Football Tournament
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FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT RULES

PS5 League • Tap Beer Miami

Official Tournament Guidelines

FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT RULES — TAP BEER (PS5)

💰 Entry Fee & Prize Pool

⚠️ Age Restriction:

  • 21+ ONLY - Valid ID required
  • All participants must be 21 years or older to participate
  • Age verification will be checked at registration

Entry Fee:

  • $20 USD per player
  • CASH ONLY - strictly enforced
  • Payment must be made before the tournament starts

Prize Distribution:

  • 100% of entry fees go directly to prize pool
  • 1st Place: 70% of total prize pool 🥇
  • 2nd Place: 30% of total prize pool 🥈

Example: With 20 players, prize pool = $400 total

  • 🥇 1st: $280 cash
  • 🥈 2nd: $120 cash

1. Game Settings

  • Platform: PlayStation 5
  • Game: EA Sports FC (latest installed version)
  • Mode: Kick-Off / Friendly
  • Match Length: 5 minutes per half
  • Game Speed: Normal
  • Difficulty: World Class
  • Camera: Default
  • Stadium, Weather, Time of Day: Default / Random
  • Injuries: Off
  • Handball: Off

All matches must use these exact settings. Any changes are forbidden.

2. Teams

  • Only teams from the approved tournament list are allowed.
  • Default squads only.
  • Team editing, transfers, custom squads and rating changes are forbidden.

3. Pre-Match Preparation

  • Each player has a maximum of 60 seconds before match start.
  • Allowed:
    • Select team
    • Check controller layout
    • Confirm settings
  • Forbidden:
    • Long tactical setup
    • Player role tuning
    • Menu delays

After 60 seconds the match must start immediately.

4. Tactics and Formations

  • Custom Tactics: Forbidden.
  • Custom Formations: Forbidden.
  • Only default tactics and default formations are allowed.
  • Forbidden:
    • Editing depth, width, pressure, defensive line
    • Player instructions
    • Saved presets

Any tactical customization results in match forfeit.

5. Controller Settings

  • Button layout changes are allowed.
  • Assistance settings must remain default.
  • Any gameplay advantage modifications are forbidden.

6. Pausing

  • Maximum 2 pauses per player per match.
  • Each pause maximum 20 seconds.
  • Pauses allowed only for substitutions or urgent issues.
  • Delaying the game is forbidden.

7. Match Rules

  • Group Stage: Draw stands.
  • Playoffs: Extra time and penalties.
  • No intentional restarts.
  • No exploit abuse or unsportsmanlike behavior.

8. Playoff System

Qualification:

  • Top 2 teams from each group advance to playoffs
  • Ranking: Points → Goal Difference → Goals Scored

Play-In Round (if needed):

  • When more than 8 teams qualify, lower-ranked teams play a preliminary round
  • Best first-place teams receive automatic bye (skip Play-In)
  • Lower second-place teams must play Play-In matches
  • Play-In winners advance to Quarter Finals

Examples by participant count:

  • 20 players (5 groups): 10 qualify → 6 get bye, 4 play Play-In (2 matches)
  • 24 players (6 groups): 12 qualify → 4 get bye, 8 play Play-In (4 matches)
  • 28 players (7 groups): 14 qualify → 2 get bye, 12 play Play-In (6 matches)
  • 32 players (8 groups): 16 qualify → Round of 16 (8 matches)

Bracket Structure:

  • Quarter Finals → 4 matches (8 teams)
  • Semi Finals → 2 matches (4 teams)
  • Third Place Match → 1 match (semi-final losers)
  • Final → 1 match (semi-final winners)

🏆 Seeding Priority:

Teams are ranked globally by their group stage performance. The best performers get rewarded with bye rounds, while teams with weaker results must prove themselves in Play-In matches. This ensures fair competition regardless of group assignment.

9. Fair Play

  • Respect all players and staff.
  • No trash talk, delays, cheating or controller interference.
  • Violations may result in match loss or disqualification.

10. Admin Decision

  • All disputes are resolved by tournament staff.
  • Decisions are final.