ABOUT THE ECNL

The ECNL was founded in 2009 as a challenge to the status quo of youth soccer with a vision to be better. In its first years, the league supported only girls programming.

In 2017, the ECNL Boys was founded, setting the stage for an amazing period of rapid growth, increasing quality and further change in youth soccer. Starting with 57 of the top boys clubs in the country, the creation of the Boys ECNL once again demonstrated how a total commitment to improving the experience of players, coaches, clubs, and the environment in which they develop, can change everything.

Every game played in ECNL matters. The teams are competing for conference championships, seeding for the national championships, and an overall ECNL club champion. As such, ECNL and its teams, coaches, players and parents expect high standards of professionalism and performance from the referees. In return, ECNL demands high standards from its clubs and coaches.

The ECNL 2020-21 Season began with 113 Girls & 131 Boys Clubs throughout the United States.

ECRL games are played under the same rules as ECNL games.

Below are general information and rules applicable to ECNL and ECRL competition.

Home page: www.theecnl.com

Below are the relevant links for walkthroughs and visual aids for the referee match day procedures. Please ensure you review these in detail before game-day. 

How Referees Report Scores

Referee Procedures for Regular Season Competition

App Referee Procedures

Adding Players and Staff to the Game Roster

How To Check the Team in

ECNL Competition Rules 2024 – 2025

Pre-Game

  • Referees are expected to arrive at matches no later than 30 minutes prior to kick off for ECNL matches in order to properly facilitate team check-in processes
  • Only eighteen (18) players are eligible for the match. These 18 must be indicated on the Game Roster. 
  • For the 2024-2025 season, ECNL announced the launch of their all new, fully digital platform for ECNL and ECRL match day procedures.
  • This process replaces the use of paper match reports and physical passcards while allowing team managers and referees to manage all steps of the game-day process from their phones! Physical passcards or match reports may not be accepted.
  • Following is some helpful information to assist us with the implementation of this new system:
  1. The digital match day process is handled on a smartphone.  The team managers will start this process upon player check-in, using their phone(s).
  2. Following the check-in of both team rosters, the app provides the opportunity for a referee to scan a QR code, enabling the referee to handle all additional digital tasks on their own phone.  If the referee does not have a phone or does not want to use their own phone for the match day procedures, the check-in process may be performed using the coach’s phone.  There is a clickable option within the app for the team manager to allow the referee to use it.
  3. Graphics are included in the links below to assist referees with the digital interface that will ultimately lead to a smoother and quicker experience on match day.  These links provide step-by-step guides to what will be viewed on the phone during the game day process.
  4. In the event there is one or more red cards (or double yellow), there will be a requirement to complete an incident report through the app. It is highly preferred that referees complete the incident report on-site, immediately following the game. In the event the referee is unable to do so, there is an option to have the report emailed to the referee to complete later.
  5. Please be aware when completing this report later, the referee will be required to create a FREE account within Athlete One. This will also lead to quicker logins in the event you need to complete an incident report after the fact in a future match.
  6. NOTE:  the incident report provided to the ECNL does not replace the USSF Supplemental Report which must still be completed and submitted to the Assignor and Member-at-Large.

Game Ball 

Three (3) quality, properly inflated game balls must be provided by the home team as follows:

  • U13-U18/U19 : Size 5
  • U11-U12 :        Size 4
  • Game ball should be Nike but is not required.

Game Length

  • U11 – U12     30 minute halves (10 minutes halftime)
  • U13                35 minute halves (10 minutes halftime)
  • U14 – U16     40 minute halves (10 minutes halftime)
  • U17 – U19     45 minute halves (15 minutes halftime)
  • Referees should provide appropriate stoppage time in every game. This includes hydration breaks, as provided for in the IFAB LOTG, which should be limited to one minute.

Substitutions

  • U11 – U12      unlimited substitutions
  • U13 – U19     maximum of seven (7) substitutions per half. Players may not re-enter in the same half
  • In the event of a head injury, the injured player may be substituted in order to be evaluated without counting toward the team’s substitution count. If the team has used all eligible substitutions (7) at that time , the team may still substitute a player into the game who has already been substituted for the evaluated player. Otherwise an available substitute must be used during the evaluation period. Clearance for the injured player to return to the match is at the discretion of the Certified Athletic Trainer

Miscellaneous

  • Referees should arrive no later than 30 minutes prior to scheduled kick off time
  • Discovery Players are tied to the team in which they are carded. They are eligible to play up or down as long they are age eligible and only play in one (1) ECNL competition per day
  • Game fees are to be paid to referees in cash only prior to kick-off. The home team is responsible for payment
  • Uniforms – one-game weekend (teams will confirm uniform colors with each other)
    • Home Team: light shirt, light socks, any shorts
    • Away Team: dark shirt, dark socks, any shorts
  • Uniforms – two-game weekend (teams will confirm uniform colors with each other)
    • Game #1
      • Home Team: light shirt, light socks, any shorts
      • Away Team: dark shirt, dark socks, any shorts
    • Game #2
      • Home Team: dark shirt, dark socks, any shorts
      • Away Team: light shirt, dark socks, any shorts

Post-Game

  • Referee should be given time and space to completely fill in the Match Report at the completion of the game.
  • Referee must fill in:
    • Match Score (goals in first half, second half. Website calculates final score)
    • Goals (player number and minute-mark for each goal scored)
    • Yellow and/or Red cards in the game – Yes/No
    • Select player(s) that received cards
    • For red cards, straight red or two yellow cards, select the applicable reason for the red card(s)
    • Insert name to “sign-off” report
    • Complete brief incident report if double yellow or red is given, using applicable LOTG language only, (NO OPINIONS!)

Misconduct (Yellow and Red Cards)

  • As noted above, misconduct should be reported immediately following the game using the ECNL website through the referee’s phone.
  • In addition, standard procedures for SBSRA for completing the USSF Supplemental Report must be followed. This includes sending a text to the Assignor and Member-at-Large that you will be submitting a Supplemental Report.

Should you have any urgent game-day questions, direct them to: