Rules & Regulations

Only officially registered clubs approved by the VFA Administration shall be permitted to participate in the tournament.

For VFA Season 8, the participating clubs are:

Astral Warriors — Shahriyar Saikot

Beast Era FC — Md Mainul Hasan

Blaze Dominion FC — HM Sanaullah

The Hate Central FC — Tashil Tazim

Destroyers FC — Shahidul Islam Munna

Dream Fail Team — Joy Antar Das

Invincible Gunners — Mahabubur Rahman Akash

Mystic Spyder — Mohammed Asif Khan

NR Elite — RI F AT

Scarlet Shield XI — Shahriar Ayon

Star Vipers CF — Sheikh Sajid

Wretchedly Terrible FC — Jawadur Rafid

The list of participating clubs may differ in future seasons depending on tournament format and qualification.

Each registered club shall be represented by one official manager.

The registered manager shall be solely responsible for:

Scheduling matches.

Playing official matches.

Communicating with opponents.

Submitting match results.

Following tournament regulations.

Representing the club during disputes.

A club may request a managerial change only under exceptional circumstances.

Examples include:

Long-term unavailability.

Medical emergencies.

Personal emergencies.

Permanent withdrawal from the tournament.

Other circumstances accepted by the VFA Administration.

Manager replacements shall only become official after receiving written approval from the VFA Administration.

A single individual may not manage, coach, represent, or control more than one participating club within the same tournament.

If a violation is discovered, the VFA Administration may impose penalties including, but not limited to:

Match forfeits.

Point deductions.

Club disqualification.

Tournament suspension.

Every official match must be played solely by the registered manager of the participating club.

It is strictly prohibited to:

Allow another person to play an official match.

Share tournament accounts for competitive purposes.

Substitute another individual without approval.

Any evidence of account sharing or unauthorized participation may result in severe disciplinary action.

Every manager is responsible for:

Reading this Rulebook.

Following all tournament announcements.

Completing scheduled matches.

Respecting opponents.

Cooperating with the Administration.

Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action.

The official three-member governing body responsible for organizing, managing, and enforcing the tournament.

The officially registered individual responsible for representing a club throughout the tournament.

A manager who makes reasonable efforts to communicate, schedule, and complete fixtures before the official deadline.

A registered participant competing in the tournament.

The terms Club and Team may be used interchangeably throughout this Rulebook.

A scheduled official match between two participating clubs.

A designated period during which specific fixtures must be completed.

The club officially designated as the home side for a fixture.

Home status may affect gameplay settings depending on tournament regulations.

The club officially designated as the away side for a fixture.

A football player included in the officially approved squad for that club.

Any player not included in the club's officially approved squad at the time of the match.

The final date and time determined by the VFA Administration for completing a required tournament activity.

A continuous video recording captured by a participating manager that satisfies all recording requirements established within this Rulebook.

Any information officially published by the VFA Administration through approved communication channels.

Official announcements carry the same authority as this Rulebook unless they directly contradict an existing regulation.

A match result awarded by the Administration without the match being completed, usually due to rule violations, failure to appear, or disciplinary action.

A final, tie-breaking fixture played to determine the winner of a knockout tie when both the aggregate score and away goals remain exactly equal after two legs.

A specific timeframe designated by the VFA Administration during which managers are permitted to officially acquire or release registered players.

An in-game eFootball feature that automates gameplay decisions. The use of Smart Assist is strictly prohibited in all official VFA fixtures.

A third-party network routing application used by managers to stabilize connections during matchmaking when standard matchmaking fails.

The strictly prohibited act of deliberately manipulating the outcome or events of an official fixture, often through collusion between managers, to achieve a pre-determined result.

The VFA season may consist of one or more official competitions.

The format, number of participating teams, qualification criteria, and tournament structure may vary from season to season.

All season-specific formats shall be announced before the tournament begins.

For Season 8, the competitions are:

VFA Premier League (VPL)

VFA Champions League (VCL)

The VFA Premier League is the primary league competition of the season.

For Season 8:

Participating Clubs: 12

Competition Format: Double Round-Robin

Each club plays every other club twice.

One fixture shall be played as the Home Team.

One fixture shall be played as the Away Team.

Therefore:

Each club plays a total of twenty-two (22) league matches, consisting of eleven (11) home fixtures and eleven (11) away fixtures.

The VFA Champions League uses a Swiss League Stage followed by a Knockout Stage.

The Knockout Stage shall consist of a Playoff Round, Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals, and Final.

For Season 8:

Participating Clubs: 12

Before the Swiss Stage Draw, all participating clubs shall be divided into competitive pots.

Pot allocation shall primarily be determined using previous tournament performances, rankings, or other criteria announced by the VFA Administration.

The purpose of pot allocation is to create a balanced schedule while maintaining competitive fairness.

The Swiss League fixtures shall be generated using the official VFA Swiss Draw Algorithm developed by the VFA Administration.

The algorithm shall ensure that every participating club satisfies all tournament requirements simultaneously.

League Stage Requirements

Two opponents from Pot 1

Two opponents from Pot 2

Following completion of the Swiss Stage standings:

1st and 2nd qualify directly for the Semi-finals.

3rd and 4th qualify directly for the Quarter-finals.

5th to 8th qualify for the Playoff Round.

9th to 12th are eliminated from the competition.

Swiss Stage Tiebreakers

All official VFA matches shall be played exclusively using eFootball™ 2026 Mobile, including both Android and iOS devices.

Participants may use any available game server provided both managers are able to successfully establish a stable match connection.

Each manager may only use the squad officially registered under their club.

Players may only be added to or removed from a squad through official VFA procedures, including auctions and approved transfer windows.

The strength, rarity, or card type of an eFootball player (including Epic, Big Time, Show Time, Featured, Highlight, Standard, or any future card type) shall not affect eligibility.

The only determining factor is whether the player is officially registered to that club.

Example

✅ Wretchedly Terrible FC has officially acquired Mbappé through the VFA Transfer Window. The manager may use any eligible Mbappé card available in their account.

❌ Astral Warriors uses a player who is officially registered to Beast Era FC. This constitutes the use of an unregistered player and shall be subject to the penalties described in Section 11.7.

Unless otherwise announced, every official VFA match shall use:

Match Duration: 8 Minutes

Maximum Substitutions: 5

Should a future version of eFootball remove or modify these settings, the VFA Administration shall determine the closest suitable alternative.

The designated player condition shall be configured before every official match.

League Stage Matches

Home Team: Excellent

Away Team: Good

Knockout Stage Matches

Home Team: Excellent

Away Team: Good

Final and any Decider Match

Managers have complete freedom regarding tactical decisions.

There shall be no restrictions on:

Formation

Team Playstyle

Offensive Instructions

Defensive Instructions

Pressing Style

Attacking Style

Before the match begins, both managers are responsible for confirming that:

The correct squads are being used.

The required player condition has been selected.

Both players have a stable internet connection.

Failure to verify these settings before kickoff shall not automatically justify a replay unless specifically permitted under this Rulebook.

For every official fixture, the Home Team shall have the initial responsibility for organizing the match.

The Home Manager shall decide:

Who creates the match room.

Whether a VPN is required for matchmaking.

Which manager connects to the VPN when necessary.

If matchmaking is successful without a VPN, no VPN shall be used.

The Away Manager may not insist upon using a VPN unless both managers mutually agree.

Normally, the Home Manager shall create the match room.

If the Home Manager is unable to create the room due to technical or connectivity issues, the Away Manager may create the room instead.

Changing the room creator shall not affect Home or Away status for tournament purposes.

Before kickoff, both managers should verify:

Correct squads.

Correct player condition.

Stable internet connection.

Managers are encouraged to resolve any incorrect settings before the match begins.

Each manager is solely responsible for ensuring that Smart Assist is disabled before entering the match.

Managers are not required to verify the Smart Assist setting of their opponent before kickoff.

Compliance shall instead be verified through the mandatory recording submitted after the match.

Managers are expected to verify correct settings (such as condition and duration) before entering the match.

If an incorrect match duration or incorrect player condition is noticed before the match starts, the match must be restarted using the proper settings.

If a manager fails to notice incorrect settings before entering the room, but realizes the condition arrows are incorrect once inside the pre-match Game Plan screen, they are permitted to immediately quit the match from the Game Plan screen without penalty. The manager must capture screenshot proof of the incorrect condition arrows to justify the quit.

Managers who proceed to play the match with clearly incorrect settings may lose the right to request a replay unless the VFA Administration determines otherwise.

If a manager believes the opponent used an illegal or unregistered player, a complaint may be submitted within the official complaint period.

The VFA Administration shall investigate the matter and apply penalties where appropriate.

A match may still be played even if a manager forgets to begin recording.

However, failure to submit a valid recording after the match shall be treated as a violation of the Smart Assist policy and handled according to the penalties described in Section 8.6.

The Knockout Stage shall consist of:

Playoff Round

5th vs 8th

6th vs 7th

Quarter-Finals

3rd vs Winner of 5th/8th

4th vs Winner of 6th/7th

Semi-Finals

1st vs Winner of QF2

2nd vs Winner of QF1

Final

Winner of SF1 vs Winner of SF2

Except for the Final, every knockout tie shall be played over two legs.

The winner of each knockout tie shall be determined using the aggregate score from both legs.

The goals scored by each club across both matches shall be added together.

The club with the higher aggregate score shall advance.

If the aggregate score is level after both legs, the Away Goals Rule shall be applied.

The club that has scored more goals while playing as the Away Team shall advance.

Example

First Leg

Astral Warriors 2-1 Beast Era FC

Second Leg

Beast Era FC 1-0 Astral Warriors

Aggregate:

2-2

When both aggregate score and away goals remain equal, a Decider Match shall determine the winner.

The Decider Match shall use:

Match Duration: 6 Minutes

Both Teams: Excellent Condition

Extra Time: Enabled

Penalty Shootout: Enabled

The Home Team from the Second Leg shall retain Home status for the Decider Match.

(Note: This simulates real-life football where Extra Time and Penalties take place at the stadium of the Second Leg. Retaining Home status acts as a justified reward for the team that performed better in previous rounds and earned the 2nd leg home advantage.)

The winner of the Decider Match shall advance to the next round.

No replay shall be granted solely because a match proceeds into Extra Time or Penalty Shootouts.

Smart Assist must remain OFF throughout every official VFA match.

Enabling Smart Assist at any point during an official match constitutes a violation of tournament regulations.

Every participating manager must submit one continuous, unedited screen recording following each official match.

The recording serves as official verification of tournament compliance.

The recording must clearly display:

A portion of the completed match.

The Smart Assist confirmation screen showing Smart Assist is OFF.

The device notification bar displaying the recording time.

The recording does not need to include the entire match.

Managers may begin recording at any point provided every required element appears within one continuous recording.

The submitted recording must remain completely unedited.

The following are prohibited:

Cutting

Trimming

Joining multiple clips

Speed adjustments

Visual editing

Any modification that interrupts recording continuity

Every manager must submit the required recording within 15 minutes after completion of the match.

Recordings shall be submitted through the Official VFA Messenger Notice Group unless the VFA Administration announces an alternative submission method.

Managers who fail to submit a valid recording within the required time may be subject to disciplinary action.

Possible consequences include:

Match review.

Point deduction.

Match forfeit.

Additional penalties for repeated violations.

The VFA Administration shall determine the appropriate sanction based upon the circumstances.

Managers are solely responsible for ensuring that their recording is properly captured and preserved until submission.

Accidental recording failure, corrupted files, device malfunction, or similar technical issues shall remain the responsibility of the manager and shall not exempt them from tournament regulations.

Unexpected technical problems may occur during official matches.

Whenever possible, matches shall continue from the point at which play was interrupted rather than being replayed in full.

If either manager experiences:

Network disconnection.

Connection instability.

Unexpected game closure.

Device failure.

Other legitimate technical issues,

the interrupted manager shall immediately notify the opponent.

Either manager may report the incident.

When an official match is interrupted, a new room shall be created and a full standard match will be started.

The replayed match shall continue for:

Remaining Match Time + 3 Minutes

The additional three minutes are intended to compensate for stoppage during reconnection.

IMPORTANT: Only goals scored before this calculated remaining time mark will count towards the official result. Once the in-game clock reaches this minute mark, managers may either mutually abandon the match or choose to play it out. Any goals scored after the designated minute mark will be entirely ignored.

Example

Original Match:

If another disconnection occurs during the replay, the same procedure shall continue.

However, the additional 3 compensation minutes shall only be awarded once, during the first replay.

Example:

Original Match

Disconnect at 49'

Replay:

44 Minutes

Disconnect again after 20 replay minutes

Remaining Time:

If a manager experiences:

Game freeze.

Severe gameplay malfunction.

Device crash.

the manager may manually close the application or disconnect in order to preserve match integrity.

Evidence, such as screenshots or video recordings, should be retained whenever possible.

The standard Disconnect Procedure shall then apply.

Any manager found deliberately abusing the Disconnect Procedure in order to gain an unfair sporting advantage shall be subject to disciplinary action.

The VFA Administration shall determine whether the evidence supports intentional misconduct.

The Home Manager may determine whether a VPN is required for matchmaking.

If matchmaking succeeds without a VPN, neither manager shall be required to use one.

When a VPN is required, the Home Manager shall decide which manager connects to the VPN.

The Home Manager may not require unnecessary VPN usage once normal matchmaking is available.

The official fixture list for every competition shall be prepared and published by the VFA Administration.

The published fixture schedule shall include the matches to be played and the deadline for their completion.

Managers are not responsible for creating or modifying the official fixture schedule.

Each participating manager is solely responsible for ensuring that every assigned fixture is completed before the published deadline.

After the official schedule has been published, both participating managers are expected to communicate in order to arrange a suitable time to play their match.

Communication should be conducted through the Official VFA Messenger Group whenever possible.

Using the official group allows scheduling discussions to remain visible to both the VFA Administration and other participants, making dispute resolution easier if required.

Managers may also communicate through private messages.

However, private conversations are not recommended because they cannot be independently verified unless screenshots or other evidence are later provided.

The VFA Administration may request scheduling evidence at any time when investigating a scheduling dispute.

Every official fixture shall have a completion deadline announced by the VFA Administration.

All scheduled matches must be completed before this deadline unless an official extension has been granted.

Managers are encouraged to complete fixtures as early as possible rather than waiting until the final day.

The VFA Administration may extend one or more deadlines whenever doing so is considered necessary for the fair operation of the tournament.

Extensions may be granted due to, but are not limited to:

eFootball server maintenance.

Server instability or widespread connection issues.

National holidays.

Natural disasters or emergencies.

Unavoidable personal circumstances presented by a manager.

Once the official deadline has passed, managers shall not play the fixture unless explicit approval has first been granted by the VFA Administration.

Even if both managers mutually agree to play after the deadline, the match shall not be considered official without prior administrative approval.

Matches played after the deadline without authorization may be declared void.

Managers are expected to remain reasonably active throughout the tournament.

A manager who becomes inactive without prior notice and fails to complete a scheduled fixture before the deadline may receive a Forfeit Loss for that fixture.

If the inactive manager later returns and provides a genuine explanation supported by sufficient evidence, the VFA Administration may allow the fixture to be played or may uphold the original forfeit result.

The decision shall depend upon the specific circumstances of each case.

The active manager must also demonstrate reasonable efforts to schedule the match by remaining active in the official communication group.

Failure to make reasonable scheduling efforts may affect the Administration's decision.

When a fixture is intended to be played on the final day before the deadline, both managers must publicly agree upon an exact match time before the end of the previous day.

Only specific times shall be recognized as valid scheduling confirmations.

Examples of valid scheduling:

Tomorrow at 8:00 PM

Deadline Day at 10:30 PM

Saturday at 9:15 PM

Examples of invalid scheduling:

Tonight

Once an official match time has been publicly confirmed, both managers are expected to appear on time.

A manager shall wait exactly ten (10) minutes after the agreed match time before requesting administrative action.

Example:

Scheduled Match Time:

9:00 PM

Opponent arrives:

9:08 PM ✅ On Time

9:10 PM ✅ Final Acceptable Time

Unless otherwise decided by the VFA Administration:

If one manager fails to complete the fixture before the deadline, that manager shall receive a 3-0 Forfeit Loss, while the opponent shall receive a 3-0 Forfeit Win.

If both managers fail to complete the fixture before the deadline, the fixture shall normally be recorded as a 0-0 Forfeit Draw.

The VFA Administration reserves the right to make alternative decisions where exceptional circumstances exist.

Every participating club must maintain an officially registered squad throughout the tournament.

A squad must contain at least twenty-four (24) players.

There is no maximum squad size, unless otherwise announced by the VFA Administration.

Managers may only use football players who are officially registered to their club.

Ownership of a player inside the eFootball game does not automatically make that player eligible for VFA competition.

Only players appearing on the club's officially approved squad list may participate.

The VFA Administration shall determine the dates of all transfer windows.

Normally, each season shall contain:

One Transfer Window before the tournament begins.

One Mid-Season Transfer Window.

The Administration may modify this structure whenever necessary.

Emergency transfers outside an official transfer window are generally prohibited.

However, the VFA Administration may approve an emergency transfer in exceptional situations where it believes such approval is necessary for the fair continuation of the tournament.

Approval of emergency transfers shall remain entirely at the discretion of the Administration.

Players transferred during an official transfer window shall become eligible from the next Matchday after the transfer window has officially closed, unless the VFA Administration announces otherwise.

Managers shall not use newly transferred players before they become officially eligible.

If the VFA Administration has officially approved a transfer but the website or squad database has not yet been updated due to administrative delay, the transferred player shall still be considered legally registered.

Managers shall not be penalized for delays caused solely by administrative processing.

Using an unregistered player constitutes a serious rule violation.

Penalties are:

VFA Premier League

VFA Champions League

If both participating clubs are found to have used unregistered players in the same fixture, both clubs shall receive the applicable penalties.

The VFA Administration shall determine any additional disciplinary measures after reviewing the specific circumstances.

Both participating managers are responsible for submitting the official match result.

Submitting results promptly helps ensure accurate tournament records and timely resolution of any discrepancies.

Official match submissions must be completed within fifteen (15) minutes after the match concludes.

Late submissions may be reviewed by the VFA Administration.

Repeated late submissions may result in disciplinary action.

Every result submission must include:

Final Score Screenshot.

Player Ratings.

Goal Scorers.

Assist Providers.

Only clear and readable submissions shall be accepted.

Managers are responsible for ensuring that all submitted information is accurate.

Submitting incorrect statistics, whether intentional or accidental, may require administrative review.

If the two managers submit conflicting information regarding:

Final score.

Goal scorers.

Assists.

Player ratings.

The VFA Administration shall review the available evidence and determine the official statistics.

The Administration's decision shall become the official tournament record.

Once the VFA Administration has finalized and published official match statistics, no further corrections shall normally be permitted.

Exceptions may only be made where clear administrative error is identified by the VFA Administration.

Every participating manager has the right to submit an official complaint if they believe that:

A tournament rule has been violated.

An opponent has gained an unfair advantage.

Incorrect match information has been submitted.

Tournament regulations have not been properly followed.

Any other issue has affected the integrity of a fixture.

Complaints shall be reviewed fairly and impartially by the VFA Administration.

All complaints relating to an official fixture must be submitted within thirty (30) minutes after the completion of that match.

Complaints submitted after this period may be rejected unless the VFA Administration determines that exceptional circumstances prevented timely submission.

Managers are responsible for providing sufficient evidence to support their claims.

Acceptable evidence may include, but is not limited to:

Screenshots

Screen recordings

Match recordings

Chat conversations

Official tournament messages

System-generated information

Individuals who are not directly participating in a fixture may report serious rule violations if they possess credible evidence.

Examples include:

Cheating

Account sharing

Match fixing

Fake evidence

Other serious violations affecting tournament integrity

The VFA Administration shall determine whether such reports require formal investigation.

Upon receiving a complaint, the VFA Administration may:

Review submitted evidence.

Request additional evidence from either manager.

Interview the involved managers.

Review official tournament records.

Examine match recordings.

Consider any other relevant information.

Every investigation shall be conducted fairly and confidentially.

After reviewing all available evidence, the VFA Administration shall issue an official decision.

The decision may include:

Dismissal of the complaint.

Warning.

Match replay.

Match forfeit.

Point deduction.

Suspension.

Managers may request a review of an administrative decision if they believe:

Important evidence was overlooked.

New evidence has become available.

A significant administrative error occurred.

Appeals shall be reviewed internally by the VFA Administration.

Submitting an appeal does not guarantee that the original decision will be changed.

After completion of the appeal review, the decision announced by the VFA Administration shall be considered final and binding.

No further appeals shall be accepted for the same matter unless the Administration independently decides otherwise.

Every participant is expected to compete honestly, respectfully, and professionally.

Winning matches should always result from skill, preparation, and fair competition rather than unfair advantages or unsporting behavior.

Managers shall show respect towards:

Opposing managers.

VFA Administration.

Spectators.

Tournament volunteers.

Other members of the VFA community.

Disrespectful behavior may result in disciplinary action.

The following behavior is prohibited throughout the tournament, whether during matches or within official VFA communication channels:

Toxic behaviour.

Personal attacks.

Harassment.

Hate speech.

Racist comments.

Religious abuse.

Threats.

Managers shall compete honestly at all times.

The following actions are strictly prohibited:

Match fixing.

Win trading.

Deliberately manipulating match results.

Account sharing.

Allowing another individual to play official matches.

Using fake screenshots.

Managers are expected to cooperate fully during investigations.

Providing false statements, intentionally hiding evidence, or attempting to mislead the VFA Administration may itself constitute a disciplinary offence.

Managers remain responsible for their own conduct throughout the tournament.

Claiming that inappropriate behavior occurred as a joke, due to frustration, or without harmful intent shall not automatically excuse a violation.

Managers are encouraged to:

Accept both victory and defeat respectfully.

Cooperate in scheduling matches.

Resolve disagreements calmly.

Promote a positive tournament environment.

Good sportsmanship contributes to the reputation and long-term success of the Virtual Football Alliance.

Violations of this Rulebook may result in disciplinary action.

The severity of the penalty shall depend upon:

Nature of the offence.

Competitive impact.

Previous disciplinary history.

Intent of the manager.

Available evidence.

Any mitigating or aggravating circumstances.

The VFA Administration may impose one or more of the following penalties:

Official Warning.

Match Replay.

Match Forfeit.

Goal Deduction.

Point Deduction.

Temporary Suspension.

Tournament Ban.

The VFA Administration may impose multiple penalties simultaneously whenever appropriate.

Example:

A manager found guilty of serious misconduct may receive:

Match Forfeit.

Point Deduction.

Official Warning.

within the same disciplinary decision.

Repeated offences may result in increasingly severe disciplinary action.

Managers who repeatedly violate tournament rules should not expect identical penalties for each occurrence.

The VFA Administration may increase penalties whenever repeated misconduct demonstrates disregard for tournament regulations.

Certain offences may justify severe disciplinary action even if committed only once.

Examples include:

Account sharing.

Match fixing.

Deliberate cheating.

Submission of fake evidence.

Severe abuse directed toward participants or administrators.

Actions that seriously damage the integrity of the tournament.

Every disciplinary decision shall be made individually.

The VFA Administration may consider:

Intent.

Circumstances.

Evidence.

Previous behaviour.

Cooperation during investigation.

Impact on the tournament.

All disciplinary actions issued by the VFA Administration shall become effective immediately unless another effective date is officially announced.

Managers are expected to comply with every disciplinary decision.

Failure to comply may result in additional penalties.

The Fair Play Record reflects a club's disciplinary conduct throughout the tournament and is used as the final tiebreaker where applicable.

When comparing two or more clubs, the following criteria shall be evaluated:

Fewer Official Warnings.

Fewer Match Forfeits.

Fewer Point Deductions.

Fewer Suspensions.

Decision of the VFA Administration if clubs remain identical.

The Virtual Football Alliance recognizes outstanding team and individual performances throughout each tournament season.

Awards are presented to acknowledge excellence, consistency, and achievement during official VFA competitions.

Awards and recognitions may vary between seasons as determined by the VFA Administration.

At the conclusion of the VFA Premier League season, the following team awards shall be recognized:

🥇 VFA Premier League Champion

🥈 VFA Premier League Runner-up

🥉 Third Place

🏅 Fourth Place

League standings shall determine the final rankings according to the official tiebreaker system described in Section 4.2.

At the conclusion of the VFA Champions League, the following clubs shall be recognized:

🏆 VFA Champions League Champion

🥈 Runner-up

🥉 Third Place

The final standings shall be determined by progression through the knockout stage.

The following individual awards shall normally be presented each season:

Golden Boot

Playmaker of the Tournament

Player of the Tournament

The VFA Administration may publicly recognize additional achievements throughout the season.

Such recognition does not necessarily include trophies, medals, certificates, or prizes unless officially announced.

Examples include:

Outstanding Performances

Memorable Matches

Special Milestones

Community Recognition

Only statistics and results from officially recognized VFA matches shall be considered when determining awards.

Matches declared void or forfeited may be excluded from award calculations where appropriate.

The VFA Administration shall determine any special circumstances.

The VFA Administration is responsible for the overall organization, management, and supervision of every official VFA competition.

The Administration shall ensure that all tournaments are conducted fairly, consistently, and professionally.

No rulebook can anticipate every possible situation.

Whenever an incident arises that is not specifically addressed within this Rulebook, the VFA Administration shall interpret the regulations in accordance with:

Fair Play

Competitive Integrity

Consistency

The Spirit of the Competition

Such interpretations shall become official for that particular situation.

The VFA Administration may issue decisions concerning:

Tournament scheduling

Match disputes

Technical issues

Rule interpretation

Penalties

Player eligibility

Transfer matters

If significant new evidence becomes available after a decision has been announced, the VFA Administration reserves the right to reopen the investigation.

Following review of the new evidence, the Administration may:

Uphold the original decision.

Modify the decision.

Reverse the decision.

Apply additional disciplinary action where appropriate.

The VFA Administration may introduce temporary procedures or emergency decisions whenever necessary to protect the integrity of the tournament.

Examples include:

Major game bugs.

Unexpected server outages.

Technical failures.

Tournament disruptions.

Unforeseen circumstances not covered by this Rulebook.

Emergency decisions shall remain valid until withdrawn or replaced by the Administration.

The VFA Administration may increase, reduce, combine, or modify penalties after considering:

The seriousness of the offence.

Available evidence.

Previous disciplinary history.

Intent of the manager.

Cooperation during investigation.

Overall fairness.

Each case shall be evaluated individually.

The VFA Administration consists of four (4) administrators.

Administrative discussions and internal deliberations are confidential.

Managers and other participants shall not have access to these discussions.

Following internal discussion, the Administration shall announce one official decision on behalf of the VFA.

Only officially announced decisions shall be considered valid.

Except where an appeal is specifically permitted under Section 13.7, decisions issued by the VFA Administration shall be final and binding upon every participant.

Participation in the tournament constitutes acceptance of this authority.

By registering for or participating in any official VFA competition, every manager acknowledges that they have read, understood, and accepted this Rulebook.

Lack of familiarity with the rules shall not be accepted as a valid excuse for violating tournament regulations.

This Official Rulebook shall take precedence over any unofficial guidance, personal interpretation, or community discussion.

If an official announcement supplements this Rulebook without contradicting it, both shall be considered valid.

If a direct conflict exists between an unofficial statement and this Rulebook, the Rulebook shall prevail unless the VFA Administration officially announces a rule amendment.

The VFA Administration reserves the right to amend, clarify, or update this Rulebook whenever necessary.

Any officially announced amendment shall immediately become part of this Rulebook.

Managers are responsible for keeping themselves informed of official updates.

If any individual provision of this Rulebook is declared invalid, unenforceable, or inapplicable, the remaining provisions shall continue to remain fully effective.

The invalid provision shall not affect the validity of the remainder of the Rulebook.

Every participant shares responsibility for maintaining the integrity of the Virtual Football Alliance.

Managers are encouraged to:

Compete honestly.

Respect opponents.

Follow tournament regulations.

Cooperate with the Administration.

Promote a positive competitive environment.

The continued success of the VFA depends upon the commitment of every participant to these principles.

In the event of uncertainty regarding the interpretation of any rule, the interpretation issued by the VFA Administration shall be considered the official interpretation.

Where necessary, the Administration may publish clarifications to remove ambiguity or prevent inconsistent application of the rules.

This Rulebook becomes effective from the official commencement of the respective VFA season and shall remain in force until the conclusion of that season unless amended by the VFA Administration.

Future seasons may adopt revised editions of this Rulebook where necessary.

The VFA Administration extends its appreciation to every manager for participating in the tournament.

The success of the Virtual Football Alliance depends upon fair competition, mutual respect, professionalism, and sportsmanship from every participant.

The Administration wishes every club the very best throughout the season.

Play Fair. Compete with Honor. Respect Every Opponent.

Good luck to all teams, and may the best club be crowned champion. 🏆