Rules & Regulations

1. Governing Rules

Riga Cup shall be played in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations of the Latvian Football Federation (LFF).

2. Competition Format and Points

Participating clubs must be members of a national football association affiliated with FIFA. In countries where football is organised through schools, teams affiliated with the relevant school football association may also participate.

Teams will be divided into groups and will play a round-robin format, with each team playing every other team in its group.

Points are awarded as follows:

Win: 3 points

Draw: 1 point

Loss: 0 points

If two or more teams finish level on points, their positions will be determined by applying the following criteria in the order listed:

• Results of the matches played between the teams concerned.
• Goal difference in the matches played between the teams concerned.
• Number of goals scored in the matches played between the teams concerned.
• Goal difference in all group matches.
• Number of goals scored in all group matches.
• The number of yellow and red cards received.

If all the above criteria fail to separate teams competing for a place in the next stage, a draw will be held to determine which team or teams advance.

3. Age Categories and Tournament Dates

The tournament is scheduled to take place on the following dates:

U12: 15–17 January 2027

U13: 22–24 January 2027

U14: 29–31 January 2027

U15: 5–7 February 2027

U17: 12–14 February 2027

4. Match Duration

Match duration may vary between tournament editions and age categories. The applicable match duration will be communicated by the organisers in the tournament schedule or other official tournament information.

5. Time-outs

Time-outs are not permitted.

6. Players and Substitutions

A maximum of 25 players may be used by a team in any one match.

Rolling substitutions are permitted. A substituted player may re-enter the match.

Substitutions may be made without stopping the game, provided the substitution procedure is followed.

A goalkeeper substitution may only be made when the game is stopped and the referee has been informed.

Substitutions must take place within the technical area. If no technical area is marked, substitutions must take place at the halfway line.

The player leaving the field must do so before the substitute enters.

An incorrect substitution may result in a yellow card.

A player may represent more than one team from the same club during the tournament, but may not play for more than one team in the same age category.

A player representing more than one team must be included on the participant list of every team for which they may play. The player must be present and must provide valid proof of age for each team they represent.

A maximum of 25 players may be included on each team's participant list.

7. Overaged Players and Girls' Teams

The following allowances for overaged players apply, subject to prior approval by the tournament organisers:

U12–U15: Up to two overaged players may be permitted. Such players must have been born after 1 August of the calendar year preceding the relevant age category.

U16 and U17: Up to five overaged players may be permitted. Such players must have been born after 1 January of the calendar year preceding the relevant age category.

U10 and U11: Overaged players are not permitted.

The organisers reserve the right to approve or reject requests to use overaged players.

Girls' teams may participate in a boys' age category that is one age category below their corresponding girls' age category, subject to prior approval from the organisers. In such cases, a maximum of five players from the next higher girls' age category may be included. This limit applies to the team's full tournament participant list and may not be exceeded.

All players must be included on the official participant list and must provide valid identification confirming their date of birth in accordance with Section 8. The organisers may approve or reject participation requests, taking into account the sporting level and the circumstances of the team. All other tournament rules apply.

8. Player Registration and Proof of Age

The team's participant list must be submitted to the organisers before the team's first match.

Every player must be able to identify themselves and verify their age by presenting a valid passport.

A player joining the team after the initial participant list has been submitted may only participate if the player was already included on that first list. The player must present valid identification before taking part in their first match.

A team fielding an unqualified player may be excluded from the tournament.

9. Match Sheets, Equipment and Team Responsibilities

Before every match, the team must submit its team list to the referee.

Each player's shirt number must correspond to the number assigned to that player on the participant list. The same number must be used on the team list for every match.

All players named on the team list will be considered to have participated in the match.

All players must wear shirts with numbers on the back. Two players on the same team may not wear the same number during a match.

If the referee determines that the teams' shirt colours are too similar, the team listed last in the official match schedule must change its shirts.

Teams must be ready at the assigned field no later than 15 minutes before kick-off.

The team manager is responsible for ensuring that all players are adequately insured.

All players must wear shin guards.

Teams are responsible for the behaviour of their supporters.

Ball sizes:

U14–U17: Size 5

U10–U13: Size 4

10. Referees

All referees officiating at Riga Cup are members of the Latvian Football Federation (LFF).

11. Tournament Jury

The tournament jury consists of members of the organising committee. The jury is responsible for handling protests and disciplinary matters, including decisions concerning penalties and sanctions.

12. Organiser and Right to Select Participants

Riga Cup is organised by KROSTER Ltd. The organising committee reserves the right to select the participating teams.

13. Protests and Disciplinary Matters

A protest may only be submitted in writing by the team's manager to the Central Information desk.

A protest must be submitted within 15 minutes after the end of the match concerned.

A protest must be accompanied by a fee of EUR 150. The fee will be refunded if the protest is upheld.

Decisions made by the referee on matters of fact connected with play are final, in accordance with FIFA Laws of the Game, Law 5. Protests against such decisions will not be accepted.

A player who receives a red card is automatically suspended for the team's next match. The tournament jury may impose further suspension.

Yellow cards are not accumulated during the tournament.

Serious offences may be reported to the relevant national football association.

14. Failure to Appear and Walkovers

A team that fails to appear at the appointed place and time without a valid reason will automatically lose the match by a score of 3–0.

Repeated failure to appear may result in exclusion from the tournament. In exceptional circumstances, the tournament jury may exclude a team after a first offence.

15. Playing Fields

Matches will be played on artificial turf fields in Riga, including Riga Skonto Hall, E. Melngaiļa Street 1A.

16. Schedule Changes and Knock-out Matches

The organising committee reserves the right to change the match schedule, group composition, kick-off times and playing fields. Any changes will be communicated to the team leader.

If a knock-out match is drawn after normal playing time, the winner will be decided by a penalty shoot-out:

Each team will take three penalties.

If the score remains level, teams will take one penalty each until a winner is determined.

A different player must take each penalty until all eligible players have taken a penalty.

17. Confirmation of Participation

A team's participation is guaranteed only after it has received official confirmation from the organisers.

If the organisers do not confirm a team's participation, any participation fee already paid will be refunded.

Teams are advised not to book flights, ferry tickets or other transport until official confirmation of participation has been received.

18. Accommodation Rules

The team manager named on the participant list is responsible for damage caused by the team's players.

Alcohol is prohibited in the accommodation.

Quiet hours are from 23:00 to 06:00.

Check-in is from 14:00 and check-out is by 12:00. Early check-in or late check-out may incur an additional fee.

Smoking is prohibited.

Cooking is not permitted in sleeping areas or corridors.

Combustible materials may not be stored in corridors.

Desks, chairs and other furniture must not be moved from their designated places.

Doors between corridors and stairwells must remain closed.

The head of delegation must sign the damage list provided by the hotel.

19. Insurance and Liability

All players must be insured both on and off the field.

Riga Cup does not provide group insurance and is not responsible for arranging insurance for participants. The organisers are not responsible for participants' injuries, illnesses, theft or damage to personal property.

Teams from countries that do not have a medical insurance agreement with Latvia must ensure that all participants have valid personal medical insurance.

Riga Cup is not responsible for injuries or financial losses arising from war, warlike events, civil war, revolution, civil disturbances, actions by public authorities, strikes, lockouts, blockades or similar events.

20. Team Fee and Payment Deadline

The team fee must be paid no later than 20 weeks before the start of the relevant tournament.

The team fee and tournament fee are non-refundable if a team withdraws or is unable to participate for reasons not attributable to the organisers.

Payment of the team fee constitutes acceptance of these tournament rules.

21. Tournament Fee and Accommodation Payments

The accommodation payment schedule is as follows:

50% of the applicable tournament fee must be paid no later than 8 weeks before the tournament.

100% of the applicable tournament fee must be paid no later than 2 weeks before the tournament.

Accommodation can only be arranged in hotels provided by the organisers. Teams are required to pay the tournament fee and stay in accommodation arranged by Riga Cup.

Exception for Latvian teams: Latvian teams that do not wish to or cannot stay in the provided accommodation may, if this option is offered by the Riga Cup organisers, pay a second team fee instead of the tournament fee. This exception applies only to Latvian teams.

22. Bank Details

All payments must be made to the following bank account:

Account holder: KROSTER Limited

IBAN: CY65005002400002400196618601

Bank: Hellenic Bank

Address: S. Kyprianou 8–10, House 5, 8220, Paphos

Please include the team's name and age category in the payment reference (for example: Riga FC U15).

23. Communications, Results and Personal Information

The organisers may send emails relevant to Riga Cup to registered teams and staff. Such communications may include date announcements, invitations, greetings and other tournament-related information. Recipients may unsubscribe by sending an email request to the organisers.

The organisers may publish all tournament results.

Personal information such as telephone numbers and email addresses will not be shared with third parties.

24. Photography, Video and Media Rights

The organisers may photograph and film matches and tournament events. They may broadcast matches live and publish photographs and recordings on the Riga Cup website, social media channels and other media platforms.

Photographs and recordings may be used for Riga Cup marketing and advertising purposes and may be provided to sponsors for marketing related to Riga Cup.

Access to live streams, recordings and photographs may be offered free of charge or for a fee. The organisers will decide whether access is free or paid and will publish applicable prices and terms on the Riga Cup website.

By registering for the tournament, teams acknowledge that players, staff and supporters may appear in photographs and recordings. The team manager is responsible for ensuring that parents or legal guardians of underage players have been informed.

A parent or legal guardian who objects to the use of a player's image may contact the organisers at info@rigacup.lv. The organisers will consider the request and, where reasonably possible, limit or remove the relevant material.

All rights to live streams, recordings and photographs produced by or on behalf of the organisers belong to the organisers.

Personal filming and photography for private use are permitted. Broadcasting live, selling or republishing recordings, or sharing access to paid content is not permitted without prior written permission from the organisers.

25. Compliance with the Rules

Failure to comply with these rules may be dealt with by the tournament jury and may result in exclusion from the tournament and/or accommodation.

Participants are advised not to keep cash, valuables or other important personal belongings in their rooms.