Règlement de la USL.

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Rules and Regulations
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Affiliations
USL is directly affiliated with the United States Soccer Federation (USSF), United States adult Soccer Association (USASA) and the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA).

Promotion / Relegation
The USL structure allows for the USL Pro Select League Champion to be promoted to the A-League, provided that the team to be promoted meets criteria set by USL and the USSF, and space exists. A formal relegation process may also be added at a future date.

Rosters
USL rosters may consist of a maximum of 26 players, with 18 desginated for each game. Each team is permitted a maximum of five (5) foreign players on its active game-day roster and a maximum of seven (7) foreign players on its master roster. In the PDL and W-League, at least three players in a full 26-player roster must be under 19, in accordance with guidelines set by the USASA and USSF. In the PDL, a maximum of eight (8) players may be over the age of 23.

Roster Freeze
Each USL league has a roster freeze date after which no team may register any new players. For 2003, those dates are:
USL Pro Select League: July 9
PDL: July 10
W-League: July 17
A-League: August 4

Amateur Player Definition
An amateur player is defined by the following: A player who does not receive payment for playing soccer and who has signed an amateur registration form with U.S. Soccer or Canadian Soccer Association. Amateur players may be reimbursed for certain expenses as allowed by USSF / CSA / NCAA rules.

Point System
The standard FIFA (3-1-0) system awards three points for a regulation or overtime victory. In the case of a tie, each team will be awarded one point.

Game clock
All games are comprised of 90 minutes (two 45-minute halves), with two 10-minute sudden-death overtime periods in case of a tie after regulation time. The official time will be kept on the field by the referee, with stoppage time displayed by the fourth official. If the overtime period is scoreless, each team will be awarded one point and the game will end as a tie.

Rules
USL adheres to all the Laws of the Game as dictated by FIFA, soccer’s international governing body.

Substitutions
Five (5) substitutions are allowed per league game with no re-entry permitted. Seven (7) substitutions will be permitted for exhibition games with no re-entry permitted.

Standings tiebreakers
The breaking of ties in the final standings, playoffs and finals is accomplished by applying the following criteria, in order of importance:
1. Head-to-head record based on total points in League games.*
2. Total wins in League games.
3. Goal difference in League games.
4. Goals scored in League games.
5. Total points within smallest Group. If number of games is unequal, then point percentage will be used.
6. Ranking based on points earned against top four group finishers. This tiebreaker will not be used if four or less teams comprise the Group. If number of games is unequal, then point percentage applies.
7. Point percentage outside/smallest division or conference in League games.
8. Total points in all regular season and Open Cup Qualifying games combined. If number of games is unequal, then point percentage applies.
9. FIFA Fair Play – Team with fewest disciplinary points in League games. (If number of games is unequal, points will be divided by games played to arrive at a common basis for comparison.)
10. Lottery conducted by USL at League office.

*** US Open Cup Qualifying: For US Open Cup qualifying purposes only, tiebreakers 3 and 4 for the PDL will have a cap of +/- 3 per game.

Point Percentage: number of total points earned / maximum possible points (3 per game)

League games: Refers solely to games that count towards the regular season standings. Open Cup qualifying specific games are NOT “league games” when it comes to determining placement in the League standings. (When determining tiebreakers for Open Cup groups, “league games” should be interpreted as all games that count toward the Open Cup group standings.)

Group: Term used to describe the primary unit a team is in (i.e. PDL – Southwest Division, USL Pro Select League – Northern region)

* Should any of the teams involved have played each other an UNEQUAL number of times, this tiebreaker will be skipped.

SCHEDULES
A-League: Each A-League team plays 28 games during the regular season. Although schedules are regionalized, there is significant cross-over play between divisions and conferences.

USL Pro Select League: Each team plays 20 games during the regular season. Many clubs also play inter-league matches against PDL clubs that count as USL Pro Select League games.

PDL: Each team plays 18 games during the regular season. Many clubs also play inter-league matches against USL Pro Select League clubs that count as PDL games.

W-League: Due to regional travel, team game totals will differ between conferences in 2003 with the overall standings determined by points percentage. The Central and Western Conference teams will play 12 matches total with the clubs in the Eastern Conference playing 14.

PLAYOFFS
Each league in USL has its own distinct playoff system that will determine the league champion.

A-League: Eight teams will qualify for the playoffs comprised of the top two teams from each of the four divisions. The playoffs start with division finals with the winners playing for the conference championship. The division and conference finals will utilize the two-leg, aggregate score playoff series system. The two conference champions will meet in the league championship game at one of the participating teams.

USL Pro Select League: The top two teams in each of the four playoff regions (Atlantic, Northern, Southern, Western) advance to the playoffs. The four regional winners comprise the league semifinals. The top two teams in the Atlantic region will play a single game. The Northern region will utilize a two-leg, aggregate score series to determine the winner. The top teams in the Southern and Western regions will qualify for the league semifinals if the second team in the region does not have a .500 record. If the second place team is eligible, the Southern region will utilize the two-leg, aggregate score series to determine the winner and the Western region will use a single game. The league semifinals will be held at two sites. The winners of the two semifinals advance to the league championship match.

PDL: Each conference will conduct a conference championship comprised of four teams each, two from each division. Four teams will meet at one site for the semifinals and finals, which is selected via a bidding process. The four conference champions comprise the league semifinals, played at two sites. The winners of the semifinals advance to the league championship match.

W-League: The Eastern and Central Conferences will include four teams each. The four teams will be comprised of two from each division. The teams will play in division finals advancing to the conference championship match. The Western Conference will be comprised of two teams playing for the conference championship. The three conference champions will meet for the W-League Championship with the host club, which receives an automatic entry to the league semifinals. The two semifinal winners will play in the league championship match.

Single playoff matches
During postseason play, single games tied after regulation will be followed by two 15-minute sudden-death overtime periods. If still tied, FIFA penalty kicks are used to determine the winner.

Two-leg, aggregate score series
Playoffs: Each team will host a regulation 90-minute match. If the series score is tied at the conclusion of the second game (180 minutes total), two sudden-death 15-minute overtime periods are played to determine the series winner. If neither team scores, the series is then decided via FIFA penalty kicks. Rules governing the play of overtime and penalty kicks are extended from the second match.

A-League US Open Cup qualifying: If the series score is tied at the conclusion of the second game, the series winner will be determined utilizing FIFA penalty kicks. The two matches are both regular season games and, therefore, may include overtime in one or both games. Overtime is not used for the series.