Division, 4th Division, Over-30 Division or Over-40 Division team may participate in the Harry J. Saunders Cup. Players registered for a 1st Division, 1st Division Reserve or 2nd Division first team may not participate in the Harry J. Saunders Cup.
   3. Only club regsitered players who have reached the age of 30 at the time of their match and who are not otherwise cup tied may participate in the Over-30 Cup.

GROUP STAGE TIEBREAKERS

1. The following group stage tiebreakers shall be used to determine the group winner:
   
   1. Greatest number of points in all group matches.
   2. Head to head results between the teams level on points.
   3. Superior goal difference in all group matches.
   4. Greatest number of goals scored in all group matches.
   5. Greatest number of wins in all group matches.
   6. Drawing of lots.
2. The following group stage tiebreakers shall be used to determine the second place wild card team:
   1. Greatest number of points in all group matches.
   2. Superior goal difference in all group matches..
   3. Greatest number of goals scored in all group matches.
   4. Greatest number of wins in all group matches.
   5. Drawing of lots.
3. The wildcard team will not play another team from its group in its first knockout match.

SEEDINGS, HOME TEAMS & REFEREE FEES

1. The seedings and drawings for home team shall be done by the CSL Cups Committee. The exact format shall depend on the amount of entries.
2. The cost of the center referee shall be evenly split by both competiting teams.
3. In the John Kilby League Cup, assistant referees (ARs) shall be assigned unless both competiting teams advise the league office ten days prior to the match that they do not wish to have ARs assigned. The cost of the ARs shall be evenly split no matter where the match is played. ARs are not assigned in the Harry J. Saunders Cup and Over-30 Cup, except for the final, unless both teams agree to have ARs, in which case the cost shall be evenly split.
4. League cups finals shall be played at a field selected by the League and the cost of the field and all of the referee fees shall be borne by the League. 

SCHEDULING

1. The scheduling of league cup matches shall be handled by the CSL Cups Committee and shall be done in a manner as to not interfere with regular league matches.
2. As a general rule, regular league matches take precedence over league cup matches. Therefore, if a regular league match needs to be "made-up", a previously scheduled league cup match may be postponed.
3. In accordance with CSL Bylaws, the CSL Cups Committee shall have the right to schedule league cup matches midweek at night if the cups committee in its judgment believes that a league cups match needs to be played by a certain date. 

MATCH REGULATIONS

1. All cup matches shall be played in accordance with all FIFA rules and in accordance with the CSL Bylaws.
2. All participating teams are expected to follow all CSL rules governing passes, uniforms, etc.
3. Participating teams are permitted to use 18 players in a match and re-substitution is permitted in all cup matches. 
4. At the start of every cup match, each team shall submit the league designated roster form to the referee in the same manner as a regular league match.
5. If a knock out round cup match is tied at the end of regulation, the match shall be decided by a 5 round kick for the mark shoot out similar to ENYSSA state cup competition. There is no extra time. 

CAUTIONS & EJECTIONS

1. Cautions (yellow cards) and ejections (red cards) received during the league cups competition shall be treated in the same manner as cautions and ejections received during the ENYSSA state cup competition.
   1. Cautions (yellow cards) received during a league cup match shall not count toward the accumulation of league yellow cards.
   2. Ejections (red cards) received during a league cup match shall result in a period of suspension for a time period determined by the arbiter. The period of suspension shall be served during the player's next match, which could be a regular league match, league cup match or state or national cup match.
2. A participating player who is currently suspended from league play shall serve his suspension in the league cups competition if the cup match is his registered team's next scheduled match.

PROTEST & APPEALS

1. All protests shall be handled by the arbiter in the same manner as with CSL regular league matches. The same protest time periods listed in the CSL Bylaws shall apply.
2. Any appeals from a decision of the arbiter shall be sent to the CSL Appeals Committee and must be filed within 48 hours of the publication of the decision.

TEAM & PLAYER BREACHES OF RULES

1. The CSL Executive Board, at the recommendation of the CSL Cups Committee, shall have the power to disqualify and remove from further participation in the competition any team or player(s) of any participating team who have been found to have violated the rules of the CSL League Cups or the CSL.
2. The CSL executive board, at the recommendation of the cups committee, shall have the power to issue fines for the violation of the rules and/or for misbehavior as set forth in the CSL Bylaws.

MATTERS NOT PROVIDED FOR

1. Any matters not provided for in these rules shall be determined by the cups committee, which shall consider all other rules and regulations of the CSL, state and national associations and FIFA, before making its decision. 

League Cup Champions