How to Read This Rulebook. It is intentionally written to be clear for coaches and players of all experience levels. Any attempt to circumvent this ruleset, the spirit of the rules, or general competitive integrity — even if not covered directly here — is addressed in Section 5: Player Conduct.
New to the platform? The Match Week Guide walks through one week from joining the queue to score report, and the FAQ answers the questions coaches ask most. For anything else, select Get Help at the bottom of the left navigation on the League Platform.
This rulebook is the official and comprehensive set of rules, policies, and procedures governing all League play for the FASA Esports League. It brings general competition rules, game-specific rules, and player conduct expectations together into a single authoritative document.
The FASA Esports League is a scholastic esports league powered by FSEA, in partnership with USAEL & Rally Cry.
The League is hosted on the official FASA League Platform, powered by Rally Cry. All registration, scheduling, match communication, and score reporting happen on this platform. The flow is: register, join the queue, get matched, play, report.
The FASA Esports League Fall season has four phases — an optional Preseason, an 8-week Regular Season, Playoffs, and Championships. Each game title is played on a set day and time each week (see Section 4: Game Rules), and the full calendar is published before the season begins.
Fall Season Calendar
Phase | Dates |
|---|---|
Registration opens | Monday 8/17/26 |
Scrim Finder Practice (optional) | Week of Monday 9/7/26 |
Preseason Practice (optional) | Week of Monday 9/14/26 |
Regular season | Week 1: 9/21/26 |
Playoffs | Playoff Week 1: 11/23/26 |
Championships (live event) | February 22-24, 2027 |
Late enrollment is available until the end of Regular Season Week 2; registration closes Sunday 10/4/26 at 11:59pm ET. All match times are Eastern Time.
The League is open to all member schools that meet the grade criteria for each game competition (see Section 4: Game Rules) and have completed the FASA registration process. For team-based games, all players on a team must attend the same school unless FASA leadership grants a multi-school exception.
The Middle School (MS) league is for grades 6–8; the High School (HS) league is for grades 9–12. Students in grades 6–8 may, at their coach's discretion, register in the HS league instead of the MS league — but not both.
A student may only participate in one competition per game title.
Several titles carry an ESRB Teen rating. Overwatch 2 and VALORANT are open to High School only. Marvel Rivals and Fortnite: Zone Wars are rated Teen but are offered at both levels.
The League Platform requires players to be at least 13 years old to create an account. A coach may, with parent permission, use the Managed Member feature to roster younger students and manage their matches on the students' behalf.
Term | Definition |
|---|---|
Game | A single instance of play that produces a result (for example, one Rocket League game or one Marvel Rivals map). |
Set | A group of games played between the same players or teams to decide a winner. Used in titles like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Team Solos. |
Match | The full contest between two teams for the week, made up of one or more games or sets. |
Team | An individual or group of players competing under one team name from the same school or program. "Team" covers all sizes, including single-player teams. |
Entry | One team's (or, in a solo title, one student's) registration in one competition, with its own roster, schedule and results. See the Platform Terms Guide. |
Bye | A week in which a team that joined the Queue is left without an opponent (see Section 3.3: Byes). A bye adds a win to the team's record without changing its rating, so it only changes a team's place in the standings when it is tied on rating (see Section 2.5: Tiebreakers, step 1). It does not count against playoff eligibility. |
Rating | A number the League Platform keeps for each team in a competition, starting at 1500. Each win raises it and each loss lowers it by about 15 points; beating a higher-rated team raises it slightly more, and losing to a lower-rated team lowers it slightly more. A bye, or a week with no match, does not change it. |
Game of Record (GOR) | The point in a game after which restarts are no longer freely allowed. The exact trigger is defined per title in Section 4. |
League Officials | FASA and USAEL staff who administer the League, resolve disputes, and make final rulings. Also referred to as Tournament Administrators. |
League Platform | The official competition platform where teams register, check in, communicate, and report scores. |
Match Chat | The in-platform chat used by both teams (and officials) to coordinate a match. |
Queue | The queue on a competition's Bracket tab. Teams select the queue button at the top of that tab during the weekly queue window to be paired for that week's match (see Section 3.2). |
Flag Admin | The button on the Match page that requests a League Official and attaches the match. Use it for disputes, an unresponsive opponent, or anything the two teams cannot settle. |
Team Draft | The panel on the Match page that runs a Smash Ultimate Team Solos match: lineups, player and character picks, stage strikes and per-game reports (see Section 4.9). |
Before the regular season, teams have two optional weeks to test equipment, game connections, and the match-day flow. Preseason results are not recorded and do not affect standings.
Week 1: Scrim Finder Practice (week of Monday 9/7/26). Teams arrange their own practice matches using the Scrim Finder on the League Platform. There is no queue window and no match assignment this week. The Scrim Finder stays open all season, so teams can keep scheduling practice matches after games count.
Week 2: Preseason Practice (week of Monday 9/14/26). The full match-day flow runs exactly as it will in the regular season. Join the Queue during the queue window, receive a match assignment, play at the default match time, and report the result.
Both weeks are the best way to confirm everything works before games count. All teams are strongly encouraged to participate, to work through technical issues and lower the chance of forfeits during the regular season.
The regular season runs for eight weeks. Each week, teams play up to one match in each competition they have entered, paired against an opponent with a similar record and rating. Each title has a fixed default match day and time (see Section 4: Game Rules). Standings rank teams by rating. Every match result moves a team's rating, and a bye adds a win to the record without changing the rating. Teams with the same rating are ordered by the tiebreakers in Section 2.5: Tiebreakers.
After the regular season, qualifying teams enter a single-elimination playoff bracket. Bracket size scales with the number of eligible teams in each competition, with a minimum of four teams.
Playoff Eligibility: a team that misses three or more regular-season weeks is not eligible for playoffs. A week counts as missed when the team does not play a match that week: it did not join the queue, its result is missing, or it forfeited. A bye is not a missed week. Ineligible teams may finish the regular season but will not be seeded into the bracket.
The Championship match is contested by the top two teams remaining in each competition's playoff bracket. The Championship format for each title is listed in Section 4: Game Rules and is one step longer than the regular-season format. The Championships are a live, in-person event on February 22-24, 2027; FASA will announce the venue and daily schedule.
If two or more teams have the same rating, they are ranked by the steps below, in order. Any teams still tied after a step move to the next step.
Match Performance — number of match wins. A bye counts as a match win.
Head-to-Head Record — when two teams are tied and have played each other, the winner of that match ranks higher.
Game Score Differential — for titles that report in-game scores (VALORANT, Rocket League, Madden NFL 26 and Fortnite: Zone Wars), total score for minus total score against across every game played. Titles that report only a winner skip this step.
Match Points — points earned for match wins and ties over the season.
Strength of Schedule — the combined match wins of every opponent a team has played.
To be eligible to play, every coach must:
Create an account on the FASA League Platform.
Create a team, invite students, make sure every player has linked the game account the competition requires, and register for at least one competition. For team-based games, the entry's roster must meet that competition's minimum player requirement.
Follow the instructions for weekly check-in and match assignments.
Step-by-step help: the Coach Registration Guide covers creating your account and joining your school. The Team Creation Guide covers building a team and registering it for a competition. The Game Handles Guide covers linking game accounts, including entering handles for Managed Members.
Each week, teams confirm they intend to play by joining the Queue during the queue window, which runs from Thursday 12:00 AM ET to Monday 4:00 PM ET (the week before match week). The Queue is on the competition's Bracket tab: select the queue button at the top of that tab once for each entry.
When the window closes on Monday, teams in the queue are paired against opponents with a similar record and rating, and a team left without an opponent receives a bye (see Section 3.3: Byes). Match assignments are posted on the League Platform and sent to each coach's platform inbox. Each title has a default match day and time listed in Section 4: Game Rules.
A team that does not join the Queue is not assigned a match for that week. Where the button is and what happens next: Match Week Guide, Weekly Queue.
If a team joins the Queue and is left without an opponent when the window closes (an odd number of teams joined, or no valid opponent was left), it receives a bye. A bye adds a win to the team's record without changing its rating, so it only changes a team's place in the standings when it is tied on rating (see Section 2.5: Tiebreakers, step 1). It does not count against playoff eligibility. League Officials may also assign byes when scheduling requires it.
If school is not in session on a scheduled match day due to a state-wide holiday or similar closure, that title's default match time moves to the following day at the same time.
If an individual school is not in session due to a local closure, that school follows Section 3.5: Match Rescheduling to find a new match time. Coaches should communicate closures to League Officials as early as possible.
Both coaches may agree to move a match. In the Reschedule section of the match page, select Propose New Times and offer up to three new times. The other team selects Review Times and accepts one, declines them all, or counters with times of its own. Once a time is accepted, the match moves and both teams are notified. An offer expires after 48 hours, or when its last offered time starts if that is sooner. A rescheduled match must still be played by the end of the day on Sunday of that week, and the Reschedule section only offers times that still leave both teams able to join one of the next week's queues. Once match check-in opens, the match can no longer be moved this way. In that case, or if the match has no Reschedule section, select Flag Admin, choose General Support, and enter the new time in the details. If the coaches cannot agree, the match stays at its original time. During playoffs, reschedules are limited to 24 hours. Matches at live events cannot be rescheduled.
Both teams should be present in Match Chat and ready by the default match time. A coach or approved team captain from each team must establish communication in Match Chat at the start of the match; if a captain does so, the coach is expected to be available on request.
If a team has not joined the lobby or replied in Match Chat 15 minutes after the scheduled start time, the opposing coach selects Flag Admin on the match page and chooses Opponent Unresponsive. If that team asks for a grace period in Match Chat, the opposing coach waits up to 30 minutes before flagging. A league admin reviews the report and records the forfeit. Teams do not report a score for a match that was not played.
Both teams use Match Chat to agree on who hosts the lobby. If they cannot agree, the host defaults to the team marked Home on the Match page (the left side). The host creates the lobby using the game-specific settings in Section 4: Game Rules.
Once both teams are in the lobby, each confirms in Match Chat that the settings are correct and that they are ready. After both confirm, the host starts the match.
When the match is complete, the winning team reports the result on the Match page with Report Scores (step by step: Match Week Guide, Report the Score). For VALORANT, Rocket League, Madden NFL 26 and Fortnite: Zone Wars, enter each team's in-game score for every game (rounds, goals or points), not just the winner; those scores feed the Game Score Differential tiebreaker in Section 2.5. The other team then has 24 hours to accept or dispute the result; a report that is not answered within 24 hours is accepted automatically. If there is a dispute, use Flag Admin on the Match page to request a League Official before leaving.
All forfeits are final unless subject to FASA discretion. A forfeit may be applied for a no-show, an inability to field enough players, a conduct ruling, ineligible players, missing results, or lack of communication. A match won by forfeit is recorded at the minimum score needed to win (for example, 2–0 for a best-of-three). A bye records no score, so it adds nothing to the Game Score Differential tiebreaker in Section 2.5. A team that cannot play may forfeit its own match on the Match page with Forfeit Match (coach or Team Captain) instead of no-showing.
In team-based games, substitutions are allowed between games (or maps or sets) as long as the opposing team is notified and the substitute is on the entry's roster. Once a Game of Record is established, no substitutions may be made until that game is complete. Solo titles (one player) carry no substitutes.
General pause and disconnect handling is below. Because each game handles pauses differently, always defer to the title-specific rules in Section 4: Game Rules.
If a player disconnects in a game that supports pausing, the match may be paused per that title's rules. Players should keep screenshots as proof of when a disconnect happened. Both teams must confirm readiness in Match Chat before play resumes.
Pausing without permission is treated as unfair play and may draw a penalty. League Officials may direct a pause at any time. Pauses expected to last longer than 10 minutes should be approved by a League Official.
Team members not actively playing (a coach or substitute) may spectate unless the other team requests otherwise. For streams or broadcasts, both coaches must agree in Match Chat before the match and honor any request to remove spectators between games. Some titles do not allow in-game spectators due to latency (noted in Section 4).
Coaching is permitted before a match and between games, sets, or maps. Once a game is live (at or after the Game of Record), coaches and non-participating team members may not direct players or communicate strategy until that game ends. Coaches may always assist with technical issues, pauses, and communication with League Officials. Any title-specific coaching limits are noted in Section 4.
Coaches are the primary point of contact for their team and are responsible for their players' readiness, conduct, and results reporting throughout the season: rostering eligible players (per Section 1.4), joining the Queue each week, being present in Match Chat at least 15 minutes before the scheduled start, coordinating lobbies, substitutions and pauses with the opposing coach, coaching only between games (per Section 3.10: Active Coaching), and making sure results are reported and verified within the 24-hour review window.
The full pre-match, match-day and post-match checklist is in the Match Week Guide, Coach Responsibilities. Before the season, the IT & Networking Guide covers network, firewall and anti-cheat requirements, and the Game Handles Guide covers linking game accounts.
A wired Ethernet connection is strongly recommended for every title, and is required for Splatoon 3 (see Section 4.3). It matters most for Nintendo Switch titles such as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, where one player's wireless connection causes lag for everyone in the lobby.
If a team's connection causes lag that makes a match unplayable, the opposing coach should report it with Flag Admin. League Officials may place that team on hold, with no match assignments, until it can play on a wired connection that does not disrupt the match for both teams. Setup help for wired Switch play is in the IT & Networking Guide.
Each title below lists its match format, platform, team size, lobby settings, Game of Record and tiebreaker in one table, followed by pick/ban, disconnection handling, and title-specific rules. All matches start at 4:00pm Eastern Time. Exceptions are made for schools in the Central Time Zone. Monday and Friday have no scheduled games, which leaves advisers free to use those days as they see fit.
Game Days
Day | Titles |
|---|---|
Monday | Open, no games (adviser flexibility) |
Tuesday | Rocket League, VALORANT, Fortnite: Zone Wars, Splatoon 3 |
Wednesday | Marvel Rivals, Smash Ultimate Solos, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe |
Thursday | Overwatch 2, Madden NFL 26, Smash Ultimate Team Solos, Chess.com |
Friday | Open, no games (adviser flexibility) |
Rules Overview
Title | Grades | Match Day | Format (Regular / Finals) | Team Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
HS & MS | Tue 4:00pm ET | Bo3 / Bo5 | 3 + 2 subs | |
HS | Tue 4:00pm ET | Bo1 / Bo3 | 5 + 3 subs | |
HS & MS | Tue 4:00pm ET | Bo3 / Bo5 | 4 + 3 subs | |
HS & MS | Wed 4:00pm ET | Bo3 / Bo5 | 6 + 4 subs | |
HS & MS | Wed 4:00pm ET | Bo3 / Bo5 | 4 + 2 subs | |
HS | Thu 4:00pm ET | Bo3 / Bo5 | 5 + 3 subs | |
HS & MS | Wed 4:00pm ET | Bo5 / Bo7 | 1 player | |
HS & MS | Thu 4:00pm ET | Bo3 / Bo5 | 1 player | |
HS & MS | Thu 4:00pm ET | Bo5 / Bo5 sets | 3 + 2 subs | |
HS & MS | Thu 4:00pm ET | Bo3 / Bo5 | 1 player | |
HS & MS | Tue 4:00pm ET | Bo3 / Bo5 | 2 + 2 subs |
Default Match Time: Tuesday 4:00pm ET
Format & Settings
Setting | Detail |
|---|---|
Match Format | Regular Season & Playoffs: Best-of-3 (Bo3) games. Finals: Best-of-5 (Bo5) games. |
Grade Levels | High School & Middle School |
Platform | PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Switch |
Game Mode | Soccar |
Team Size | 3 players, 2 subs |
Lobby Settings | Arena: DFH Stadium |
Game of Record (GOR) | The in-game countdown timer ends and the game states "GO." |
Tiebreaker | Each 5-minute game tied at time expiry goes to overtime; the first goal (golden goal) wins the game. |
Disconnections
By default players cannot pause an in-progress game. Play continues through a disconnect, and the disconnected player may attempt to rejoin mid-game. If they cannot rejoin during the game, the team has 5 minutes before the next game to return the player to the lobby or replace them with a substitute; a substitute may not replace them mid-game. Otherwise the match proceeds to the next game with the players present. If a full team disconnects, they have 5 minutes to return or forfeit that game.
Additional Rules
Controllers: players may use a controller or mouse & keyboard.
Content Updates: any cars or items disabled by the publisher are not allowed; matches run on the current patch.
Default Match Time: Tuesday 4:00pm ET
Format & Settings
Setting | Detail |
|---|---|
Match Format | Regular Season & Playoffs: Best-of-1 (Bo1) map. Finals: Best-of-3 (Bo3) maps. |
Grade Levels | High School only (ESRB Teen) |
Platform | PC |
Game Mode | Standard (Tournament Mode) |
Team Size | 5 players, 3 subs |
Lobby Settings | Allow Cheats: OFF |
Game of Record (GOR) | When the barrier drops in the first round. |
Tiebreaker | A map wins at 13 rounds (sides swap after 12). If tied 12–12, overtime is played as two-round sets, swapping sides each round, until a team wins both rounds of a set. |
Pick / Ban & Selection
Regular Season & Playoffs (Bo1) | Process |
|---|---|
Ban 1 & 2 | Home team bans, then Away team bans |
Map pick & side | Home team picks the map; Away team selects side |
Map pool: Abyss, Bind, Corrode, Haven, Lotus, Summit, Sunset. The pool locks when the regular season ends.
Finals (Bo3): teams alternate further bans and picks until three maps are set. Home team bans, then Away team bans; Away team picks Map 1 and Home team picks Map 2, with the opposing team selecting side on each; the map remaining after the final bans is the decider, and sides on it are decided by a coin flip in Match Chat.
Agents: 80-second blind agent select. A team cannot run two of the same agent, but both teams may pick the same agent.
Disconnections
A disconnected player should reconnect as soon as possible; the game continues with the current lobby. You may not substitute mid-game. Each team gets two 60-second tactical timeouts (one per side); type /timeout to start a team vote.
Additional Rules
Riot Vanguard: required anti-cheat. Schools must configure PCs (TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, UEFI) before the first match — involve IT early.
Mature Content: toggle Show Mature Content OFF before joining.
Server: teams agree on the NA server with the lowest mutual ping.
New Agents and Weapons: A new agent or weapon is banned in league play for two weeks after its release.
Default Match Time: Tuesday 4:00pm ET
Format & Settings
Setting | Detail |
|---|---|
Match Format | Regular Season & Playoffs: Best-of-3 (Bo3) games. Finals: Best-of-5 (Bo5) games. |
Grade Levels | High School & Middle School |
Platform | Nintendo Switch |
Game Mode | Alternating — see Pick / Ban & Selection |
Team Size | 4 players, 3 subs |
Lobby Settings | Recon: OFF |
Game of Record (GOR) | When players are launched onto the stage. |
Tiebreaker | First team to two game wins takes a Bo3 match (three wins in a Bo5 Final). A later game is not played if unnecessary. |
Pick / Ban & Selection
Games rotate through the mode order below; the losing team of the previous game picks the next stage, within that game's mode.
Game & Mode | Stage Pick |
|---|---|
Game 1 — Turf War | Home team picks stage |
Game 2 — Rainmaker | Loser of Game 1 picks |
Game 3 — Splat Zones | Loser of Game 2 picks |
Game 4 — Tower Control (Finals only) | Loser of Game 3 picks |
Game 5 — Clam Blitz (Finals only) | Loser of Game 4 picks |
Splattercolor Screen: either team may ban weapons with the Splattercolor Screen special for the whole match by stating so in Match Chat during setup.
Disconnections
A disconnected player should reconnect as soon as possible; the game continues with the current lobby. You may not substitute mid-game. Keep screenshots as proof of a disconnect. If a full team disconnects, notify the opponent in Match Chat and contact League Officials if they cannot return.
Additional Rules
Equipment: wired connection required; Switch consoles must not be modded; Nintendo Switch Online membership required.
Join Requirement: players must have finished the tutorial and one online Turf War to create a Player ID and join custom lobbies.
Friend Add: the Home team adds an opposing player as a Switch friend before creating the room — adding after creation drops the lobby.
Default Match Time: Wednesday 4:00pm ET
Format & Settings
Setting | Detail |
|---|---|
Match Format | Regular Season & Playoffs: Best-of-3 (Bo3) games. Finals: Best-of-5 (Bo5) games. |
Grade Levels | High School & Middle School (ESRB Teen). HS and MS/JV run as two separate competitions on the same day, under the same rules. |
Platform | PC, PlayStation, Xbox (cross-platform; no Switch) |
Game Mode | Competitive — Tournament Room |
Team Size | 6 players, 4 subs |
Lobby Settings | Lock Room: checked |
Game of Record (GOR) | The first of — an attack or ability lands on an enemy, line-of-sight is established between opposing players, or one minute of round time elapses. |
Tiebreaker | If the match is tied after the final scheduled game, play a Domination game on a randomly selected Domination map (the lobby owner multi-selects all Domination maps to randomize). |
Pick / Ban & Selection
Teams must follow the game-mode order below. If the wrong mode is selected, restart before GOR.
Game | Mode & Map Pool |
|---|---|
Game 1 | Domination — Yggsgard, Wakanda, Hydra Charteris Base, Hellfire Gala, Klyntar |
Game 2 | Convergence — Tokyo 2099, Wakanda, Klyntar, Empire of Eternal Night, K'un-Lun, Lower Manhattan |
Game 3 | Convergence or Convoy — whichever was not played in Game 2 |
Game 4 (Finals only) | Domination — any Domination map not used in Game 1 |
Game 5 (Finals only) | Convoy — any Convoy map not used in Game 2 |
Map Pick | Side Selection |
|---|---|
Home team picks Map 1 | Away team selects side |
Loser of previous map picks next | Winner of previous map selects side |
Ban / Lock: once all 12 players are in the lobby, team leaders take turns banning and locking heroes (locking prevents a hero from being banned). Missed bans and picks are forfeited.
Disconnections
A disconnect allows a 5-minute pause. If GOR is established, the round continues unless both teams agree to restart; if not established, return to lobby, let the player rejoin, and restart the map. You may not fill a disconnected player's spot mid-game.
Additional Rules
Costumes: in the regular season, characters must use default costumes and MVP animations; alternate costumes are prohibited (one warning per team, then penalties). Starting in playoffs, spectator customizations are disabled in the Tournament Room, so this rule is no longer enforced.
Profile Privacy: competing players set Career Profile → Overview Visibility to Everyone so opponents can verify identity.
No Ximming: using mouse & keyboard on console via a XIM device is strictly prohibited.
Default Match Time: Wednesday 4:00pm ET
Format & Settings
Setting | Detail |
|---|---|
Match Format | Regular Season & Playoffs: Best-of-3 (Bo3) games. Finals: Best-of-5 (Bo5) games. |
Game Format | 6 races (150cc) per game |
Grade Levels | High School & Middle School |
Platform | Nintendo Switch |
Team Size | 4 players, 2 subs |
Lobby Settings | Game Style: 150cc |
Game of Record (GOR) | The countdown of the first race ends and the game states "GO." |
Tiebreaker | If teams tie on points at the end of a game, play one extra race immediately; the team with more points in that race wins the game. |
Track Selection
Every player must choose Random. If a player does not and their track is chosen, that team loses 15 points from the game (additive per violation) — submit screenshots to officials.
Disconnections
Keep a screenshot after every race (Switch capture button). If the host disconnects, the lobby is remade and teams finish the remaining races, then add the screenshot points to the new lobby's points. If a player disconnects, they rejoin at the start of the next track; points earned before the disconnect only count with screenshot proof.
Additional Rules
Karts & Characters: players may change character or kart between races (press Y in the lobby) and may use smart steering and auto-accelerate.
Glitching: using in-game glitches to gain an advantage results in a game loss and possible further penalty (screenshot or video proof required).
DLC: Booster Course Pass tracks may appear if any player owns them; the DLC is recommended but not required.
Spectating: not allowed, due to latency.
Default Match Time: Thursday 4:00pm ET
Format & Settings
Setting | Detail |
|---|---|
Match Format | Regular Season & Playoffs: Best-of-3 (Bo3) games. Finals: Best-of-5 (Bo5) games. |
Grade Levels | High School only (ESRB Teen) |
Platform | PC, Xbox, PlayStation |
Game Mode | Competitive (custom, Invite Only) |
Team Size | 5 players (1 Tank, 2 Damage, 2 Support), 3 subs |
Lobby Settings | Preset: Competitive |
Game of Record (GOR) | The first of — an attack or ability lands on an enemy, line-of-sight is established between opposing players, or the timer reaches 2:00. |
Tiebreaker | If a game draws, do not report it — continue and report the next game in its place. If the match is tied after the final scheduled game, play a Control map on Busan (bans reset, Home team bans first). |
Pick / Ban & Selection
Each game uses a set game mode with its own map pool. Teams must follow the game-mode order; if the wrong mode is chosen, restart before GOR.
Game | Mode & Map Pool |
|---|---|
Game 1 | Control — Busan, Lijiang Tower, Ilios, Oasis |
Game 2 | Hybrid — Blizzard World, King's Row, Midtown, Eichenwalde, Hollywood |
Game 3 | Escort — Circuit Royal, Dorado, Shambali, Watchpoint: Gibraltar |
Game 4 (Finals only) | Push — Colosseo, Esperança, Runasapi |
Game 5 (Finals only) | Flashpoint — New Junk City, Suravasa, Aatlis |
Tiebreaker game | Control — Busan |
Map Pick | Side Selection |
|---|---|
Home team picks Map 1 | Away team selects side |
Loser of previous map picks next | Winner of previous map selects side |
Hero Bans: after map and side are set, each team bans one hero per map (the map-picking team bans first). A role can only be banned once per map across both teams; a hero can be banned once per team per match. Bans apply to both teams. The lobby host toggles banned heroes off before each game.
Disconnections
A disconnect allows a pause; the player has 5 minutes to reconnect or play continues with the current lobby. You may not fill a disconnected player's spot mid-game. If a full team disconnects, they have 5 minutes to return or forfeit that game.
Additional Rules
Perks: hero Perks are enabled by default for competitive play — no extra setup needed.
Roles: roles are locked once a round begins; players may swap roles between games.
New Heroes: A new hero is banned in league play for two weeks after its release.
Default Match Time: Wednesday 4:00pm ET
Format & Settings
Setting | Detail |
|---|---|
Match Format | Regular Season & Playoffs: Best-of-5 (Bo5) games. Finals: Best-of-7 (Bo7) games. |
Grade Levels | High School & Middle School |
Platform | Nintendo Switch |
Game Mode | Smash (Stock) |
Team Size | 1 player (solo), no subs |
Lobby Settings | Stock: 3 |
Game of Record (GOR) | The in-game countdown ends and the game states "GO." |
Tiebreaker | If a game reaches in-game Sudden Death it does not count as-is: the winner is whoever had more stocks at that moment, then lower damage %. If still tied, play a 1-stock, 2-minute game. |
Pick / Ban & Selection
This is a 1v1 match.
Stage Striking, Game 1 (Starter stages only): Home strikes 1 → Away strikes 2 → Home strikes 1 → the remaining stage is played.
Stage Striking, Game 2 Onward (Starter + Counterpick): the winner of the previous game strikes 2 → the loser picks from the rest, and may not pick a stage they have already won on.
Character Selection: Game 1 is a blind pick, so neither player sees the other's character before choosing. From Game 2 on, once the stage is chosen, the team that won the previous game announces their player's character first, and the loser picks second.
Starter Stages (Game 1) | Counterpick Stages (Game 2+) |
|---|---|
Battlefield | Final Destination |
Pokémon Stadium 2 | Kalos Pokémon League |
Small Battlefield | Hollow Bastion (DLC) |
Smashville | — |
Town and City | — |
Omega and Battlefield stage variations are not allowed. DLC stages can only be picked if a player in the match owns them.
Disconnections
If a player disconnects, the lobby closes; the player must explain in Match Chat within 10 minutes or risk losing the match. If they return in time, recreate the game with the same fighters, stage, and stock count — damage % is not reset — and continue.
Additional Rules
Mii Fighters: must use default costumes and a Guest Mii; the player must announce their move set (a 4-digit code, e.g. 1213) in Match Chat before the game.
Spectating: not available — Switch titles are excluded from in-game spectating due to latency.
Default Match Time: Thursday 4:00pm ET
Format & Settings
Setting | Detail |
|---|---|
Match Format | Regular Season & Playoffs: Best-of-3 (Bo3) games. Finals: Best-of-5 (Bo5) games. |
Grade Levels | High School & Middle School |
Platform | PlayStation, Xbox, PC (cross-play ON) |
Team Size | 1 player (solo), no subs |
Lobby Settings | Skill: All-Madden |
Game of Record (GOR) | A player kicks off and the clock ticks for at least one second. |
Tiebreaker | A tied game goes to the game's own overtime rules. Standings ties use Section 2.5. |
Team Selection
Players choose any current NFL team and may pick a different team each game; both players may pick the same team. Alternative, legends, and custom teams are not allowed.
Disconnections
The game auto-pauses on a disconnect — screenshot the score, time, and error. Willingly leaving is a loss. On a network disconnect in the first half, recreate the game with the same sides, subtract elapsed time, finish the remaining time, then add both games' scores. If the losing player disconnects in the second half, the current result stands; if the winning player disconnects in the second half, reset using the same steps.
Additional Rules
Onside Kicks: not allowed in the first half; allowed anytime in the second half.
No Custom Playbooks: players may mix a team, an offensive playbook, and a defensive playbook, but not a self-made custom playbook.
Improper Audibles: no audibles from QB kneel, Wildcat, field goal, or punt formations. No intentional offsides to stall.
Default Match Time: Thursday 4:00pm ET
Format & Settings
Setting | Detail |
|---|---|
Match Format | Regular Season & Playoffs: Best-of-5 (Bo5) sets. Finals: Best-of-5 (Bo5) sets. Each set is one player vs. one player, Best-of-3 games. |
Grade Levels | High School & Middle School |
Platform | Nintendo Switch |
Game Mode | Smash (Stock) |
Team Size | 3 players (Team Solos), 2 subs |
Lobby Settings | Stock: 3 |
Game of Record (GOR) | The in-game countdown ends and the game states "GO." |
Tiebreaker | If a game reaches in-game Sudden Death it does not count as-is: the winner is whoever had more stocks at that moment, then lower damage %. If still tied, play a 1-stock, 2-minute game. |
Pick / Ban & Selection
Team Draft runs this section on the League Platform. Both teams ready up on the Match page (Ready Up opens 30 minutes before the match time), confirm a lineup of three players, then pick players, characters and stages turn by turn in the Team Draft panel and report each game there. Coaches, Team Captains and any Draft Captains a coach names act for the team, and the player in a set always acts for their own set. Lineups lock when Set 1 starts, so Section 3.7: Substitutions does not apply to this title. If both teams agree, Match Options can reset the current game or switch the match to manual reporting in Match Chat. Step by step: the Team Draft Guide.
Set Players: Set 1 player choices are blind. From Set 2 on, the team that won the previous set names its player first and the other team counterpicks. Each of a team's three players plays one of Sets 1-3. Any lineup player may play Set 4; the Set 5 player must not have played Set 4.
Game 1: both players pick characters blind. Then, from the Starter stages, Home strikes 1, Away strikes 2, and Home picks one of the two stages left.
Game 2 Onward: the winner of the previous game picks their character first and the loser counterpicks. Then, from the Starter and Counterpick stages, the winner strikes 2 and the loser picks from the rest. The winner may also strike, for free, any stage the loser has already won on in that set; a free strike left unused keeps that stage pickable.
Starter Stages (Game 1) | Counterpick Stages (Game 2+) |
|---|---|
Battlefield | Final Destination |
Pokémon Stadium 2 | Kalos Pokémon League |
Small Battlefield | Hollow Bastion (DLC) |
Smashville | — |
Town and City | — |
Omega and Battlefield stage variations are not allowed. DLC stages can only be picked if a team in the match owns them.
Disconnections
If a player disconnects, the lobby closes; the player must explain in Match Chat within 10 minutes or risk losing the set. If they return in time, recreate the game with the same fighters, stage, and stock count — damage % is not reset — and continue.
Additional Rules
Mii Fighters: default costumes and a Guest Mii; the player enters the four-digit move set code (each digit 1, 2 or 3, for example 1231) when picking the Mii in Team Draft.
Spectating: not available — Switch titles are excluded from in-game spectating due to latency.
Default Match Time: Thursday 4:00pm ET
Format & Settings
Setting | Detail |
|---|---|
Match Format | Regular Season & Playoffs: Best-of-3 (Bo3) games. Finals: Best-of-5 (Bo5) games. |
Grade Levels | High School & Middle School |
Platform | Chess.com (PC, mobile, web) |
Game Mode | Rapid Chess |
Team Size | 1 player (solo), no subs |
Lobby Settings | Play: Friend challenge |
Game of Record (GOR) | The first move of the game is made. |
Tiebreaker | A drawn game counts as a half point to each player. If a match is level after the final game, play one additional game at the same time control; if that draws, the player with White in the deciding game loses the tiebreak. |
Pick / Ban & Selection
Colour Selection: the Home team plays White in Game 1; colours alternate each game thereafter.
Disconnections
Chess.com runs the clock through a disconnect. A player who loses connection should reconnect immediately — the game continues and a flagged clock stands. If the platform itself is unavailable, screenshot the error and contact League Officials before starting a replacement game.
Additional Rules
Fair Play: engine assistance of any kind is an immediate match loss and is referred to League Officials. Chess.com fair-play flags are treated as evidence.
Account Standing: to be eligible for play, each player's Chess.com account must be in good standing. Players compete on a single named account for the whole season, declared to their coach before Week 1.
Playoffs Proctoring: once the Playoffs stage is reached, all matches must be proctored by a parent or teacher.
Default Match Time: Tuesday 4:00pm ET
Format & Settings
Setting | Detail |
|---|---|
Match Format | Regular Season & Playoffs: Best-of-3 (Bo3) games. Finals: Best-of-5 (Bo5) games. |
Game Format | First to 10 round wins per game |
Grade Levels | High School & Middle School |
Platform | PC, console (cross-platform) |
Team Size | 2 players, 2 subs |
Lobby Settings | Island Code: 3237-7822-8160 (Rapid Realistics 2v2 Speed) |
Game of Record (GOR) | When the barrier drops in the first round. |
Tiebreaker | Not applicable — a game is decided by the first team to 10 round wins. |
Pick / Ban & Selection
Loadout: both teams vote for BoxFight Loot. If a different loadout starts, return to lobby and recreate; a game finished with the wrong loadout still counts as a Game of Record.
Server: teams pick the regional server with the lowest mutual ping; officials decide if they cannot agree.
Disconnections
If a player disconnects mid-round, finish the round and screenshot the score. When the player reconnects, recreate the game and play until a team reaches 10 round wins. If there is no update in Match Chat within 10 minutes, contact League Officials.
Additional Rules
Voice Chat: turn off in-game voice chat before pairing with opponents; coordinate through Match Chat.
Spectating: in-island spectating is not available; replays can be recorded via Settings → Game → Replays.
Players must compete to the best of their ability at all times and follow both the FASA Competitive Integrity Pledge and the USAEL Code of Conduct:
Respect: treat all players, organizers, and spectators with respect.
Integrity: play honestly and follow the rules of the game.
Graciousness: be humble in victory and courteous in defeat.
Language: use appropriate, respectful language at all times.
Anti-Bullying: zero tolerance for harassment, bullying, or discrimination of any kind.
Feedback: keep feedback constructive; avoid toxic comments.
Any form of cheating or foul play by any team member will not be tolerated. All members are prohibited from influencing a match so its outcome is decided by anything other than the competitive merits of the teams.
Players may never cheat or seek an unfair advantage. Unfair play includes, but is not limited to:
Exploiting bugs or glitches
Collusion or match manipulation
Hacking or third-party cheat software
Ringing — playing under another person's identity, or fielding ineligible players
Intentional disconnection
A team member found violating these standards will be issued a loss for that game and may face additional penalties at the discretion of League Officials, up to and including disqualification from the League.
These rules exist to ensure fair play, integrity, and a positive experience for everyone. They are not just a checklist — they embody the spirit of competition, sportsmanship, and respect. Participants are expected to follow both the letter and the intent of the rules. Exploiting loopholes, manipulating gameplay, or unsportsmanlike conduct is a violation of the spirit of the rules.
Interpreting and enforcing these rules — including any situation not explicitly covered — is at the sole discretion of League Officials. They may act in the best interests of the competition, its participants, and fair play. These decisions are final and binding, cannot be appealed, and may include penalties up to and including disqualification from the League.
By participating, you acknowledge that League Officials have the authority to interpret the rules and take any action necessary to maintain the integrity and spirit of the competition.
FASA and any event partners reserve the right to update, revise, or modify these rules when appropriate. Major changes are recorded in the Change Log below, and it is every coach's and player's responsibility to review the current rulebook. The version shown at the top of this page always matches the most recent Change Log entry.
Date | Version | Summary of Changes |
|---|---|---|
10/20/26 | 1.24 | Rescheduling (Section 3.5) describes the Reschedule section: Propose New Times, Review Times, offers expire after 48 hours or when the last offered time starts, and only times that leave both teams able to join one of the next week's queues are offered. Flag Admin is for a match with no Reschedule section or one whose check-in has opened. Match Week Guide links renamed |
10/19/26 | 1.23 | Temporary update while byes and standings are under review. A bye adds a win to the record without changing the rating and records no game score, and a week without a match counts toward the three missed weeks for playoff eligibility (Definition of Terms, Sections 2.3, 3.2, 3.3 and 3.6.5) |
10/15/26 | 1.22 | VALORANT map pool updated to Abyss, Bind, Corrode, Haven, Lotus, Summit and Sunset |
10/15/26 | 1.21 | Rescheduling: coaches now move a match themselves with Reschedule on the match page (one team offers up to three times, the other picks one). Flag Admin is only for a match with no Reschedule card or one about to start. Playoff reschedules are no longer approved case by case, and matches at live events cannot be rescheduled (Section 3.5) |
10/9/26 | 1.20 | Weather: no matches the week of 10/12/26. Regular Season Weeks 4-8 each move back one week (Week 4 is now 10/19/26, Week 8 is 11/16/26), Playoffs run 11/23 and 11/30, and the Championships become a live event on February 22-24, 2027 (Sections 1.3 and 2.4) |
10/7/26 | 1.19 | Smash Ultimate Team Solos now runs through Team Draft on the Match page: Game 1 ends with Home picking one of the last two stages (was a last strike), characters are picked before the stage from Game 2 on, the free strike removes stages the loser has won on, and lineups lock at Set 1 (Section 4.9). Under 13: Managed Members only (Section 1.4.1). The Home team is the team marked Home on the Match page (Section 3.6.2); a team may forfeit its own match with Forfeit Match (Section 3.6.5). |
10/5/26 | 1.18 | Overwatch 2: new heroes are banned for two weeks after release |
9/27/26 | 1.17 | Queue names: the Check-In Queue is now the Queue, shown on the calendar as Week N Queue. Wording only; no rule changes. |
9/25/26 | 1.16 | Rescheduling and no-shows go through Flag Admin (Sections 3.5 and 3.6.1); Entry added to Definition of Terms; registration and roster wording uses Entry; the queue button is named by its place on the Bracket tab; onboarding session and coaches meeting rows removed from the Fall calendar |
9/25/26 | 1.15 | Smash Ultimate Team Solos: each of a team's three players plays one of Sets 1-3; any eligible player may play Set 4, and the Set 5 player must not have played Set 4 |
9/24/26 | 1.14 | Smash Ultimate Team Solos: Regular Season and Playoffs move to Best-of-5 sets (Finals stay Best-of-5 sets); each set is still one player vs. one player, Best-of-3 games; Week 1 results stand as played |
9/24/26 | 1.13 | Standings rank teams by rating; the tiebreakers order teams with the same rating. Rating added to Definition of Terms |
9/24/26 | 1.12 | Marvel Rivals lobby settings: Spectator Access is No Spectating unless both coaches agree in Match Chat, and Pause Permissions is Coach; streams and broadcasts need both coaches to agree in Match Chat before the match (Section 3.9) |
9/23/26 | 1.11 | Wired connection strongly recommended for every title (still required for Splatoon 3); a team whose connection makes matches unplayable may be placed on hold (new Section 3.12) |
9/23/26 | 1.10 | VALORANT: new agents and weapons are banned for two weeks after release |
9/21/26 | 1.9 | VALORANT map pool updated to Abyss, Ascent, Haven, Lotus, Split, Summit and Sunset |
9/17/26 | 1.8 | Check-In Queue now opens Thursday 12:00 AM ET and closes Monday 4:00 PM ET; standings tiebreakers aligned with the League Platform: byes count as a match win, game score differential added for VALORANT, Rocket League, Madden NFL 26 and Fortnite: Zone Wars; in-game scores reported for those titles; Madden roster lock removed; registration close date stated |
9/11/26 | 1.7 | Splatoon 3 raised to 3 substitutes for cross-league consistency |
9/11/26 | 1.7 | Match days aligned with the league schedule: Fortnite: Zone Wars to Tuesday, Smash Ultimate Solos to Wednesday, Smash Ultimate Team Solos and Chess.com to Thursday, Monday and Friday open. Marvel Rivals MS/JV added as a separate competition under the HS rules |
9/11/26 | 1.6 | Substitute counts aligned with the League Platform: VALORANT and Overwatch 2 to 3 subs, Marvel Rivals to 4 subs |
9/11/26 | 1.5 | Smash Ultimate (Team Solos and Solos): from Game 2 on, the team that won the previous game announces their player's character first. Change Log added |
9/10/26 | 1.4 | Solo titles carry no subs |
9/10/26 | 1.3 | Consistency improvements and links to guides |
9/3/26 | 1.2 | Preseason split into Scrim Finder Practice (week of 9/7) and Preseason Practice (week of 9/14) |
8/27/26 | 1.1 | Game version specified: Madden NFL 26 |
8/17/26 | 1.0 | Initial rulebook published |