Toowoomba Khukuri Cup 2025 - Rules and Regulations

Toowoomba Nepalese Football Club (TNFC) welcomes teams from all over Queensland for a full day 7-a-side football tournament. All teams are encouraged to play in a competitive nature and to best of their ability but always play the game fairly and in the right spirit.

The tournament will be held on Sunday 7th December 2025, at West Wanderers FC, 411 Hume St, Toowoomba City, QLD 4350. Access through both Ruthven Street (address as Nell E Robinson Park) and Hume Street, with parking when entering the venue through Hume Street.

Teams

23 teams have been finalized for this tournament.

Format

• The teams will be divided into 4 groups.
• The top two teams from each group will go on to play the knockout rounds, leading to the Grand Final.

Tournament Commencement

• Tournament will be held on Sunday, 7th December 2025.
• It will be full day event commencing from 8:00 am and ending around 7:00 pm

Player Code of Conduct

Each team Manager or team Captain must ensure all players have read and understood following code of conduct.

• Always play the game fairly and in the right spirit.
• Be aware of the impact of bad language; keep spectators and members of the public - including children in mind.
• Avoid criticizing match officials. Accept that they make honest decisions and confronting them will not change it.
• Never verbally abuse a match official, player or spectator based on their appearance, race, religion, gender or sexuality. Doing so could lead to dismissal from the field and suspension.
• Never physically assault a match official, player or spectator. Doing so could lead to dismissal from the field and suspension.
• Always win, lose or draw with dignity, and be prepared to shake hands with match officials, opposition players and manager at full-time.
• If two or more players get involved in a brawl, then the whole team will be disqualified from the tournament. (This will be decided by the Referee and Organizers)
• Teams are responsible for ensuring all their players are aware of and adhere to tournament rules.

Rules and Regulations

• Toowoomba Nepalese Football Club, herby known as TNFC reserves the right to make changes to schedule, rules and regulations at short notice, in case the situation to do so arises.
• The Captains, Manager or representative of each participating team will liaise with the Tournament Organizing Committee to communicate about the tournament.
• TNFC managed technical team will verify players eligibility in accordance with players registration form in order to participate in Toowoomba Khukuri Cup 2025.
• TNFC to coordinate with Tournament Organizing Committee and Technical Team for any escalated disciplinary action.

Laws of the Game

• Matches are played in conformity with the Laws of the Game promulgated by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) and published by FIFA.

Offside

• The offside rule does not apply

Players

• All players in the list must be of Nepalese origin with exception to Bhutanese Nepalese team.
• ALL players must be registered, wear shin pads and wear the team color jersey to be able to play in a match.
• A maximum of 12 players may be registered in the team sheet: a minimum of seven (7) is required to form a complete team.
• Changes in the team sheet must be notified to the organizer. Failure to do so may result in the team or player being disqualified.
• A minimum of five (5) players is required to start a game. • Seven players per side, including the goalkeeper, are allowed on the field during the match.
• Up to five (5) substitutes can be named by each team in each game.
• A player is only allowed to play for the team they are registered to. No player may play for two teams registered in the tournament.
• In case of two teams wearing similar colors, a coin toss will decide which team will be required to wear bibs.

Substitution of players

• There will be unlimited rolling substitutions
• Permission of the referee is required to substitute players

Fouls and Misconduct

Decision making

• The decision made by the referee during the game are final.

Sliding Tackles

• Due to safety concerns, NO slide tackles will be allowed.
• Any player breaking this rule shall be awarded a blue card and sent to the sin bin for 2 minutes. (This will be decided by the referee)
• No replacements are allowed for any player who has been sin binned.
• If the same player is blue carded, the player must go off for the rest of the match; a replacement player can only be brought in 2 minutes later.
• Goalkeepers are allowed to slide if they are within the goal area.

Cards

• Blue card – Awarded in the event of a sliding tackle; see above on sliding tackle.
• Yellow card – If a player receives 2 yellow cards during a game, it warrants a red card, and the player will be sent off from the match. No replacement will be allowed in the event a player is red carded. The offending player will miss the following game. Player who receives 3 yellow cards in the tournament will miss the following game of third yellow card.
• Red card – No replacement will be allowed in the event a player is red-carded. The offending player will miss the following game.

Match Time

Group Stage

• Each game will be continuous 2 halves of 10 minutes (20 minutes playing time in total) for all group matches, with break of 2 minutes.
• There will be no extra time or penalty kicks in the group matches.
• Players have to be on the field on time.
• A team which is 10 minutes late would award the opponent a 2-0 lead; and only the remaining 10 minutes will be played.
• A team which is 20 minutes late would award the opponent a 3-0 victory.
• 3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie and 0 points for a loss.
• Group standings will be decided in the following order of priority
  • Goal difference
  • Head-to-head result
  • Most wins
  • Most goals scored
  • Fewest goals against
  • Fewest discipline points (1 pt for yellow card, 2 pts for red card)
  • Coin toss

Quarter Final

• For all Quarter Final matches each game will be played at 12 minutes each half with a 2-minute half time break (24 minutes playing time in total).

Semi Final and 2nd Runner Up

• For all Semi Final matches and 2nd Runner Up match, each game will be played at 14 mins each half with a 2-minute half time break (28 minutes playing time in total).
• Extra Time
  • If the result ends in a draw at the end of normal playing time, an extra time of 5 continuous minutes shall be played with no half-time.
• Penalty Shootout
  • If the match ends in a draw after extra time, the winners shall be determined by a penalty shootout. 5 penalty takers from each team are required.
  • If the shootout ends in a stalemate, sudden death rules apply with both teams having equal opportunities.
  • As a rule, the players remain on the field of play during breaks and at extra time, at the discretion of the referee.

Finals

• The Finals will be played at 16 minutes each half with a 5-minute half time break (32 minutes playing time in total).
• Extra Time
  • If the result ends in a draw at the end of normal playing time, an extra time of 8 continuous minutes shall be played with no half-time.
• Penalty Shootout
  • If the match ends in a draw after extra time, the winners shall be determined by a penalty shootout. 5 penalty takers from each team are required.
  • If the shootout ends in a stalemate, sudden death rules apply with both teams having equal opportunities.
  • As a rule, the players remain on the field of play during breaks and at extra time, at the discretion of the referee.

Penalty Kicks

• The referee decides which goal will be used for the kicks from the penalty. There would be a coin toss on deciding the team who would be taking the penalty mark first.