Jamaican Rural School Boy Football competition held every year from September to December.

Inter-Secondary School Sports Association(ISSA) the Jamaican governing body for inter-secondary school sporting events. Home of Boys & Girls Champs, Manning Cup, DaCosta Cup and many more

FOOTBALL RULES AND GUIDELINES (Revised 2018)

A. GENERAL

1. Home teams are named first in the fixture.  All matches begin at 3:30 p.m. unless otherwise stated.
   
   
2. All players must have an ISSA issued photo I.D. before they can participate. It takes a minimum of five (5) working days to process IDs.
   
   
3. All players must be duly registered in the school before they can participate, and must be registered in the school by September 30 of the school year.
   
   
4. All players (except the Goalkeeper) from any one team must wear similar jerseys while on the field of play.
   
   
5. All players are required to keep their jerseys tucked in their shorts while entering the field of play.
   
   
   
6. Teams are requested to wear their registered colours.    Whenever there is a “clash” of colours between two competing teams, the visiting team is required to change (providing the home team is in its registered colours. 
   
   
7. All players must play in the registered numbers
   
   

8. All teams MUST be attired in uniforms which conform to the branding plan for the competition’s gear issued by ISSA. Schools are not allowed to alter in ANY WAY, the branding of team uniforms. Additionally, schools are not allowed to wear non-sponsoring brands during warm-up at the venue or on Bibs in the designated team areas.

   Where schools are found to have breached the branding arrangements for uniforms or match venues, the teams will lose all points earned for the related game(s) and a score of negative three (-3) goal difference recorded. Further disciplinary actions including suspension from the competitions may also be taken against the school.

9. If a player receives a “red card” he automatically misses the next scheduled match in the competition in which he is eligible.
    
   If a player receives 3 yellow cards in the preliminary round, he will automatically miss the next match in the competition.  All yellow cards will be rescinded at the end of the first round.

   The second round commences with the final sixteen (16) teams for Manning Cup and the final thirty-two teams for the DaCosta Cup.  The issuance of 3 yellow cards in the second round, means the player shall miss the next match, in which he is eligible.  In both instances he may, in addition, face the Disciplinary Committee.

   
   
   
10. Coaches, Sportsmasters and Team Officials are subject to the same discipline as the players.
    
    
11. After the final match in the competition, all punishment cease to be applicable, except red cards and suspensions imposed by the Disciplinary Committee.
    
    
12. Only the following officials will be permitted on “the team bench” during a match:-
    
    
    1. The Coach
    2. The Assistant Coach
    3. The Sportsmaster
    4. The Manager
    5. The Team Doctor/Nurse
    6. Physiotherapist
    7. Trainer
    
    
    
13. The names of all players, coaches, managers and sportsmasters must be registered with the Managing Committee prior to being involved in the competition.
    
    
14. The Managing Committee reserves the right to decide on the format to be used in each competition.
    
    
15. (a) A maximum of twenty-two (22) players may be registered with the Managing Committee, these players will be posted on the ISSA website. However, substitute registration or new registration may be made throughout the season.   All twenty-two (22) players may be dressed and recorded on the match card.
    
    (b) All substitutions to the list of twenty-two (22) registered players must be done prior to involvement in the competition.
    
    (c) In the case of new registration after start of competition the relevant documents must be submitted to ISSA’s office for approval prior to involvement in the competition.
    
    
16. Points system: Three (3) points for a win, one (1) point for a draw, 0 point for a loss.   “Should a team fail to honour a fixture without a valid excuse acceptable to the Managing Committee, said team will forfeit the match and the opponent awarded three points and a score of three (3) nil.”
    
    Any team which fails to start a match fifteen (15) minutes after the scheduled start without the consent of the Managing Committee will forfeit the match.   If a team fails to honour two (2) fixtures in a season that team will be scratched from the competition, and may be omitted from the next competition.
    
    
17. If a team forfeits a match or the match is awarded to the opposing team then the opposing team would be credited with a three (3) nil score.
    
    
18. At the conclusion of the preliminary rounds, the first two in each group will advance to the next round.   Should there be a tie for any place, goal difference, then most goals shall be used to break the tie.   Should the tie remain for the second place, there will be a play-off to determine second place.
    
    
19. In the DaCosta Cup/Manning Cup the best 3rd place/next best 3rd place teams will be determined by the number of points earned divided by the number of matches played.
    
    

B. MANNING AND DACOSTA CUP COMPETITIONS

1. ISSA reserves the right to decide on all venues, dates and times for the start of the matches throughout the competition.
   
   
2. Schools are responsible for ensuring that medical support is provided throughout the entire competition.
   
   b)
   
   The presence of the school nurse/doctor where possible
   
   A stretcher
   
   First Aid kits
   
   A dedicated vehicle for any emergency/ ambulance where possible
   
   An established dedicated route to the nearest medical facility
   
   Established contact with medical facility prior to matches
   
   
   
3. All players must be under nineteen (19) years on August 31 preceding start of the school year.
   
   
4. Teams and Referees should report at the venue at least half hour before the start of the game.
   
   
5. Duration of matches: two halves of forty-five (45) minutes each, with an interval of ten to fifteen minutes.
   
   
6. Substitution.   Five substitutes are allowed per team per match.
   
   
7. The home team (team named first) is responsible for ensuring the availability of the match ball, and for the dispensing of refreshment for the players and officials – except from the second round onwards.
   
   
8. Any match which is “unplayed” will be rescheduled for the next available Thursday (Manning Cup).  Zone chairmen will decide in respective zones for DaCosta Cup.
   
   
9. Home teams must provide suitable grounds which are sanctioned and approved by ISSA.
   
   
10. The Association is responsible for the supervision of all Finals, Semi-finals, Quarter-finals and Inter-zone matches in conjunction with the Principal involved.
    
    
11. (a) If a match is blown-off prematurely due to poor crowd behaviour, that ground may be banned for at least one year unless it can be proven that the supporters of the visiting team caused the match to be blown of
    
    
12. Security: Proper security at matches is the responsibility of the Home Team.
    
    At least three (3) uniformed security officers should be on hand for the protection of the players and officials.   These would be in addition to any personnel at the gates.

C. WALKER CUP COMPETITION

1. The EIGHT losers of the second round two-way match ups will contest the WALKER CUP
   
   
2. The competition is played on a KNOCK-OUT BASIS.
   
   
3. Walker Cup competition shall run concurrently with the ALL - ISLAND KO, or as scheduled.
   
   
4. All matches which end in a draw at the end of regulation time will be decided by a PENALTY SHOOT OUT. There will be NO EXTRA TIME
   
   
5. All other rules of the Manning Cup competition apply.
   
   

D. BEN FRANCIS CUP COMPETITION

1. TEAMS which finish third and fourth in their respective Quarter Finals Groups will contest the BEN FRANCIS CUP.
   
   
2. The competition will be played on a KNOCK-OUT BASIS.
   
   
3. The Ben Francis Cup competition shall run concurrently with the ALL – ISLAND KO, or as scheduled.
   
   
4. All matches which end in a draw at the end of regulation time will be decided by a PENALTY SHOOT OUT. There will be NO EXTRA TIME
   
   
5. All other rules of the DaCosta Cup competition apply.
   
   

E.           ALL ISLAND KNOCK OUT

1. The EIGHT teams which win their second round Manning Cup two-way play-off games will contest the ALL ISLAND KO Competition
   
   
2. The EIGHT teams which finish as winners and runners up in their respective Dacosta Cup Quarter Finals groups will contest the ALL ISLAND KO Competition.
   
   
3. The Competition will be played on a KNOCK-OUT basis
   
   
4. The details for the ALL ISLAND KO will be provided after the start of the Manning and Dacosta Cups