Play hard. Play fair.
Quick reference for how we run UQIC games. Match flow, conduct, forfeits, equipment, and disputes, everything you need before lacing up. Sport-specific rules link out to each governing body.
The rules.
26 rules · 5 categoriesMost UQIC games are two halves of 20 minutes with a short break between. A few sports run shorter, beach volleyball and indoor volleyball are timed sets, dodgeball runs three rounds. Your captain will get the exact format in the team brief.
Each sport follows its national governing body's scoring (FFA for soccer, FTA for touch, NA for netball, etc.) with minor UQIC modifications listed at the start of each season. Draws are recorded as draws in the regular season; finals are decided by golden-point extra time.
The clock starts at the scheduled kickoff regardless of who's on the field. If you have fewer than the minimum players after 10 minutes, the match is awarded to the other team. Late players can join once they arrive; they don't need to sit out.
Top 4 teams per division make finals. Semi-finals in penultimate week (1v4, 2v3), grand final in the last week. Draws go to extra time (5 mins each way), then golden point, then a coin toss if still tied.
The full rule set for each sport is in your team brief (sent after registration closes). Quick links:
- Touch football, Touch Football Australia 8th edition, with UQIC's no-tackle / 6-touch modifications
- Soccer / futsal, FIFA Laws of the Game, no offside in social comps
- Netball, Netball Australia rules, mixed comps allow male attackers and defenders
- Volleyball, FIVB rules, rally scoring to 25
On-field numbers vary by sport, with up to 4 subs on the bench. Every sport has a minimum team size to start a match:
| Sport | Min. Players |
|---|---|
| Dodgeball | 8 |
| Beach Volleyball | 8 |
| Futsal (Indoor Soccer) | 8 |
| Basketball | 9 |
| Indoor Volleyball | 9 |
| Touch Football | 10 |
| Touch Rugby League (TRL) | 11 |
| Netball | 11 |
| 7-a-side Soccer | 11 |
| Rugby Union | 20 |
Mixed comps require at least two players of an underrepresented gender on the field at all times. If you can't field two, you play one short, you can't substitute the requirement with another gender.
Men's and women's comps don't have a gender ratio but the squad must match the comp.
Most sports use rolling substitutions, sub on and off freely at the bench area when play is paused. Soccer and futsal use interchange (3 per half + at half-time). The ref/marshal will tell you which rule applies before kickoff.
Yes, across different sports or different nights. No, you can't play for two teams in the same competition (same sport, same division). Finals eligibility requires you've played at least 3 regular-season games for that team.
Unregistered players cannot play, they're not covered by our insurance. Sign-ups can be done at the field on the day if numbers allow; talk to the marshal. Mid-season transfers between teams require captain approval from both sides.
Three rules: respect the refs, respect your opponents, respect the venue. UQIC is social, we're here for a kick-around, not the Olympics. Excessive aggression, sledging, or fishing for cards gets you a quiet word, then a sin bin, then a send-off.
Zero tolerance. Racial, sexist, homophobic, or transphobic abuse, directed at anyone, including opposition, refs, spectators, or your own team, results in an immediate send-off and a season-minimum suspension. Repeat offences are lifetime bans. Report anything you experience or witness to the marshal at the field or via DM after the game.
Sin bin = 5 minutes off the field, your team plays short. Send-off = out for the match plus a review. Repeat send-offs across a season trigger a suspension hearing. Yellow / red card sports follow their normal carry-over rules (e.g., 2 yellows in finals = 1-game suspension).
Captains check players in at the marshal table before kickoff, manage subs, and are the only player who can talk to the ref about a call (politely). If conduct issues arise on your team, the captain gets the warning first.
Bring as many friends as you like, UQIC is a social vibe. Spectators are bound by the same conduct rules. Abuse from the sideline can result in your team being penalised. Keep dogs on leads and don't block the fields.
Yes, your custom UQIC jersey (included free with registration) is the compulsory match uniform. No jersey = sit out until you have one. We hand out spares at the field if yours hasn't arrived yet; just see the marshal.
Closed-toe shoes always. Grass sports (touch, rugby, soccer outdoor), rubber moulded studs or turf shoes. Indoor sports (futsal, basketball, netball, indoor volleyball), non-marking court shoes. Beach volleyball, barefoot. Metal studs are banned across the board.
Strongly recommended for everyone. Required for touch football, rugby, and basketball. We can't play you in those sports without one. Cheap boil-and-bite ones are fine, chemist or sports store, $10–15.
No rings, watches, hard earrings, or chains. Taped studs are okay if you can't remove them. The ref will ask you to remove anything risky, non-negotiable, it's a safety call.
Match balls, bibs (when needed for mixed teams), and field setup are provided. Bring your own water bottle, mouthguard, and personal gear. We don't lend out boots, runners, or socks, turn up dressed to play.
A team forfeits if they: (a) have fewer than the minimum players 10 minutes after kickoff, (b) don't notify us they can't make it, or (c) are removed during the match for repeated send-offs. Forfeits give the opposition a default 3–0 win (or sport equivalent).
By 12pm on game day, message us on Instagram or email. Notice forfeits are free. No-notice forfeits incur a $50 admin fee added to next season's registration. Three no-notice forfeits in a season = the team's removal from the competition.
If the field is unplayable, we'll call it by 3pm on game day via Instagram story and the team WhatsApp. Washouts are recorded as draws unless rescheduled. Finals washouts always reschedule to the next available night.
Only the captain can question a call, and only respectfully, refs are volunteers and uni students. Decisions on the field are final. Repeated arguing earns a sin bin. If you think there's been a major rules misapplication (not a judgement call), captains can lodge a written protest within 48 hours.
Captain emails rules@theuqic.com.au within 48 hours with: match details, the specific rule you believe was misapplied, and any witnesses. A three-person panel (UQIC committee) reviews within 7 days. Decisions are final. Frivolous protests (judgement calls dressed up as rule errors) are rejected without review.
The full policy lives at theuqic.com.au/disciplinary (coming soon, for now, see the team brief PDF sent to your captain). Suspensions are listed in the weekly newsletter so the comp stays transparent.