Prep Soccer: Some Changes for the Upcoming 2025 Soccer Season

Prep Soccer- The Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) and Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU) boards had a joint meeting, and the result is some new changes to take effect in the upcoming 2025 regular season and playoffs.

There was a total of four joint approvals that will affect the upcoming play.

  1. Overtimes and Draws

There will be no overtime permitted for any regular season match at any level. Tied regular season matches will result in a draw. An exception will be given to regular season tournaments that need a winner to advance; however, the teams will immediately proceed to penalty kicks.

Postseason matches will keep their overtime policy of two sudden victory overtime periods and penalty kicks to determine a winner.

  1. Continuous Clock

If a team is ahead by 10 goals in the first half of a match, then there will be a continuous clock until the lead falls under 10 goals or halftime arrives.

If the lead is 10 at halftime, then the game will conclude. If a 10-goal lead is reached at any point in the second half, then the game will conclude at that point.

  1. Weather Delay Guidance

No weather delay for a postseason match will exceed three hours past the original start time.

An example would be if a match started at 7 pm, then the teams may not start or restart the game after 10 pm. Teams may mutually agree to end the match if there is a team leading in the second half.

  1. Five-Minute Sit Out for a Yellow Card

The NFHS rule surrounding players getting yellow cards will now be applied instead of the Iowa adaptation.

NFHS RULE 12-8 PENALTY: A cautioned player shall leave the field and may be replaced. Should a team with a cautioned player elect to play shorthanded, the cautioned player may not re-enter nor be replaced until the next substitution opportunity.

The IHSAA soccer advisory committee also agreed to permit 17 matches per level for schools and the maximum amount of halves a player or team can play in one day is four.