Welcome to Twilight 26/27

Welcome to 2026's Twilight. 

All the rules and registration information are on this page - Twilight Starts on the 5th of November 2026

Final game before Christmas: 17th of December

First game back after Christmas:  14th January

Last game of twilight: 11th February

This year we are running our Junior and Regular twilight through the same system.

Juniors: 5:00pm Kick off (5 November to 17 December only)

Round 1: 5:45pm Kick off

Round 2: 6:30pm Kick off

Round 3: 7:15pm Kick off

Grades:

Juniors: 

U8/U9 mixed and girls (born 2017/2018)

U10/U11 mixed and girls (born 2015/2016)

U12/U14 mixed and girls (born 2013/2014)

Round 1: Social, Families, Friends and Companies 

Round 2: Mixed

Round 3: Premier Mens, Womens and Social Mens

Detailed Rules & Regulations are below.

Team Entry Fees: $250.00 per team

Womens Teams Fees: $150.00 per team

Junior Teams Fees: $70.00 per team (first term only)

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Payment must be made by 24th November 2026

Payments received after 24th November will incur a $50 late fee a total payable of $300.

Please post your Payments to ASB Bank 12-3099-0657304-00 | Include your team name as reference.

You can also pay online with your registration.

Basic Rules & Regulations

• Shoes: NO SPRIGS!!! Molded soles recommended.

• Shin pads are recommended.

• Team Cards: Please enter all scores on our website. tikipungafc.co.nz/twilight

• All misconduct and rules are inline with NRF's rules and regulations.

• Eligibility: If you team doesn’t meet eligibility criteria you will default the match. 2 eligibility infractions will result in your space being forfeit to the waiting list.

• Equipment: FIRST GAME – each team needs to set up one goal on their field. LAST GAME of the night, please help stack goals away and return nets and balls to club rooms

• Time: Your team will default if you are 10 minutes late.

• Absolutely NO ALCOHOL to be consumed on the sideline

• All games will be 20 minutes each way, teams change ends at half time.

• There is NO offside.

Full Competition Rules

Behaviour

• Twilight football is social in every grade.  
• Tikipunga FC reserves the right to deny or decline entry to twilight for any and all reasons we deem necessary.
• Tikipunga FC reserves the right to remove your team from the competition for any and all reasons we deem necessary. 
• Any unsportsmanlike conduct will be investigated by the Tikipunga Twilight team and offending players and/or teams will be removed from the competition.
• All NRF and NZ Football regulations apply to Twilight Football.

Team Management

• Team managers are responsible for their teams
  
• Team managers must inform the twilight coordinator if they are not attending
• Team managers cannot be responsible for more than 1 team per round, each team must register their own team managers. 

Number of Players

• Teams should have not more than 5 players on the pitch, one of which should be the goalkeeper.

• The Social Grade can have 6-aside if both teams agree

• Unlimited “flying” substitutions. Players can re-enter the game from their substitution area (from their own defensive half when no markings) without notifying the referee. Except for thegoalkeeper who can only be replaced while the ball is out of play - and the referee notified of the change.

• The new player entering the field can only do so once the player coming off has completely left the pitch.

Kick off

• A goal cannot be scored directly from a kick-off.

• Opposing players must be in their own half of the pitch until the ballhas been touched by the team kicking off.
  
  

Fouls

• A player who commits any of the following offences shall be penalised with a direct free kick being awarded to the other team.

• Kicks, trips, holds, pushes, obstructs, shoulder charges, or slide tackles an opponent.

• Handles the ball.

• Slide Tackles and shoulder charges are NOT permitted.

Free Kicks

• Opposing players must be 5 metres from the ball, or on goal line, at all free kicks.

• If the team taking the free kick takes longer than 4 seconds to do so, an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team.

Kick In (Throw In)

• If the ball goes over the side-lines, a kick in is awarded to the other team. Ball should be kicked in from the line, where ball went out of play, and the ball should not be moving. All opposing players must be 5 metres away.

• A goal cannot be scored direct from a kick-in; ball must touch another player before the "kicker" can retouch the ball.

• If the kick is not taken within 5 seconds, of the player taking the kick receiving the ball, the kick will be awarded to the other team.

Corner Kick

• If the ball goes over the back line (goal line) - a corner is awarded if the ball was last played by a defender - or a goal throw is awarded if the ball was last played by an attacker.

• A goal can be scored direct from a corner.

• If the kick is not taken within 5 seconds, of the player taking the kick receiving the ball, an indirect free kick will be awarded to the other team.

Goalkeepers

• If the ball goes over the back line (goal line) - a corner is awarded if the ball was last played by a defender - or a goal clearance is awarded if the ball was last played by an attacker.

• Goalkeepers throw the ball from the goal area (“D”-Shaped) to restart from a goal clearance.

• Goalkeepers have 4 seconds to throw the ball out - or an indirect free kick is awarded to other team.

• When making a save, once the goalkeeper has handled the ball, he must throw it back into play, following the rules in 2 & 3 above.

• The goalkeeper cannot pick up a back pass from any member of his or her own team; otherwise an indirect free kick is awarded.

• If the goalkeeper makes a save without handling the ball, he is free to play the ball with his feet if they wish.

• Goalkeepers can only handle the ball for 4 seconds.

• The goalkeeper cannot handle the ball outside the penalty area; or a direct free kick will be awarded.