Ironball Rules

Game Rules

  • A traditional match is 10 minutes long, and has two halves.

  • The clock starts when the golem is first touched off of the kickoff.

  • The clock is stopped when a goal is scored, a timeout is called, a player involuntarily loses connection, or the golem dies.

  • The clock will not be stopped if a player loses connection when a player is through on goal for either team
  • The game can be forfeited immediately and the match will end 5-0 for the opposing team.

  • The game will be forfeited immediately by a team that is down 0-5.

  • Players must stand on or before the white goal line before the countdown reaches “Go”.

  • False starts will not result in countdown restart if the false start doesn’t directly lead to a goal off of kickoff from the team that false started.
  • A goal is scored when the iron golem entity crosses the white goal line, into the block the tripwire is set up.

  • A player will be yellow carded if they display unsportsmanlike conduct, receive a server warning during the match, or purposely delay a kickoff.

  • A player will be red carded if they repeat a yellow card offence or are caught purposely using a speed/flying device or use an unfair advantage during the match.

  • Each team has two one-minute timeouts, which can only be called when the ball is not in play or they have the ball on their opponent’s side during play. To call a timeout, type in chat “time”, “timeout”, or “TO”.

  • Spectators interfering with the ball or the game during play will be banned until the end of the match.

  • If two players appear to score a goal, the goal is given to the player closer to the ball.

  • An own goal is given to the opposing team player that last hit the golem.

Stadium Rules

  • A field cannot have an even-numbered sized side.

  • The required length of an ironball field ranges anywhere from 39-55 blocks.

  • The required width of an ironball field ranges anywhere from 25-33 blocks.

  • To make your field as realistic as possible to a football pitch, Make the length to width ratio around 1.54.

  • Example field sizes of this ratio: 39x25, 41x27, 45x29, 47x31, 51x33
  • The required height of the goal is at least 4 air blocks tall.

  • The required width of the goal is 5 air blocks wide.

  • The goal posts must protrude 1 block out from the wall.

  • There must be redstone lamps attached to tripwires which detect the iron golem 1 block after the goal line. It should be 3 blocks high above the ground.

  • Sub-regions possibly needed:

  • Tripwire regions containing the string in both goals with ‘block-break deny’
  • Midfield region with ‘mob-spawning allow’ (make sure the midfield is lit up so that hostile mobs don’t spawn)
  • An encompassing region that includes the whole field with ‘damage-animals allow’ and ‘interact allow’
  • Teams in a non-city/wild region can be granted mob-spawning deny on their stadium around the time of the match.

  • Make sure your stadium is accessible to non-staff, so that anyone can get there on their own (nether portal, airport, highway).

Team Rules

  • Teams need at least two uniforms, and must wear uniforms that contrast with their opponent.

  • A player on an active roster cannot subsitute or be traded to another team in the same competition

  • Teams must register for a competition with the required amount of players.

  • A team is defined as active if they are registered in a current competition or have been playing friendlies over the past month.

  • Teams do not need to have a stadium, and can rent out one of the government stadiums:

  • HelloClan Arena
  • Olympic Stadium
  • River City Stadium
  • The higher seeded team in a tournament matchup is the home team.
  • This means they wear their home kit and if the match is not at a neutral site, they host the match at their stadium.

Referee Rules

  • Give frequent time updates throughout the match.

  • Start a kickoff/countdown with “3, 2, 1, go”.

  • If a team calls an invalid timeout (timeout in their own half), respond with “play on”.

  • Having the replay mod on fabric is a good recommendation to review any calls or controversial plays.

  • The match must be recorded, either by you or another player, unless otherwised specified.

  • You are not allowed to referee a match containing a team you play for or manage, or a match that could benefit your team indirectly.

Scheduling Rules

  • One of the players on a team starts by proposing a date and time to their team and their opponents.

  • Once all starters for a team fully agree to a time (yes, not maybe), the agreed time now becomes binding.

  • If a team doesn’t have the required amount to play, they must find a substitute player within 30 minutes or they forfeit the match.
  • During any competition, a team still in contention should be playing at least once per week.
  • This means they are required to try and schedule at least once a week.

  • If they make no efforts to schedule without giving notice of absence, they can be forced to forfeit their next scheduled match