Tournament Ruleset

Fighting Game Group Stage into Double Elimination + Soccer Two-Leg Knockout

Game Tournament Format & Core Match Rule

Fighting Game: Group Stage → Double Elimination.
Group matches are Best of 3.
Winners Final, Losers Final, and Grand Final are Best of 5.
Immediate Knockout.
Every fixture is played over 2 legs. Higher aggregate score advances.

By entering the tournament, every player agrees to follow these rules and accept the final decision of the tournament admin.

Rule document version: Final fixed rule set Use this document for player briefing, WhatsApp sharing, printing, and admin dispute resolution.

Play fair. Be on time. Respect the game. Admin decisions are final.

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1. GENERAL TOURNAMENT RULES

1.1 Player Registration and Check-In

• All players must register with their correct name or gamer tag before the tournament begins.
• All players must check in before their first match. Failure to check in may result in removal from the bracket.
• Players must be available when called. A player who is more than 5 minutes late may lose by walkover.
• A walkover counts as a loss for the absent player and a win for the opponent.

1.2 Match Readiness

• Players are responsible for being present, attentive, and ready to play when their match is announced.
• Players must test their controller, buttons, and settings before the match starts.
• Once a match has started, controller or settings complaints will only be considered if the issue is clearly technical and reported immediately.
• Players may not delay matches unnecessarily. Repeated delays may lead to penalties.

1.3 Conduct and Sportsmanship

• Players must respect opponents, spectators, organizers, venue staff, and equipment.
• Trash talk is allowed only if it stays friendly and does not become abusive, discriminatory, threatening, or personal.
• Cheating, match fixing, intentional disconnection, exploiting bugs, or using unauthorized assistance is forbidden.
• Physical intimidation, harassment, fighting, or damaging equipment may lead to immediate disqualification.
• The organizer may remove any player or spectator whose behavior affects the safety or flow of the event.

1.4 Admin Authority

• All disputes must be reported immediately, before the next game or next round begins.
• Players should not restart, replay, or abandon a match without admin approval.
• Tournament admins may pause the bracket to review technical issues, score disputes, or misconduct.
• Admin decisions are final for scoring, replays, penalties, disconnections, and disqualifications.

1.5 Equipment

• Players may use personal controllers if compatible with the tournament setup.
• Turbo, macro, scripted input, modded controllers, or any device that gives an unfair advantage are not allowed.
• Players must disconnect or remove their controller profile after their match if required by the organizer.
• The organizer is not responsible for personal controller failure during a match.

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2. SCORING, PENALTIES, AND DISPUTES

2.1 Score Reporting

• Both players must confirm the final score to the tournament admin immediately after each match.
• If players disagree on a score, the match result may be checked through available evidence such as match screen, bracket record, witnesses, or admin observation.
• A result becomes official once recorded by the admin. Later corrections are only allowed if there is clear evidence of a recording mistake.

2.2 Penalty Scale

Late arrival :
Warning, walkover, or bracket removal depending on delay and stage.

Unauthorized pause :
Round loss, game loss, or replay decision depending on impact.

Score dispute without evidence :
Admin ruling based on available information.

Cheating, match fixing, macros, or intentional :
Game loss, match loss, or disqualification.

Abuse, threats, equipment damage, or unsafe conduct :
Immediate disqualification and removal from venue if necessary.

2.3 Technical Issues

• If a console, monitor, game, network, power, or controller issue occurs, players must stop and call an admin immediately.
• If the issue is caused by tournament equipment, the admin may restart or replay the affected game from a fair point.
• If the issue is caused by a player's personal equipment, the player may be required to continue, change equipment, or accept a penalty.
• Intentional disconnects, rage quits, or deliberate equipment disruption count as unsportsmanlike conduct.

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3. FIGHTING GAME RULES

Format: Group Stage → Double Elimination

• All Fighting Game players begin in a round-robin group stage.
• Each player plays every other player in their group once.
• The top 2 players from each group advance to the double-elimination bracket.
• Every player who qualifies from groups starts the bracket in the Winners Bracket.
• A player who loses in the Winners Bracket moves to the Losers Bracket.
• A player who loses in the Losers Bracket is eliminated from the tournament.

3.1 Fighting Game Match Length

Group Stage
Best of 3 games – First to 2 games wins the set.

Winners Bracket and Losers
Best of 3 games – First to 2 games wins the set.

Winners Final
Best of 5 games – First to 3 games wins the set.

Losers Final
Best of 5 games – First to 3 games wins the set.

Grand Final
Best of 5 games – First to 3 games wins the set.

3.2 Fighting Game Group Standings

• A match win in the group stage gives 3 points. A match loss gives 0 points.
• Group ranking is decided in this order: total points, match win record, game difference, head-to-head result, round difference, then admin-decided tiebreaker match if needed.
• If a player gives a walkover in the group stage, the opponent receives a 2-0 match win.
• If a player withdraws during the group stage, completed results may stand or be voided only if the admin decides it is necessary for fairness.

3.3 Fighting Game Game Settings

• Mode: Versus mode.
• Game version: latest available tournament version on the event setup.
• Rounds: default competitive setting unless the organizer announces otherwise before the first match.
• Timer: default competitive setting unless the organizer announces otherwise before the first match.
• Stage selection: random select unless both players agree on a stage before the game starts.
• Stage interactables or game mechanics remain on if they are part of the default match rules.

3.4 Fighting Game Character and Kameo Rules

• Players may choose any tournament-available character and kameo.
• The winner of a game must keep the same main character and kameo for the next game in that set.
• The loser of a game may change main character, kameo, or both before the next game in that set.
• Blind pick may be requested before game one. If requested, both players secretly tell the admin their character/kameo, then lock in.
• Any character, kameo, stage, skin, or feature found to be banned by the organizer before the event must not be used.

3.5 Fighting Game Pausing and Coaching

• Pausing during a live round without admin approval may result in loss of that round.
• If a pause happens because of a clear tournament equipment issue, the admin may restart or resume fairly.
• Coaching is allowed only between sets. Coaching during active games or between games of the same set is not allowed unless the organizer announces otherwise.
• Spectators must not distract players or give live instructions during a match.

3.6 Fighting Game Grand Final

• The Winners Bracket finalist enters Grand Final without a bracket loss.
• The Losers Bracket finalist enters Grand Final with one bracket loss.
• If the Losers Bracket finalist wins the first Grand Final set, the bracket resets.
• After a bracket reset, one final Best of 5 set is played. The winner of that reset set becomes champion.
• If the Winners Bracket finalist wins the first Grand Final set, there is no reset and that player becomes champion.

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4. SOCCER RULES

Format: Immediate Knockout – Two Legs Per Fixture

• is played as a straight knockout tournament from the first round.
• Every fixture is played over 2 legs: first leg and second leg.
• The player with the higher aggregate score after both legs advances to the next round.
• Away goals do not apply.
• If the aggregate score is tied after the second leg, the second leg continues to extra time and then penalties if needed.

4.1 Match Settings

Mode
Kick Off or the tournament-approved local match mode.

Half Length
6 minutes per half.

Game Speed
Normal.

Difficulty
Not relevant for player-vs-player matches unless the game mode requires a setting

Squads
Latest available tournament squads on the event setup.

Weather
Clear or default stadium weather unless both players agree before kickoff.

Injuries
Default setting unless organizer announces otherwise.

Extra Time and
Enabled for the second leg only when aggregate score is tied.

4.2 Team Selection

• Players may select any standard club or national team available on the tournament setup.
• Custom teams, edited players, created players, all-star teams, or modified squads are not allowed.
• A player must use the same team for both legs of the same fixture.
• Players may change teams between different rounds unless the organizer announces a locked-team rule before the tournament starts.
• Mirror matches are allowed. Two players may use the same team.

4.3 Home and Away Order

• For round one, home advantage in the first leg is decided by bracket position or coin toss if needed.
• For later rounds, the higher seed or upper bracket position is home in the first leg.
• The second leg reverses home and away order.
• If both players disagree on stadium choice, the default home stadium of the home team is used.

4.4 Pause Rules

• Players may pause only when the ball is out of play, except for genuine emergencies or technical issues.
• Each player must use pauses responsibly and avoid wasting time.
• Tactical changes are allowed during pause windows.
• Outside coaching or assistance during active play is not allowed.
• Repeated unnecessary pauses may result in a warning, goal penalty, match loss, or disqualification depending on severity.

4.5 Disconnects and Technical Issues

• If a disconnect or technical failure happens before 15 in-game minutes and no goals have been scored, the leg is replayed from 0-0.
• If a disconnect happens after 15 in-game minutes or after any goal has been scored, the admin decides whether to replay the full leg, replay only the remaining time, or award the result based on evidence.
• If a player intentionally disconnects, rage quits, or powers off equipment, the opponent may be awarded the leg or the entire fixture.
• The score and match time should be recorded immediately when a technical issue occurs.

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5. BRACKET OPERATIONS

5.1 Seeding

• Fighting Game bracket seeding is based on final group standings.
• knockout seeding may be random, based on registration order, or based on organizer ranking. The selected method must be announced before round one begins.
• Players from the same Fighting Game group should be separated in the first knockout round where possible.
• If a bracket slot is empty, the assigned player receives a bye and advances automatically.

5.2 Match Calling Procedure

1. Admin announces the match and station.
2. Both players report to the station within 5 minutes.
3. Players confirm controls, sides, settings, and teams or characters.
4. Match is played under the rules in this document.
5. Both players report the score immediately after the match.
6. Admin records the result and calls the next match.

5.3 Streaming, Recording, and Spectators

• The organizer may stream, record, photograph, or post tournament matches and highlights.
• Spectators must stay behind the play area and must not touch equipment during matches.
• Spectators may cheer but must not coach, distract, reveal strategies, or interfere with players.
• If crowd interference affects a match, the admin may issue a warning, clear the area, restart a game, or apply another fair ruling.

5.4 Final Rule

If a situation is not covered in this document, the tournament admin will make the fairest possible ruling based on competitive integrity, player safety, and event flow.

Player Agreement
By participating, each player confirms that they understand the format, accept the rules, and agree that admin decisions are final.

Play fair. Be on time. Respect the game. Admin decisions are final.