ODS 7-a-side Football Cup

Preamble

This document is the Official Competition Rulebook for the ODS 7-a-side Football Cup — Kigali 2026 (“the Tournament”). It governs all group-stage and Finale matches and is binding on all participating teams, players, technical staff, match officials, and organisers.

The Tournament is organised by ODS Africa, with ODS Rwanda as local operating arm, in partnership with FERWAFA (Fédération Rwandaise de Football Association). All match officials are FERWAFA-certified referees.

Governing rules reference

The Tournament adopts the IFA7 Laws of the Game as its primary rules reference. Where this Rulebook is silent, the IFA7 Laws apply. Where this Rulebook expressly departs from IFA7, this Rulebook prevails. The ODS-specific modifications are:

• The goalkeeper restarts play with the foot, not the hand, from a goal kick (futsal-style restart).
• Corner kicks are taken with the foot (futsal-style restart).
• Pitch dimensions follow an ODS range with an equal-pitch requirement (5.1), and accumulated fouls are punished by a free kick rather than a shoot-out (5.6).
• The ODS competition format — simultaneous kick-off, goal-difference ranking on a shared live leaderboard, and the exclusion of any penalty shoot-out to decide ranking — is layered over the IFA7 playing laws.

The ODS format — how it works

The One Day Showdown format is built on three structural principles: (1) simultaneous kick-off — all games within a round begin at the same time across multiple pitches; (2) goal difference as the primary ranking metric — teams are ranked by goal difference rather than points, so teams that never play each other directly compete through the shared live leaderboard; (3) one live leaderboard — a single, publicly updated table covers all teams in a group at once, regardless of pitch. There is no knockout stage and no penalty shoot-out.

The margin of victory therefore matters as much as the result: a large winning margin on one pitch can overtake a narrow win on another in real time. Because results from different pitches are compared directly, every pitch must offer equal playing conditions (5.1).

Section 1 — Tournament Structure

1.1 Format overview

The Tournament comprises 18 teams divided into 3 groups (A, B, C) of 6 teams each. Each group of 6 plays 6 games across two rounds; all fixtures are set at the official draw, and no team meets the same opponent twice. Each group runs across 3 simultaneous pitches — the three games of a round kick off at the same time, one game per pitch.

The winner of each of the 3 groups advances to the Finale, together with the best second-placed team across all three groups (the “Best Runner-Up”, Section 3.4) — four finalists in all. The 4 finalists meet in the Finale: 2 games played simultaneously across 2 pitches on one shared live leaderboard; the team with the highest goal difference across the Finale is Champion. Total games: 18 group-stage games (3 groups × 2 rounds × 3 games) + 2 Finale games = 20 games.

1.2 Schedule

Groups are staggered rather than run consecutively: every group completes its first round before any group begins its second. Group A plays Days 1 & 4, Group B Days 2 & 5, Group C Days 3 & 6.

1.3 Group-stage structure

The fixtures within each group are determined at the official draw — there are no fixed or predetermined pairings. Each group plays 6 games across two rounds (3 per round, played simultaneously across the group’s 3 pitches). Each team plays one game in each round, and 2 games in total. No team may be drawn to meet the same opponent twice, so every team faces two different opponents. Because every team in the Tournament plays the same number of games (2), goal difference is a fair basis for comparison both within a group and, for the Best Runner-Up, across groups. All 6 teams of a group appear on a single shared live leaderboard, ranked by goal difference at all times.

1.4 Venue requirements

Every venue must provide a field of play within the ODS pitch range (5.1), never below the minimum safe playing area set by the Match Commissioner. The group stage requires 3 pitches in simultaneous use on each game day; the Finale requires 2. All pitches in simultaneous use must be identical in size. This Rulebook is venue-neutral so the format can be staged in any country.

1.5 Finale structure

The Finale is contested by 4 teams — the 3 group winners and the Best Runner-Up — played as two games simultaneously across two pitches on one shared live leaderboard. There is no knockout round and no penalty shoot-out.

Finale pairings are drawn at a single official draw: the draw decides which two group winners meet, and on which pitch; the remaining group winner meets the Best Runner-Up. Because the draw is held before the Best Runner-Up is known, it is expressed by qualification slot and confirmed once the group stage ends. Teams are ranked 1st–4th by goal difference across the two Finale games; the highest is Champion. If goal differences are level, Section 3.3 applies.

Section 2 — Teams & Player Eligibility

2.1 Squad registration

Each team registers a squad of exactly 10 players plus a named head coach, submitted to the Tournament Secretariat no later than 2 days before the official draw. No player may be registered with, or feature for, more than one team. If a player features for more than one team, the player is removed and referred to the Disciplinary Panel, and every goal scored or assisted by that player is struck from the record — deducted from the relevant match, with the leaderboard and goal difference adjusted and any assists removed from award tallies. Matches are not forfeited. Squad changes after the deadline are not permitted except for serious injury, subject to Tournament Commissioner approval and a medical certificate.

2.2 Player eligibility

There are no restrictions based on professional or amateur status — professional, semi-professional, and amateur players are all eligible. There is no minimum age; any player under 18 must provide signed parental or guardian consent at registration. Players serving a suspension from a FERWAFA-sanctioned competition or a previous ODS event may not participate until it is served.

2.3 Group composition

There are no group composition quotas — entry is open to all registered teams without restriction as to affiliation, district, or category. The 18 teams are allocated to the 3 groups at the official draw. Once groups and fixtures are published, reallocation is not permitted.

2.4 Match-day squad

Each team may name up to 10 players on the match-day sheet, submitted to the referee 15 minutes before kick-off. A full side is 7 players (6 outfield + 1 goalkeeper). A team must field at least 5 players, including a goalkeeper, to start; a match in progress is abandoned if a team falls below 4 players (7.4). Only players on the match-day sheet may take the field.

Section 3 — Ranking & Tie-Breaking

3.1 Primary ranking metric

All 6 teams in a group are ranked on the live leaderboard by goal difference (GD) — goals scored minus goals conceded across both of the team’s group-stage games. There is no points system: a win, loss, or draw has no value independent of the goal difference it produces. The group leader at the conclusion of all group-stage games advances, together with the Best Runner-Up. The leaderboard is updated in real time after each completed game.

3.2 Group-stage tie-breaking sequence

When teams are level on goal difference at the conclusion of all group-stage games, these criteria apply in order until the tie is resolved:

Criteria are applied progressively; as soon as one separates the teams, no further criteria are applied. If teams remain level after all four, a supervised drawing of lots is conducted by the Match Commissioner with one representative from each tied team present.

3.3 Finale tie-breaking

Consistent with the ODS format, no penalty shoot-out decides any ranking. If Finale teams are level on goal difference after both Finale games, the sequence is: (1) goals scored in the Finale; (2) time of first goal on the synchronised Finale clock; (3) fair play record; then a supervised drawing of lots.

3.4 The Best Runner-Up

The fourth Finale place goes to the best second-placed team across the three groups. The three runners-up are compared by goal difference across their group-stage games; the highest qualifies, with the Section 3.2 criteria applied in order to break any tie. This comparison is direct and unadjusted because every team plays the same number of group-stage games (2). Where fixtures have been expunged in a group (7.3), its runners-up are compared by average goal difference per completed game so groups of unequal size are not compared unfairly.

Section 4 — Match Officials

Each match is officiated by 2 FERWAFA-certified referees, who under IFA7 have equal authority. A Match Commissioner is appointed for each venue by ODS Rwanda in consultation with FERWAFA, and confirms and records the agreed pitch dimensions before each round. Referee decisions made in the course of play are final and not subject to appeal, except as provided in Section 8.

Referees apply the Laws of the Game; act as timekeepers; maintain match records (goals, the synchronised time of each goal, fouls, cards, substitutions); ensure player safety; manage the match-day sheet; and report incidents. One referee maintains the running accumulated-foul count and signals when a team reaches the threshold (5.6). Because ranking can depend on the synchronised clock, the exact elapsed time of every goal is logged and reported to the leaderboard. The Tournament Commissioner convenes a Disciplinary Panel to determine matters referred under Section 6, acting on the balance of evidence.

Section 5 — Match Rules

5.1 Field of play & pitch equality

A single set of pitch dimensions is fixed for the entire group stage and used by every pitch in simultaneous use. The two Finale pitches must be laid out to identical dimensions. The Match Commissioner sets and publishes the agreed dimensions in advance; once set, they may not change during the group stage or mid-round.

5.2 Game duration

Two equal halves of 20 minutes, with a half-time interval of not more than 5 minutes. Each team is entitled to one 1-minute technical time-out per half, requested by the captain or head coach only when the team is in possession. There is no extra time — a group-stage match level on goals stands as a draw (contributing to each team’s goal difference); Finale ties are resolved under 3.3. No penalty shoot-out is used.

5.3 Players & substitutions

Each team fields 7 players simultaneously (1 goalkeeper + 6 outfield). Substitutions are unlimited and rolling; a substituted player may return, made only through the team’s designated substitution zone at the midfield line. The outgoing player must leave before the substitute enters; a team may never have more than 7 players on the pitch.

5.4 Restarts

Throw-in (IFA7 native): both hands from behind and over the head, both feet on the ground on or behind the sideline, within 5 seconds; no goal direct from a throw-in. Goal kick (ODS — by foot): the goalkeeper restarts with the foot from within the goal area within 5 seconds; failure gives a direct free kick to the opponents. Corner kick (ODS — by foot): with the foot from the corner arc, opponents at least 5 m away, within 5 seconds; no goal direct from a corner.

5.5 Goalkeeper restrictions

The goalkeeper may handle the ball only within their own penalty area and must release a controlled ball within 5 seconds. They may not handle a ball deliberately kicked to them by a team-mate (back-pass rule) — violation gives a direct free kick — and may not handle the ball in the opposing half at any time.

5.6 Accumulated fouls

Accumulated fouls are counted per team per half. From a team’s eleventh foul in a half onward, each subsequent foul is punished by a direct free kick with no defensive wall, taken from the 10-metre mark (or the point of the foul if nearer goal). This replaces the IFA7 shoot-out. For such a kick, all players other than the kicker and defending goalkeeper must be behind the ball, the goalkeeper on the goal line, and the kicker must attempt to score. Foul counts reset to zero at the start of the second half.

Section 6 — Discipline

6.1 Yellow card

A yellow card is a caution: the player leaves the pitch for 2 minutes of playing time (a time exclusion) and the team plays one short during that period, returning after 2 minutes regardless of whether the opponents score. Two yellows in a match produce a red card. Each yellow counts as 1 disciplinary point for fair-play ranking.

6.2 Red card

A red card is an immediate and permanent dismissal. The team plays one short for 2 minutes of playing time, after which a substitute may restore full strength. A red carries an automatic suspension for the team’s next match and counts as 3 disciplinary points. Serious misconduct may carry a longer suspension set by the Disciplinary Panel.

6.3 Suspensions & carry-over

Suspensions carry over to the team’s next scheduled game — in the group stage, its second-round game — and into the Finale where the team qualifies. A suspended player may not enter the pitch or sit on the bench. A player who receives a yellow card in both group-stage games is suspended for the next match. The Tournament Secretariat maintains the official suspension register.

6.4 Team misconduct

Where a team’s conduct constitutes serious unsporting behaviour, the Disciplinary Panel may impose a fine, a reduction of the team’s goal difference on the leaderboard, or disqualification. Coaches and technical staff are held to the same standards as players.

6.5 Match manipulation, collusion & fixing

Any attempt to manipulate the result, course, or goal difference of a match — including collusion, match-fixing, or result-rigging — is strictly prohibited. Because ranking turns on goal difference rather than the result, particular scrutiny applies to the margin of a game as well as its outcome: any arrangement between opposing teams as to the score or margin falls squarely within this prohibition.

6.6 Heavy-defeat suspension

Any team that loses a match by more than 15 goals (by 16 or more) is automatically suspended from the next ODS event held anywhere in the country. This exists so that, even where no prize money or qualification is at stake, every team has a standing reason to keep competing and to limit the goals it concedes to the final whistle — a heavy defeat also being a recognised route to disguising collusion.

Section 7 — No-Shows, Standby Teams & Abandonments

In an ODS format, every team’s goal difference is judged against the same live leaderboard, so a no-show must be handled in a way that does not invent goal difference or distort the table.

7.1–7.2 Standby teams

One standby team is on-call at each pitch for every game day. If a team cannot field at least 5 eligible players within 15 minutes of the scheduled simultaneous kick-off, the pitch standby is activated to contest the fixture and takes over the withdrawn team’s remaining fixtures as drawn. A team whose place is taken by a standby is removed from the Tournament and banned from all ODS activities for one year (team and registered players). A standby activated for Round 1 starts with a clean record; one activated for Round 2 inherits the withdrawn team’s Round 1 leaderboard record. An activated standby is bound by this Rulebook in full and is eligible for ranking and prizes from the point of activation.

7.3 Where no standby is available

If no standby can be fielded, the withdrawn team’s fixtures are expunged from the group leaderboard — no team’s goal difference is increased or decreased by a fixture involving the withdrawn team. Because the withdrawn team’s opponents will have played fewer games, that group is ranked by average goal difference per completed game, preserving goal difference as the metric while keeping the comparison fair. Individual award statistics from fixtures actually played remain valid.

7.4 Abandoned matches

Team-caused (walk-off, mass misconduct, or reduction below 4 players): the score at abandonment stands, and the offending team is referred to the Disciplinary Panel for disqualification from its remaining fixtures. Neutral-cause (weather, unplayable pitch) with at least 50% (20 minutes) played: the score stands. Neutral-cause before 50%: the Match Commissioner decides between a replay or recording 0–0 (goal-difference neutral).

7.5 Weather & pitch conditions

Group-stage matches are outdoors. Rain and reduced visibility are not, by themselves, grounds for postponement; the referee and Match Commissioner decide whether conditions are safe. Lightning in the immediate vicinity requires immediate suspension of all outdoor matches; play resumes only when it is confirmed safe. Flooding that renders a surface unplayable is grounds for postponement.

Section 8 — Protests & Appeals

A protest may be lodged regarding player eligibility, an administrative error in match recording (goals, the synchronised time of a goal, cards), or non-application of these rules. Referee decisions made in the course of play are not subject to protest. A protest is raised verbally with the Match Commissioner immediately after the match and confirmed in writing within 60 minutes of the final whistle, identifying the specific rule breached and the facts relied upon. A protest fee of RWF 50,000 is payable at submission — refunded if upheld, forfeited if dismissed. The Disciplinary Panel issues a decision within 3 hours of the written submission; it is final, with no further appeal within the Tournament.

Section 9 — Prizes & Awards

Prize money is subject to change. All amounts are in Rwandan Francs (RWF).

9.1–9.3 Team prizes

Group-stage team prizes are awarded to the top 4 teams in each group on the final group-stage leaderboard. The group winner takes the 1st-place group prize and advances; the Best Runner-Up takes the 2nd-place prize for its group and also advances. Finale prizes are awarded on Finale leaderboard position (by goal difference across the two Finale games); 4th in the Finale receives no Finale prize but retains the group-stage prize already earned.

9.4 Individual awards

Individual awards are Tournament-wide, not group-level, contested by every player. Tallies accumulate across every game a player appears in — both group-stage games and, for finalists, the Finale.

If the Golden Boot or Most Assists tallies are level, the award and prize are shared equally. Goals and assists struck from the record (2.1.3) do not count toward any individual award.

Section 10 — General Conduct & Miscellaneous

Fair play. All participants uphold fair play and respect for opponents and officials. Any act of discrimination results in immediate dismissal of the individual and may result in disqualification of the team.

Media & commercial. ODS Africa and ODS Rwanda retain all media, broadcast, and commercial rights; teams grant a royalty-free licence to use match footage, photographs, and player likenesses for Tournament promotion. Teams bringing independent media must notify the Secretariat at least 48 hours in advance.

Insurance & medical. Teams are responsible for their players’ personal accident insurance and for providing their own medical services at each fixture; ODS Africa and the host do not provide medical cover. The referee retains authority to stop play on safety grounds, and the Match Commissioner is responsible for emergency escalation at the venue.

Force majeure & amendments. ODS Africa may modify, postpone, or cancel any part of the Tournament for circumstances beyond its reasonable control. This Rulebook may be amended up to 14 days before the first game day; later amendments require the agreement of a majority of registered team captains, and all amendments are communicated in writing and published on ODS Rwanda’s official channels.