Rules and Guidelines for Gamedays​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Our Junior and Youth Competitions follow New Zealand Football’s age-appropriate formats and guidelines, adapted for Central Otago delivery.

This handbook outlines how football is played across each stage, including team formation, game day expectations, and rules specific to each age group.

To make things easy, you can jump straight to the sections most relevant to your child:

  • First Kicks (U4–U8) – Pages 9–14
  • Fun Football (U9–U10) – Pages 15–19
  • Mini Football (U10–U13) – Pages 20–27
  • Youth Football (U14–U16) – Page 28

Each section includes:

  • Team formation guidance
  • Game day setup and expectations
  • Key rules and formats (with simple infographics)

We recommend all parents, coaches and volunteers take a few minutes to review the relevant section for their age group.