Official Rules – Pilot Edition

Version: 1.1
Status: Global Trial Phase
This document is currently in a trial phase and may be subject to changes or adjustments based on field testing and community feedback.
Issued by: socnetglobal.com

Preamble
This document constitutes the official rules of Socnet, a sport born from the spirit of creating an inclusive, strategic, healthy, and enjoyable game. All laws contained herein are designed to ensure technical standards, competitive fairness, player safety, and gameplay consistency across all levels of competition.
These rules serve as the primary guideline for all Socnet matches — at local, national, and international levels — and may serve as the foundation for the establishment of federations and the organization of official tournaments.

Definitions of Key Terms
• Max5: A rule stating that each team may perform a maximum of five consecutive touches before the ball must be sent into the opponent’s area.
• Stall: A controlled hold of the ball for up to two seconds, allowed only once within a single Max5 sequence.
• Micro Touch: Small repeated contacts made while controlling the ball, counted as a single touch as long as the ball remains under control and does not significantly leave the body’s surface.
• Over Kick: A kick where the contact point between the foot and the ball occurs above the height of the net. This technique is permitted only for ball control or passing to a teammate on the same side.
• Double Red: A disciplinary sanction in the form of a double red card, issued for very serious violations, resulting in a deduction of six points from the team’s score.

Law 1 — The Court
1.1. The playing court is a rectangle measuring 13.40 meters in length and 6.10 meters in width.
1.2. The court is divided into two equal halves by a horizontal net positioned at the center. The net height is set at 1.55 meters across its length, with a maximum tolerance of 5 centimeters lower at the center.
1.3. Boundary lines shall be 40 millimeters wide and are considered part of the playing area.
1.4. The court surface must be flat and non-slippery.
1.5. Each side of the court shall have inner and outer sidelines, as well as inner and outer back lines:
a. In singles (1 vs 1) matches, the playing area is bounded by the inner sidelines and the outer back lines.
b. In doubles (2 vs 2) matches, the playing area is bounded by the outer sidelines and the outer back lines.
1.6. All boundary lines must be marked in a color that contrasts with the court surface and be clearly visible to both players and referees.

Law 2 — The Ball
2.1. The ball used shall be equivalent in size and characteristics to a standard size 5 football.
2.2. The ball must be in good condition, provide balanced bounce, and be free of damage.
2.3. The ball must be perfectly spherical, have a circumference between 68–70 cm, weigh between 410–450 g at the start of the match, and have an air pressure between 0.5–0.9 bar.

Law 3 — Players and Substitutions
3.1. A match is played between two teams, each consisting of either one player (singles) or two players (doubles) on the court.
3.2. Each team may register one substitute player.
3.3. Substitutions are permitted during dead-ball situations and must be approved by the referee.

Law 4 — Player Equipment
4.1. Players must wear proper sports attire that is appropriate, comfortable, and does not endanger other players.
4.2. Players may play barefoot or wear footwear, provided that it contains no hard, sharp, or metallic elements that could endanger other players.
4.3. In tournaments or official competitions, the event organizer has the right to determine the footwear concept to be used, provided that it does not conflict with the provisions stated in these Official Rules.
4.4. Caps or headgear with protruding or hard structures are prohibited.
4.5. Use of knee, ankle, or wrist protectors is allowed, provided they do not contain hard materials.

Law 5 — The Referee
5.1. The match is officiated by one main referee.
5.2. The referee has full authority to:
a. Determine the validity of services and points;
b. Assess violations of the Max5 rule (maximum five consecutive touches);
c. Judge ball control exceeding the time limit;
d. Interpret Micro Touch occurrences and double touches.
5.3. The referee’s decisions are final and not subject to appeal during the match.
5.4. Official matches may include a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) and a video operator to review specific incidents using replay footage.
5.5. VAR use is optional, and matches remain valid with only one main referee.
5.6. In matches using VAR, footage from line cameras may be reviewed for the following incidents:
a. Doubtful in/out decisions;
b. Suspected Micro Touch occurrences;
c. Net violations;
d. Suspected Max5 violations.
5.7. The final decision rests with the main referee after considering VAR recommendations.

Law 6 — Match Duration and Scoring
6.1. Rally point scoring is used, with each rally awarding one point to the winning team.
6.2. A set is won by the first team to reach 15 points, with a minimum lead of two points.
6.3. If the score reaches 14–14, play continues until one team leads by two points (deuce). If the score reaches 19–19, the first team to score the 20th point wins the set.
6.4. Matches are played in a best-of-three sets format.

Law 7 — Service
7.1. Service is performed from behind the service line, the first line parallel to the net on each side of the court.
7.2. The serve must be directed diagonally into the opponent’s court.
7.3. The player initiates service by holding the ball in their hands, then releasing or tossing it into the air before making contact with any legal part of the body — including the foot, head, chest, shoulder, or any other permitted area — to send the ball into play.
7.4. A service is valid if the ball passes over the net without touching any part of it.
7.5. The service order is determined by the team that wins each rally.
7.6. The team that wins a rally is entitled to serve next.
7.7. Teams must maintain the same player positions throughout the rally and may only switch positions after the point ends.
7.8. Player Position Rotation:
a. The serving team must rotate the server after winning a rally (scoring a point).
b. Rotation applies only to the serving team and must occur within their court area before the next serve.
c. The serving player’s partner may adjust their position freely within their side of the court.
d. The receiving team does not change positions during a rally and will automatically alternate receivers.
7.9. A service is deemed invalid if any of the following occur:
a. The ball touches the net during service, even if it lands within the opponent’s court.
b. The ball lands outside the opponent’s playing area.
c. The server touches or steps on the service line before releasing the ball.
d. The ball is not directed diagonally as required.
e. The server touches the net or crosses the center line before or during service.
f. The server’s teammate touches the net or crosses the center line before the ball is released.
Sanction: The opposing team is awarded one point and gains the right to serve.

Law 8 — Ball Touch and Control
8.1. Each team is allowed a maximum of five consecutive touches to control the ball before sending it into the opponent’s area. This rule is known as Max5.
8.2. The ball may be controlled using any part of the body except the hands and arms.
8.3. The ball may be held for a maximum of two seconds without stepping. This controlled hold is known as a Stall and is allowed only once within a Max5 sequence. A contact qualifies as a Stall if the ball remains under control for at least 0.3 seconds. Shorter contacts are not considered a Stall.
8.4. Repeated contacts made while holding or controlling the ball (Stall) are counted as a single touch, as long as the ball remains under control and does not significantly leave the body’s surface. Such repeated contacts are called Micro Touch and are not counted as additional touches within the Max5 limit.
8.5. Micro Touch occurs when the ball flows or rolls naturally across the player’s body surface while remaining under continuous control. This is permitted as long as:
a. The contact duration does not exceed two seconds.
b. The player’s feet remain stationary (no steps are taken) during the control.
8.6. Over Kick
An Over Kick is defined as any kick where the contact point between the foot and the ball occurs above the height of the net. This technique is permitted only for ball control or passing to a teammate on the same side.
8.7. Fault – Over Kick Usage
If an Over Kick is used to send the ball directly into the opponent’s area, it is considered a fault, and the opposing team is awarded one point.

Law 9 — Dead Ball and Net Violations
9.1. The ball is considered dead if:
a. It touches the ground or lands outside the playing area;
b. It cannot be returned within the Max5 limit;
c. It is held for more than two seconds by the same player;
d. It touches a prohibited part of the body (hands or arms).
9.2. Players are prohibited from touching or crossing the vertical plane of the net with any part of their body while the ball is in play.
9.3. Any interference with the net or its supports is considered a fault and results in a point awarded to the opponent.
9.4. The ball remains in play if it touches the net and crosses into the opponent’s area during regular play, except during service.

Law 10 — Player Safety and Dangerous Play
10.1. Any action or use of equipment that may endanger other players’ safety may be declared a safety violation by the referee.
10.2. Players must avoid dangerous actions that could cause injury to opponents or teammates.
10.3. The referee has full authority to stop play if a situation poses a risk to player safety and to apply appropriate sanctions as outlined in Law 11.

Law 11 — Faults and Sanctions
11.1. A fault is any violation of the laws of the game resulting in the consequences specified below.
11.2. A technical fault occurs when a player commits an unintentional or non-dangerous gameplay error.
Sanction: The opposing team is awarded one point.
11.3. A yellow card is issued to a player who commits misconduct, unsporting behavior, or disrespectful actions.
11.4. A yellow card results in a deduction of one point from the offending team’s current score.
11.5. Two yellow cards issued to the same player in one match are equivalent to one red card.
11.6. A straight red card is issued for serious violations that endanger player safety or compromise the integrity of the match.
11.7. Each red card results in a deduction of three points from the offending team’s score.
11.8. The referee may issue a Double Red card for extremely serious violations. In this case, the offending team loses six points.
11.9. More severe violations may result in the immediate disqualification of the player or team.
11.10. If a card is issued when a team’s score is zero, that team must score additional points equal to the deducted value plus one to reach a score of one:
a. If a yellow card is issued at zero (–1 point), the team must score two points to reach one.
b. If a red card is issued at zero (–3 points), the team must score four points to reach one.
c. If a Double Red is issued at zero (–6 points), the team must score seven points to reach one.
11.11. The referee’s decision on card issuance is final and rests entirely within their authority.