Preamble
Play hard. Play fair. Show up.
Contest of Champions is a community league, not a corporate tour. These rules exist to keep games fair, results honest, and nights at the arcade fun. If something isn't covered here, the organisers resolve it on the day — and their call is final.
Every registered player accepts the full handbook at sign-up. Changes mid-season are posted at least 7 days in advance and only apply to tournaments that begin after the revision date.
Match Format
Game & Mode
All matches are played on EA SPORTS FC, Kick-Off mode, Competitive settings. Game speed: Normal. Controls: any.
Half Length
Each half is 4 minutes (8 minutes per match). Knockout-stage matches extend to 6-minute halves.
Team Selection
Any club rated 4★ to 5★. National teams permitted. Same club may not be used by both players in the same match; higher-seed picks first.
Stadium & Conditions
Neutral stadium. Default weather. Time of day: night. No injuries, no offsides toggles, referee strictness set to Normal.
Disconnection
If the host disconnects before the 10th in-game minute, the match restarts. After the 10th minute, the current scoreline stands unless both players agree to replay.
Scoring
Win
3
Points
Draw
1
Point
Loss
0
Points
Tiebreakers (in order)
- 01 Goal difference GF − GA
- 02 Goals scored GF
- 03 Head-to-head result vs. tied opponent
- 04 One-leg playoff 8-min halves
Tournament Formats
Single Elimination
Direct knockout bracket. Lose once, you're out. Seeded by current league position with random draw for new players.
- Bracket size8 — 32
- Match length2 × 8 min
- Extra timeGolden goal
- Runtime~3 hours
Group + Knockout
Round-robin groups of 4. Top two advance to single-elim playoff rounds. The league's flagship format — fair, varied, and everyone plays at least three games.
- Groups4 × 4 players
- Group matches2 × 6 min
- Playoffs2 × 8 min
- Runtime~5 hours
Seeding
Seeds are calculated from all-time points divided by matches played. Tournaments with fewer than 8 registered players default to round-robin; with fewer than 4, they're rescheduled.
Code of Conduct
check DO
- Show up on time. 10-minute grace period, then forfeit.
- Submit scores within 10 minutes of final whistle.
- Shake hands, fist-bump, or nod — a gesture of respect before and after.
- Flag bugs or crashes to the organiser immediately.
- Support new players. Everyone was a rookie once.
close DON'T
- Stall, rage-quit, or pause excessively to break rhythm.
- Trash-talk opponents, spectators, or organisers.
- Submit false scores. Verified by witness or recording.
- Use modified controllers or exploit in-game glitches.
- Bring outside disputes into tournament night.
1st Offence
Warning
2nd Offence
Match Forfeit
3rd Offence
1-Season Ban
Disputes
Flag disputes to the tournament organiser before leaving the venue. Post-event complaints are not reviewed.
Organiser decisions are final on the night. Written appeals may be submitted within 7 days via the contact form.
The committee reviews appeals within 14 days. Outcomes: uphold, overturn, or replay. No financial compensation is ever issued.
Questions?
CONTACT THE COMMITTEE