b. Travel Costs

The individual Clubs are responsible for covering all expenses related to travel to NYLC Competitions (apart from those listed in the NYLC Post-Season Guide).

c. Training/Coaching Costs

Each Club is responsible for covering all of the expenses related to coaching and training.

d. Administrative Costs

Each Club is responsible for covering all expenses related to operating the Club, including without limitation any insurance premiums or deductibles mandated by the NYLC Rules and Policies or otherwise.

e. Registration Costs

To take part in NYLC, all Players and Club Representatives who will be permitted on any Team’s sideline during NYLC Games must register with DFPD. As detailed in the NYLC Membership Agreement. There is only one time that each person needs to be counted. Fees are subject to modification at DFPD’s sole discretion after giving Clubs reasonable notice of the change.

Every team is permitted to sign-up a maximum of 23 players for the season, with the exception of break intervals when teams are permitted to add fresh legs to the team lists. No more than five fresh players may be added during any transfer window, but if more than five are added, the team will be required to remove five from the list to maintain the 23-player limit. 

If the team wishes to add a player without dropping any, that team shall be mandated to pay the sum of #100,000.00 by the DFPD or any other fee as stated by the DFPD

f. Equipment Costs

All costs related to equipment are the responsibility of the individual Club, with the exception of game balls and any other equipment that NYLC chooses to provide at its sole discretion.

g. Facility Costs

The individual Clubs are responsible for covering all expenses related to renting a space for practices and NYLC competitions. The facility parking fees (if applicable) for the game officials,the visiting club representatives, and the team transportation (such as a bus or van) for NYLC Games are to be covered by the host clubs.

h. Game Officials Fees

The Home Team will cover referee, assistant referee, fees in NYLC Games during the NYLC Regular Season that are scheduled by DFPD.

i. Fines/Penalties

DFPD reserves the right to assess fines and/or sanctions for breaches, as stated in the NYLC Disciplinary Code. All of the money collected in fines will be used to invest in initiatives to eliminate or reduce costs for Players to participate in NYLC.

j. Certificate of Insurance

Each Club is required to carry liability insurance, keep it current, and, upon DFPD’s request, submit to it a certificate (or certificates) attesting to the Club’s insurance coverage in the amounts and for the coverages specified by DFPD and the Rules and Regulations. See the NYLC Membership Agreement for more details.

k. Other

All costs associated with a Club and the Club’s participation in NYLC are the sole responsibility of the participating Club, unless otherwise expressly stated in these regulations.

X.. FINANCIAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY DFPD

a. Secondary Player Medical Insurance

For each Player, DFPD offers supplemental health insurance. This medical insurance only covers injuries sustained during NYLC games, NYLC training, NYLC tryouts, and NYLC tournaments and is secondary to (i.e., excess over) the Player’s personal health insurance. To be clear, coaches, other staff members, and spectators are not covered by this medical insurance. Additionally, if a player discontinues their primary health insurance after joining DFPD, DFPD will not pay for their health insurance. Sublimits, deductibles, and additional restrictions might be necessary.

b. Background Check Costs

Background checks conducted through the DFPD Registration System by a contractor selected by DFPD and mandated by the NYLC Rules and Policies will be fully funded by DFPD.

c. IMPACT Baseline Tests

Each Player must undergo an annual Impact baseline test, and DFPD will pay all expenses related to its administration and delivery.

XI.. REGISTRATION

a. General

DFPD will collect the personal information of all Players and certain Club Representatives via its online registration system software, to the extent such information is necessary to enable DFPD to provide services (e.g. match execution). DFPD shall have the right to implement additional procedures, including deadlines for Registration of  Players through the registration portal.

B. Club and Club Representative Registration

i. Club Registration

All Clubs must register through the online Registration process via the registration platform created by DFPD, which includes the following:

• Registration of Clubs in DFPD assigned football registration website/software.

ii. Club Representative Registration

At any practice, NYLC game, or other NYLC event, all Club Representatives wishing to interact with any Player, including without limitation any Covered Person as described in the Safety and Wellbeing Policy, registered health care professionals (“HCP”), and certified athletic trainers (“ATC”), must be fully registered. The Game Day Roster will be used to check in Club Representatives who will be in the Club’s technical area. Names and photos are created digitally through the NYLC registration software. A Club is only allowed to have a maximum of five (5) coaches or staff members (excluding HCP/ATC, video analyst, videographer, Club Sporting Director, or Club General Manager) in the technical area during any NYLC game, and each of them needs to have a picture on the Game Day Roster.

All Club Representatives must finish the online registration process via the DFPD platform by;

• completing the DFPD-required background check (and, for new hires,  as well as the Club’s reference check);
• Uploading a photo of themselves;

• Completing the NFF Core Training (“Core Training”) (for initial approval) or, if 

  The Core training has already been completed, the official SafeSport refresher course for each subsequent season (available on the safesport website.

• Submitting a completed and signed NYLC Waiver for the relevant season.

NOTE: Individuals subject to disciplinary action by the YouthFON or DFPD, whether as a temporary or final measure, will not be allowed to participate in NYLC. Clubs must consult the on-line disciplinary records on the website as part of their employment background screening process.

Clubs must not allow unregistered or pre-registered individuals to start their employment or be active in any other role until they have been registered with NYLC and have been officially approved by the DFPD. 

Any Club that allows unapproved/ or unauthorised personnel to participate in any NYLC activity may be at risk of termination of its NYLC Membership and agrees to indemnify and otherwise hold NYLC and all other Clubs harmless from any resulting liability.

iii. Additional Coach and NYLC  Director Requirements

All coaches must follow the NYLC’s Coaching Education Standards (which are a part of the NYLC Technical Standards) and possess a minimum CAF/”NFF B” licence (or equivalent as determined by NYLC staff). All NYLC Club directors must hold a minimum CAF/‘NFF A’ licence (or equivalent as recognized by NYLC, including but not limited to, the Elite Formation Coaching License (EFCL).

All Coaches and Club directors are required to complete annual diversity, equity, and inclusion training, as directed by DFPD.

c. Player Registration

All players who want to represent an NYLC Club must be fully registered through the NYLC registration website/software, names and photos are digitally created, and they are used to check in Players via the Game Day Roster which will be in the Club’s technical area. All Players are required to finish the online registration process with DFPD using the designated registration platform, which includes:

i.  Execute the NYLC Waiver;

ii. Finish the IMPACT Baseline Test;

Iii. Supply details about medical insurance;

iv. Provide the required medical clearance information;

v. Complete all aspects of the NYLC Registration process and not be subject to   suspension; and

vi. Complete the required SafeSport training, if necessary.

d. Compliance with NYLC Registration Process

i.  NYLC may disapprove, deny registration to, and/or disqualify any individual, and/or deny membership to or otherwise discipline any Club, which employs or utilises any individual who either fails to adhere to the registration procedures, falsifies information, breaches the NYLC Rules and Regulations, or as a result of such procedures, is determined by NYLC to be unfit to continue in their current position.

ii. Anyone who forges a document, falsifies an authentic document, or uses a forged or  falsified documents to deceive may be sanctioned.

XII. PLAYER ELIGIBILITY AND ROSTERING

a. Eligible Players

To be considered an eligible Player, any Players listed on any Club Roster must meet the age requirement for their Club, have completed the registration procedures as stated in Section XI(c), have paid the required registration fee, and must not be subject to a Suspension (to serve a suspension, a Player is required to sit for the entire subsequent match day); Players can only be approved and made eligible by DFPD.

Players not listed on a Club’s Roster or any Player listed on a Club’s Roster but not eligible to play, due to varying reasons such as missing NYLC registration forms, awaiting international clearance, serving a suspension, or not being listed on the official Game Day Roster and line-up sheet, shall be considered ineligible Players. A Club using an ineligible Player during an NYLC Competition may be subject to a Sanction as determined by NYLC and/or a forfeit (by a 0-3 margin) of any NYLC Games in which the ineligible Player participated.

When choosing its Players for each game in an NYLC Competition, each participating Club shall ensure the following:

i. All Players remain subject to DFPD jurisdiction;

Ii. All Players shall be eligible for participation in accordance with the relevant NYLC and FIFA regulations;

iii. All Players must meet the applicable age requirements:

Players who have participated or are participating in any college program at any level ( Junior College, etc.) are not permitted to participate in any NYLC events unless the NYLC Club seeking to register such a Player is granted approval by NYLC following the Club’s submission of an NYLC Player Reinstatement Form. As further described in the NYLC Player Reinstatement Form, examples in which NYLC may allow such Players to participate in NYLC include, but are not limited to, the following:

• An NYLC age-eligible Player who is under a professional contract with an NYLC Club’s  professional affiliate.
• A college player who is no longer participating in his/her college program and remains age eligible and is able to commit full-time to all NYLC training.

• A college player who is either enrolled and not actively Rostered, or a player who has been enrolled in university and withdrawn, who prefers to use NYLC full time as the avenue to further his/her development.

  If an ineligible player takes part in an official Game despite being ineligible, the Club may be Sanctioned by forfeiting the game. Additional Sanctions may be imposed by DFPD against the Player or the Club as deemed by the DFPD’s sole discretion

  b. NYLC Club Roster

 i. Game Day Rosters:

Prior to an NYLC Game, each Team is required to prepare and submit a Game Day Roster to the referee via a digital form. All Players and Game Day Club Representatives must be listed on each Game Day Roster. Clubs are in charge of examining the game day rosters for accuracy and approving a completed copy after the game from the game officials. Any suspensions, additions, or drops, as well as any other eligibility concerns, will be reflected in DFPD’s weekly updates to the NYLC Rosters on the NYLC Registration website.

ii. General:

Each Club Roster shall be published on the NYLC Website and shall be considered the official NYLC Roster of the Club. The date by which each Club must provide an initial NYLC Roster for the season is two weeks prior to the start of a new NYLC season. 

Each Club’s Roster may average no more than twenty-three (23) Players  based on the minimum of 14 fulltime Players. There is no limit to the number of Rostered Players that do not have Nigerian citizenship.

iii. Full-Time Player Additions:

Clubs will have a period of rest during the season at which time Players may be added as full-time (either adding a new full-time Player, a Player transfer from one Club to another, or moving a Future Player to full-time status).

The Club will be allowed to have a total of five (5) Player Adds for each NYLC Team, and they are free to distribute these as they deem fit among their NYLC Teams.

Any unused Player Additions cannot be utilised beyond the deadline unless a Club is promoting a Future Player (added before the deadline) to full-time after the Player Add window and has an open roster slot.

iv. Injured Players:

If a Club is running at the Roster maximum, it may replace a Player with a serious injury (as supported by written documentation from a medical professional detailing the injury) with a new Player in their Roster spot. If the injured Player is medically cleared to return during the NYLC Season, the Club may allow him/her/them to replace the Player that took his/her/their Roster spot with no deduction of Player Adds.

v. Player Transfers/Releases:

Any eligible person is free to sign-up with any Club during the off-season, provided that they satisfy the registration deadlines and eligibility requirements of that Club. A Player who has completed the NYLC Waiver and registered with one Club must go through the official transfer procedure in order to play for another Club during the same NYLC Season. Before transferring or communicating with another club, a Player who wants to change clubs during the Season must first get a written release from his/her/their original club. Transfer requests must be sent to DFPD, which will review them and have the sole and unfettered discretion to either approve or deny a player’s transfer. Before NYLC approves a transfer request, Players may not train or engage in any other activities with a Club with which they are not formally registered. A Player may not be allowed to transfer to another Club if they train with another Club before being released. The transfer of a Player from one Club to another will be handled similarly to any other club additions. Any transferred Player will not be allowed to compete in all head-to-head NYLC Regular Season Fixtures and NYLC Games between his/her/their former and new Club, regardless of being released by his/her/their previous Club (this does not apply to pre-seasons or the NYLC Postseason), unless his/her/their former Club allows such Player to do so by writing to DFPD. If there are no head-to-head Fixtures that remain in the current season, the Player will be eligible to participate, pending service of any other suspensions.

vi. Future Players:

Clubs may add Future Players which will count against Roster totals. A Future Player is a Player who is Rostered with a Club or its Affiliate who is not ready to contribute at the NYLC level full time. A Future Player is not playing consistently and/or enough minutes in NYLC Games to fully develop; therefore, the Player is eligible to play games outside of  NYLC. A Future Player, including a Future Player from an Affiliate, is required to train a minimum of once per week with the Club, in addition to his/her/their non-NYLC team, and overall should consistently train 3-4 times per week. For example, a Future Player may train 1-2 times per week with his/her/their Club and 1-2 times per week with his/her/their non-NYLC team.

A Future Player is only permitted to participate in a maximum of 12 NYLC games per season. A Future Player is allowed to play games outside of the NYLC as part of his or her or their personal development plan with a non-NYLC team within the Club or in an Affiliate to supplement his or her or their NYLC Game minutes. A Future Player must continue to adhere to the NYLC’s play-to-rest schedule.

During the same NYLC Season, a Future Player may not simultaneously hold a Future Player registration with any two different Clubs. A Future Player may only transition to full-time status once during the NYLC Season and may not revert to the position. Additionally, a Future Player does not instantly become a full-time player after appearing in their twelfth (12th) game. The Club must inform DFPD in writing of its plans to upgrade the Future Player to full-time status. Unless the Club expresses a desire to move the Player to full-time status and the Player status has been updated to full-time by NYLC, Players who have participated in the maximum twelve (12) games are not eligible to continue playing in NYLC Games. The decision to approve a request to promote a future player to full-time status rests entirely with DFPD. If a Future Player is still used by a Club after their twelve (12th) game, they risk losing games as a result of using an ineligible player.

ii. Game Roster Size:

Only 15 Players from the Roster will be eligible to participate in each Game, and these Players must be placed on the Game Day Roster (showing Players that will start and Players eligible for substitution).

viii. Bench and Technical Area:

Players and Club Representatives listed on the team’s game-day roster (maximum of 15 players, including seven (7) substitutes on the bench) are only permitted to use the bench and technical area. Additionally, a maximum of five (5) registered Club Representatives, excluding a registered HCP or ATC, video analyst, videographer, Club Sporting Director, or Club General Manager, may sit in the technical area, along with a maximum of four (4) injured players who are marked as not rostered. Any person in the technical area during an NYLC Game must be registered with DFPD as a Player or Club Representative and listed on the Game Day Roster.

d.  Late Registration

After Thursday at 5:00 PM Local Time, registration requests for the upcoming weekend fixtures may not be approved in time for the match. Furthermore, DFPD has the sole authority to accept or reject any registration requests. International approval Per FIFA’s Standards on the Status and Transfer of Players, as it may be amended or restated from time to time, the international clearance process is required when any foreign-born Player over the age of 15 who attempts to register with an affiliated club in Nigeria, regardless of that Player’s skills or talents or citizenship.  FIFA regulations require DFPD to obtain appropriate clearances on behalf of these players before they can register and participate in the NYLC.

XIII. CLUB AFFILIATIONS

Club affiliations should improve the working conditions for all clubs involved because they are primarily focused on technical standards (rather than just commercial or marketing). Qualities of recognized Club Affiliations may include, without limitation:

• An active “relationship/partnership” with regular contact (min. 5x per year) between the  coaching staff of both clubs (and/or talent identification centres)
• Club/coach development as part of the active “relationship” with the clubs (and/or  talent identification centres) A contract/agreement must be signed by the Club’s director and by the Affiliate club representative, with board approval from each of the Club and the Affiliate club and DFPD.

The signed contract/agreement document must have a clear exposition of the “relationship” between the clubs, e.g., collaboration on talent identification activities to create a clear Player pathway.

XIV. 25% MINIMUM START RECOMMENDATION

Starting in at least 25% of their Club’s NYLC Games during the NYLC Season is recommended but not required for all full-time Players, including goalkeepers. The Game Report will contain the official record of Player starts, and DFPD will use its best efforts to keep track of Player statistics. The Club is responsible for keeping track of starts by Players and must use reasonable efforts to ensure its full-time Players will meet this recommendation each Season.

i.  If a Player is added in the middle of the season, the Player should start at least 25% of the Club’s remaining NYLC Games during that Season.

ii. DFPD will have the authority to grant exceptions to this upon the Club’s request.

XV. COMPETITION

a. Overview

DFPD will place Clubs into State-based groupings and thereafter, Geo-political groupings and set a schedule.

DFPD reserves the right to adjust NYLC Game scheduling.

b. Schedule

DFPD will create and manage the NYLC competition schedule, which typically will be held for a period of 8-10 months  (inclusive of the NYLC Mid-season break).If a Club would like to change a Fixture date, it must contact DFPD four (4) weeks in advance of the Fixture date. All changes are subject to the approval of DFPD.

c. Venue/Kick-off Times/Turnaround Time

DFPD shall set the dates of all NYLC Competitions. The venues and specific kick-off times of the NYLC Games shall be proposed by the Teams, subject to the approval of DFPD. The Teams shall submit venues and specific kick-off times to NYLC for all NYLC Games by a date determined each year by NYLC Program Staff, so visiting Teams can make the appropriate preparations or offer objections for DFPD’s consideration. All Clubs must provide a turf or synthetic alternative in the event of harsh weather conditions. Evening NYLC Games may only be played at venues with appropriate lighting installations.

i. Double-fixture weekends are permitted, but there must be at least 18 hours between each kickoff time to allow for necessary travel and rest.

l. For example, if a Saturday Fixture kick-off is 6:00 pm local time, the Sunday Fixture  may not kick-off earlier than 12:00 pm local time unless authorised by DFPD.

ii. Clubs may not request to schedule three (3) NYLC Games in four (4) days during NYLC  Regular Season competition.

iii. Games may not kick-off earlier than 9:00 am local time.

iv. When scheduling  Games, Clubs should adhere to the following guidelines with regard to  kick-off times and order of Games:

1. The home Team determines the kick-off order.

3. Please allow at least thirty (30) minutes between games when scheduling multiple contests on the same field.

4. Less than thirty (30) minutes between each game is permitted if there is adequate  warm-up space on an adjacent field.

v. Indoor venues must be pre-approved by DFPD at least two (2) weeks prior to the date of the game.

vi. Moving a Fixture venue or kick-off time for any reason in the week of the scheduled Fixture  may result in fines and/or Sanctions that will be levied in accordance with the NYLC Disciplinary Code.

d. Facility Set-Up

It is the responsibility of the home team to set up its venue to include the necessary lines, goals, nets, corner flags, benches, and water set up for both Teams and ensuring a clean and well-maintained field in accordance with the NYLC Safety and Wellbeing Policy. The home Team will also provide the official game balls provided by DFPD.

e. Abandonment

 If there is no justification provided by the NYLC Rules and Policies as to why a Club’s refusal to play a Game or continue one it has already started would be acceptable, it may be sanctioned by having the NYLC Game forfeited. The Club could face additional sanctions at the sole discretion of DFPD. In extreme cases, the Club may also have its membership in the NYLC revoked and be disqualified from the current NYLC Competition.

f. Postponement

The DFPD must give its approval for any delays or cancellations that are not related to the health and safety of NYLC Participants. A Club may postpone any Game in the event the Club believes in good faith that proceeding with an NYLC Game would pose a significant risk to the health and safety of any NYLC Participants.

g. Rescheduling a Postponed Game

Provided the postponement is approved by DFPD or is made in line with the exceptions provided herein, the Clubs in question are given the first opportunity to arrange a rescheduled date for a postponed NYLC Game. If there is no rescheduled date within seven (7) days after the postponed Fixture, DFPD will choose the date, location, and time for the rescheduled Game and each Club will be required to participate, subject to any health and safety guidelines released by DFPD. Fees associated with that date will be the sole responsibility of the Club(s) involved.

h. Rescheduling Considerations

Games must reach the 75th minute to be considered a completed game. If a Game does not reach the required threshold, DFPD shall have the right to review all of the facts (including fault on the part of either Team, unavoidable conditions, expense for both Teams, and requests by a Team to take a particular action in the best interests of NYLC, the NYLC Clubs, and the Club’s teams) in determining whether and when a Game should be rescheduled, who should bear the financial burden as a result of cancellation or rescheduling, whether the Game should be forfeited or cancelled permanently and whether other fines should be levied. Unless the Sanction or remediation is set forth specifically in any NYLC Rules and Policies, DFPD shall decide what action to take, and DFPD’s decision shall be final (subject to the NYLC Disciplinary Code).

i. Facility Clearances

 Once a Club has submitted its venues and kick-off times, DFPD assumes that a Team’s  Facility is available for all dates on its schedule. If the Facility is not available, a substitute location must be provided by the Team. For the avoidance of doubt, all facilities remain subject to approval by DFPD and must be in accordance with all NYLC Rules and Policies. DFPD reserves the right to reject approval for any facilities in DFPD’s sole and reasonable discretion.

j. Standings

DFPD takes the responsibility of posting the official NYLC league standings on the NYLC Website. The official NYLC league standings include wins, losses, ties, goals scored for, goals scored against, points per game, and total league points.

Result Points 

Win     3 

Tie     1 

Loss     0

Forfeit 0–3 loss

All standings are generated by the Game Report submitted online by the referee within twenty-four (24) hours of completing the Game. Teams have forty-eight (48) hours to verify their Game Results with DFPD.

k. Division Tiebreakers

If  two (2) or more Clubs finish the NYLC Regular Season with the same number of points, the following procedure (in order of priority) will be used to break the tie and determine the final standings (“NYLC Regular Season Tiebreaker”):

i.     Points earned in head-to-head matches during Regular Season.

ii.    Points per Game.

iii.  Goal differential per Game.

iv.   Goals per Game.

v.    Away goals differential per Game.

vi.   Away goals per Game

vii.  Home goals differential per Game.

viii. Home goals per Game.

ix.   Coin toss (tie of two (2) Clubs) or drawing of lots (tie of three (3) or more Clubs).

l. Wildcard Tiebreakers

i. The ranking of each Team in the wildcard will be determined as follows:

1. greatest points per game obtained in all Games;
2. greatest goal difference per game in all Games;
3.  The greatest number of goals scored per game in all Games.

ii. If two (2) or more Teams are equal on the basis of the above three (3) criteria, rankings  will be determined as follows:

1. The greatest number of points obtained in the Games between the Teams concerned if only two (2) Teams are still equal;

2. goal difference resulting from the Games between the Teams concerned if only two (2) Teams are still equal.

3. A greater number of goals scored in the Games between the Teams concerned if only two (2) Teams are still equal.

4. The Team with the fewest number of Discipline Points per game throughout the  (NYLC  Regular Season will advance;

a. one (1) point for YC, 5 points for RC, and 10 points for Coach send-off/dismissals 5. drawing of lots by NYLC if three (3) or more Teams are still equal.

XVI. TECHNICAL STANDARDS

a. Game Length

 All  U19 Games will be two 45-minute halves with a 15-minute half time Upon approval from NYLC Program Staff.

b. Substitutions

Substitutions are allowed at any stoppage. Games shall follow the technical standards provided at the beginning of each NYLC season. The maximum limits for substitutions are: 

Maximum of five substitutions from each time over three (3) moments in the game, plus half time, with no re-entry after exiting the match.

Head Injury Substitution:

All substitutions relating to head injuries, including whether to charge such substitutions, shall be handled in compliance with the regulations outlined in the Safety and Wellbeing Policy.

XVII. LAWS OF THE GAME, DISCIPLINARY MATTERS, DISPUTES, PROTESTS, & APPEALS

a.  Laws of the Game

Unless otherwise provided in the NYLC Rules and Policies, all Games shall be played in accordance with the Laws of the Game in force at the time of the NYLC Competition and as promulgated by the International Football Association Board, which can be found here. below In the case of any discrepancy in the interpretation of the Laws of the Game, the English version shall be authoritative.

c. Protests of Officiating Decisions

If a Game Decision is subject to Protest, it shall be submitted to the jurisdiction of DFPD

i.   Time:

Unless otherwise stipulated in this article, Protests shall be submitted in writing to DFPD within 12 hours of the conclusion of the Game in question and followed up immediately with a full written report, including a copy of the original Protest, to be sent in writing to DFPD; otherwise they will be disregarded.