Indoor Canadian Football League Rules:
The Field:
- Total Dimensions = 200ft x 85ft (61m x 26m).
- Scrimmage Area = 50yds (46m).
- End-zones = 5yds/4.6m (curved edges) or 8yds/7.3m (straight edges); All endzones must either be straight or curved.
- Each sideline has a 4ft (1.2m) high padded barrier; the barriers are 3-5" thick and can be used to promote business sponsors.
- Goalposts = 10ft (3m) wide, and the crossbar is 10ft (3m) above the ground.
- All Players must play on offense and defense except for the Quarterback, Safety, and the Kicker.
- Positions = FB/MLB, WR/JLB, WR/CB, C/NT, OG/DE, QB, S, K.
- If a player enters and leaves, from the moment he leaves the player is considered "dead" and cannot return to play until the designated time is served or a player is injured.
- a) For two-way players "dead" time is one quarter.
b) For specialists "dead" time is one half. - "Dead" players may participate on kickoffs and conversions, or as long snapper or holder.
- QB, S, K = 00-19.
- FB/MLB, WR/JLB, WR/CB = 20-49 & 80-89.
- C/NT, OG/DE = 50-79 & 90-99.
- All teams have a maximum signing bonus of $6,000 per player.
- All players will earn a minimum salary of $30,000 per season.
- All Coaches must receive a salary in between $30-$50K.
- All Referees must receive a salary in between $10-12K.
- All salary rates previously mentioned are in Canadian dollars; the same rates apply to all players who wish to be paid in US dollars.
- 8 players on the field; 25-man active roster.
- Example Roster Setup = 3 C/NT, 6 OG/DE, 2 FB/MLB, 3 WR/JLB, 5 WR/CB, 2 QB, 2 S, 2 K.
- 3 Offensive and Defensive Linemen must line up in a 3 or 4-point stance; defensive linemen must line up 1yd (.91m) away from the LOS.
- 2 Defenders serve as Linebackers - Mac and Jack; Mac may blitz from either side of the center, Jack may roam sideline to sideline within 5yds (4.6m) of the LOS and drop into coverage once the QB snaps the ball.
- The Box Rules:
- a.the depth of the box for both linebackers is 5yds.
- b. width (Mac) = ends of the offensive line; width (Jack) = sideline to sideline.
- c. mac lines up closer to the OG; Jack lines up closer to the TE.
- Restrictions for motion receivers are:
- a. cannot begin motion until entire team is set for one second (illegal shift);
- b. cannot be in motion through or stationary within the offensive box at the snap (illegal motion);
- c. cannot perform a “stop-motion” move; (illegal motion).
- d. a max of 2 players may be in a forward motion before the snap.
- Each team may have 1 coach on the field during play; the offensive and defensive coordinators usually take turns during possessions.
- The Ball is the same size and weight as the CFL ball; short circumference from 20⅞ to 21⅛ inches; long circumference from 27¾ to 28¼ inches.
- The ball is kicked off from the goal line; Kickers may use a 1" tee.
- Any kickoff untouched which is out of bounds or hitting an overhead structure (i.e. scoreboard) will be placed at the receiving team's ten-yard line.
- If a kickoff goes through the uprights or if the receiving team does not advance the ball out of the end zone on a kickoff, the kicking team is awarded 1 point and the ball is spotted at the receiving team's ten-yard line.
- The team with the ball is given three (3) downs to gain 10yds (9.1m) or score.
- On 3rd down, teams must either attempt to gain the first down or score.
- Punting is illegal because of the size of the playing field.
- A receiver jumping to catch a pass needs to get only one foot down in bounds for the catch to be ruled a completed catch.
- A player is not counted as out of bounds on the sidelines unless he is pushed into or falls over the sideline barrier.
- If the offense scores either a touchdown or field goal, the scoring team must kickoff from their own goal line. This also applies when the defense scores on a turnover which is returned for a touchdown—technically, they become the offense until the conclusion of the play, and the scoring team must still kickoff.
- If the defense scores on a safety (bringing the ball down in the offense's own end zone), they have the right to claim possession.
- If one team kicks the ball, the other team has the right to recover the ball and attempt a return. If a kicked ball goes out of bounds, or the kicking team scores a single or field goal as a result of the kick, the other team likewise gets possession.
- If the offense fails to make ten yards in four plays, the defense takes over on downs.
- If the offense attempts a forward pass and it is intercepted by the defense; the defense takes possession immediately (and may try to advance the ball on the play). Note that incomplete forward passes (those which go out of bounds, or which touch the ground without being first cleanly caught by a player) result in the end of the play, and are not returnable by either team.
- If the offense fumbles (a ball carrier drops the football, or has it dislodged by an opponent, or if the intended player fails to catch a lateral pass or a snap from center, or a kick attempt is blocked by an opponent), the ball may be recovered (and advanced) by either team. If a fumbled ball goes out of bounds, the team whose player last touched it is awarded possession at the spot where it went out of bounds. A fumble by the offence in their own end zone, which goes out of bounds, results in a safety.
- When the first half ends, the team which kicked to start the first half may receive a kickoff to start the second half.
- Touchdown (6).
- Field Goal (3; 4 if drop kick).
- Conversion (1-place kick; 2-drop kick; 3-5yd run/pass).
- Return Conversion (2-kick; 3-run/pass).
- Safety (2).
- Single/Rouge (1); If a kickoff goes through the uprights or if the receiving team does not advance the ball out of the end zone on a kickoff, the kicking team is awarded one point and the ball is spotted at the opponent's ten-yard line.
- Mercy Rule = If one team is ahead by 45+ points by the start of the 4th quarter, the game is automatically called a win for the team that is ahead.
- 4-15 minute Quarters and a 15-minute halftime.
- The Play Clock is 20 seconds.
- 2-minute break in between 1/2 and 3/4 quarters.
- 90-second warning at the end of both halves; The clock stops for out-of-bounds plays, incomplete passes, or sacks only.
- In overtime, each team gets one possession to score.
- If after each team has had one possession, one team is ahead, that team wins.
- If the teams are tied after each has had a possession, sudden death rules apply.
- Each overtime period is 5 minutes, and continues from the ending of the previous overtime period until the tie is broken.
- Each Team gets 3 timeouts per half and 1 per overtime period.
- The AFL Draft takes place in the last week of November and lasts four (3) rounds.
- All teams can only draft 3 players per draft.
- All potential players must either have declared for the NFL draft and/or have played in a different professional league for at least 2 years in order to be eligible for the draft.
- The selection order is based on each team's win-loss record in the previous season and whether the team reached the playoffs. Teams that did not reach the playoffs the previous season are ranked in reverse order of their records (so the team with the fewest wins is awarded the first selection).
- Ties between teams with identical records are determined by the following tiebreakers (in order): strength of schedule, division tiebreakers, conference tiebreakers, and a pre-draft coin flip.
- Order of Draft Picks: Non-playoff Teams (1-4), Eliminated in First Round (5-6), Eliminated in Semifinals (7-8), ICFL Runner-up (9), AFL Champion (10).
- Each Team is allowed to have a max of 55 players during Training Camp/Tryouts.
- Each Team plays 2 preseason games against any conference team beginning two weeks before the star of the regular season (1 home / 1 away).
- The regular season is a 20-week season in which all teams play 18 games (9 home / 9 away) with two bye weeks.
- The season currently starts on the second Saturday of June and runs weekly to the third Saturday of November.
- Each team plays each of the other 9 teams in its division twice: 9h/9a (18 games).
- The post-season is a 8-team single-elimination tournament beginning in the first week of August and ending with the Arenabowl in the third week of August; The top 4 teams from each conference enter the tournament.
- The All-Star Game takes place one week after the Grey Cup, with the top American and Canadian players representing their nations.
- TSN gets the rights to broadcast all of the games.