Section 3: Tournament & Game Format

SECTION 3: TOURNAMENT & GAME FORMAT

§3.1 – Format

• §3.1.1 – All tournaments must have a Swiss Rounds stage (§3.2) or a Round Robin stage (§3.3) and Elimination stage (§3.4-§3.6).

  • §3.1.1.1 – Depending on the number of teams and courts, the Swiss Rounds take one or two days to complete.

  • $3.1.1.2 – Depending on the number of teams and courts, the Round Robin takes one or two days to complete.

• §3.1.2 – All tournaments that use a Swiss Rounds stage must have an Elimination stage.

  • §3.1.2.1 – This takes no more than one day to complete.

  • §3.1.2.2 – Teams play a knockout format.

  • §3.1.2.3 – This must either be Double Elimination, Single Elimination, or Set Format.

• §3.1.3 – The teams are selected based on the rankings of the Swiss Rounds.

  • §3.1.3.1 – If one Swiss group was used, the teams from that group is seeded in order.

  • §3.1.3.2 – If two Swiss groups are used, the teams are seeded from each group in turn, with first seed being the team with the best overall results.

• §3.1.4 - If the tournament consists of 16 or fewer teams then Round Robin should be used. Otherwise Swiss and Elimination should be used.

§3.2 – Swiss Rounds

• §3.2.1 – All teams play in Swiss rounds.

• §3.2.2 – Teams play in one, two or three groups.

• §3.2.3 – A split should happen if there are more than 8 teams per court (there should be a maximum of 4 games per court, per round, per group). The teams should be seeded equally between the groups.

• §3.2.4 – When played over two or three full days, the first phase can feature equally seeded groups, whereas the second phase should feature two or more groups, divided on merit as per the first day results.

  • §3.2.4.1 – The top group should be roughly ⅔ of the size of the final day elimination.

• §3.2.5 – The number of teams in each group should be divisible by the maximum number of teams able to play at the same time (e.g. on 3 courts, 6 teams can play at the same time, so ideal group sizes are 18 and 24).

• §3.2.6 – The number of rounds should be a minimum of the binary logarithm of the number of teams in a group, rounded up, with the option of one extra round if the time allows it (for example 9-16 teams should be four or five rounds, 17 - 32 teams should be five or six rounds).

• §3.2.7 – Swiss Rounds games can end in a tie, and do not feature overtime.

§3.3 – Round Robin

• §3.3.1 – All teams play in Round Robin, in even groups of 4 or more.

• §3.3.2 – Every team plays each other team in their group.

  • §3.3.2.1 – With less than 8 teams on 1 court, or 11 teams on 2 courts, Double Round Robin should be played, where every team plays each other twice.

• §3.3.3 – Round Robin games can end in a tie, and do not feature overtime.

• §3.3.4 – A win is worth 2 points, and a tie 1 point.

• §3.3.5 – At the end rankings are decided by points or total wins, then the head-to-head records between teams in the same position, then goal difference and finally goals scored.

§3.4 – Double Elimination

• §3.4.1 – Teams are out of the elimination when they lose twice.

• §3.4.2 – The Winners Bracket Final, Tournament Final Play-in, and Final(s) are played on one court, with 10 minute breaks between each game.

• §3.4.3 – The Winners Semi-finals, Losers Bracket Semi-finals, and Losers Bracket Final are played on two courts (where possible), with 10 minute breaks after the Winners Semi-finals & Losers Bracket Semi-finals, or on one court, with a 10 minute break after the Losers Bracket Semi Finals.

• §3.4.4 – The Winners Bracket Quarter-finals, Losers Bracket Quarter-finals, and Losers Bracket Semi-final Play-in, are played on 2 courts (where possible), with a 10 minute break after the Losers Bracket Quarter-finals, or on one court, with no breaks.

• §3.4.5 – All other games are played on as many courts as possible, as long as teams do not need to have consecutive games, or have at least 10 minute breaks between games.

§3.5 – Single Elimination

• §3.5.1 – Teams are out of the elimination after their first loss.

• §3.5.2 – The Final and 3rd-place game are played on one court.

• §3.5.3 – The Semi-finals are played on two courts (where possible), followed by a 10 minute break.

• §3.5.4 – The Quarter-finals are played on four courts (where possible), followed by a 10 minute break, or on two courts (where possible), followed by a 10 minute break, or on one court, with no break.

• §3.5.5 – All other games are played on as many courts as possible, as long as teams do not need to have consecutive games, or have at least 10 minute breaks between games.

§3.6 – Set Series Elimination Format

• §3.6.1 – A "set" series consists of 3 or 5 games, with the winner being the team who wins the majority of games.

• §3.6.2 – If a majority of wins has been reached, before all games have been played, the set is over.

• §3.6.3 – Each game must be played to time, with overtime rules as per the other elimination stages.

• §3.6.4 – Teams are out of the elimination after their first lost set.

• §3.6.5 – The Semi-finals, 3rd-place and Final sets are played as best of 5 games, all other sets are played as best of 3 games.

• §3.6.6 – Game times remain consistent throughout the tournament, rather than increasing towards the end of the elimination bracket.

• §3.6.7 – Each set has a 3 minute break between games.

§3.7 – NAH Regional Qualifier Playoffs.

• §3.7.2 – Where a regional qualifier produces more than 4 qualifying teams, it may be required to play playoffs between teams in the same finishing position, when not all those teams can qualify.

• §3.7.3 – For 5th place, the two teams finishing in 5th have to playoff.

• §3.7.4 – For 7th place, the two teams finishing in 7th have to playoff.

• §3.7.5 – For 9th, 10th & 11th place, the four teams finishing in 9th have to playoff. The two winning teams then playoff for 9th place and the two losing teams playoff for 11th place.

• §3.7.6 – Games are played in the first available break in the schedule, for example, between the Winners Bracket Final, and Tournament Final Play-in, or between the Tournament Final Play-in, and the Final, or on a spare court, once it is not required for the main tournament.

§3.8 – Game Timing

• §3.8.1 – Traditional Format (3v3)

  • §3.8.1.1 - Swiss Rounds / Round Robin – All games are 12 minutes long.

  • §3.8.1.2 – Double Elimination

    • §3.8.1.2.1 – The Final, Winners/Losers Bracket Final & Tournament Final Play-in, Winners/Losers Bracket Semi-finals and Winners/Losers Bracket Quarter-finals are 15 minutes long.

    • §3.8.1.2.2 – All other games are 12 minutes long.

  • §3.8.1.3 – Single Elimination

    • §3.8.1.3.1 – The Final and Semi-finals and Quarter-finals are 15 minutes long.

    • §3.8.1.3.2 – All other games are 12 minutes long.

  • §3.8.1.4 – Set Series Format

    • §3.8.1.4.1 – All games are 12 minutes long.

• §3.8.2 – Squad / Bench Format (5-player squad or 7-player bench)

  • §3.8.2.1 – Game Clock - At the tournament organizers discretion, the clock can run after goals, when a ball goes out-of-play and when penalties are being assessed. This is referred to as "Running Time". The clock must stop for these reasons within the final 2 minutes, regardless. If there is ample time in the tournament schedule, the organizer can determine which games use "Stop Time", where the clock always stops when play stops.

  • §3.8.2.2 – Half Time / Periods - If a game is 45-60 minutes long, a half-time or 3 periods can be used at the tournament organizers discretion. The referee counts down from 1 minute to these stoppages. Play restarts with a joust per §4.1.

• • §3.8.2.3 – Swiss Rounds / Round Robin – All games are 30-60 minutes long.

  • §3.8.2.4 – Double Elimination – All games are 30-60 minutes long. "Running Time" cannot be used for the Finals, Tournament Final Play-in, Winners/Losers Bracket Final, Winners/Losers Bracket Semi-finals.

  • §3.8.2.5 – Single Elimination – All games are 30-60 minutes long. "Running Time" cannot be used for the Finals, or Semi-finals.

  • §3.8.2.6 – Set Series Format – All games are 30-60 minutes long. "Running Time" cannot be used for the Finals, or Semi-finals.

§3.9 – Overtime

• §3.9.1 – If a match in an elimination round is tied at the end of regulation time, the Referee blows the whistle to stop play and an overtime period follows.

• §3.9.2 – The teams joust according to §4.1, and the tournament organizer determines if overtime periods or a golden goal determines the winner of the game.

  • §3.9.2.1 – Golden Goal – Play continues indefinitely until one team scores to end the game.

  • §3.9.2.2 – Overtime Periods – 10 minute overtime periods are played until one team has scored more goals at the final whistle.

§3.10 – Referees and Officials

• §3.10.1 – For the duration of a tournament, there are a minimum of 2 Referees per court available to be scheduled for shifts individually or in pairs, but not necessarily active at all times. e.g.: 2 courts would require 4 Referees. 3 courts would require 6 Referees.

• §3.10.2 – Swiss Rounds / Round Robin:

  • §3.10.2.1 – There is a minimum of 1 Referee, 1 Official, and 2 Goal Judges per court.

  • §3.10.2.2 – Referees and Goal Judges should be scheduled for a maximum of a 3 hour shift.

• §3.10.3 – Elimination Rounds:

  • §3.10.3.1 – There are a minimum of 2 Referees, 1 Official, and 2 Goal Judges per court.