✍️ Mandatory Individual Player Waiver:
Every participating player must individually complete and accept the official tournament participation waiver before playing.

• Team captains cannot complete or accept the waiver on behalf of their players.
• The team captain is responsible for sending the official waiver to every player on the team’s roster and ensuring each player completes it before participating.
• Any player who has not completed the required waiver will not be permitted to play until it has been completed.
• Player Waiver: Waiver Link

🛡️ Liability & Assumption of Risk:
Participation requires completion and acceptance of the official individual tournament participation waiver.

• Every participating player must individually complete the required waiver before playing.
• A team captain cannot accept the waiver on another player’s behalf.
• The official participation waiver governs applicable assumption-of-risk, release, and liability terms.

💳 Payment, Refund & Withdrawal Policy:

A $100 nonrefundable deposit is required to secure a team’s tournament spot and is applied toward the team’s total registration fee.

💰 Remaining Balance:

• The remaining team registration balance must be paid by Sunday, September 5, 2026 at 11:59 PM.
• Teams that received the $550 Early Bird rate will owe a remaining balance of $450.
• Teams registered at the $650 standard rate will owe a remaining balance of $550.
• Payment instructions for the remaining balance will be sent to the team captain by email.
• Teams that register on or after September 6 must pay their remaining balance according to the deadline provided by Houston Cup.
• Failure to pay the remaining balance by the applicable deadline may result in the team’s spot being released to another team or the waiting list. The $100 deposit remains nonrefundable.

🟢 August 9–18: Teams that withdraw may receive a 100% refund of eligible registration payments, excluding the $100 nonrefundable deposit.

🟡 August 19–September 5: Teams may choose either a 50% refund of eligible registration payments, excluding the $100 nonrefundable deposit, or 100% tournament credit toward a future Houston Cup event.

🟠 September 6–13: No cash refunds will be issued. A withdrawing team may receive 100% tournament credit toward a future Houston Cup event.

🔴 After September 13 at 11:59 PM: All registrations become final. No refunds or tournament credits will be issued for team withdrawals.

Teams registering during a restricted refund or credit period acknowledge that the policy applicable on the date of payment applies immediately to their registration.

Tournament credits must be used toward an eligible future Houston Cup event within 12 months of the original tournament date and have no cash value.

🔄 Team Entry Transfers:

If a registered team can no longer participate, the team may request to transfer its tournament entry to a replacement team before the official tournament schedule is released.

• All transfers require prior approval from Houston Cup and are not guaranteed.
• The replacement team must satisfy all applicable registration, payment, roster, eligibility, and waiver requirements.

🚫 Late Withdrawals & No-Shows:

Teams that withdraw after the final registration deadline or fail to appear for the tournament will forfeit all registration payments and tournament credits.

• Late withdrawals and no-shows may result in the loss of returning-team discounts, priority registration, or eligibility for future Houston Cup events at the discretion of tournament management.
• Failure to appear for an individual scheduled match is handled under the tournament’s forfeit policy.

⚽ Tournament Format:
Houston Cup will consist of a group stage followed by knockout rounds.

• Each team will play 4 guaranteed group-stage matches, with qualifying teams playing up to 7 total matches.
• The top 2 teams from each group advance to the Quarterfinals.
• Houston Cup reserves the right to reasonably adjust group sizes, tournament structure, field assignments, or scheduling if necessary because of withdrawals, registration numbers, weather, delays, or other operational circumstances.

📖 Match & Competition Rules:
Matches will follow the applicable Laws of the Game where appropriate, subject to Houston Cup’s published 7v7 tournament rules and modifications.

• Houston Cup-specific competition rules will govern wherever the tournament’s 7v7 format requires modifications.
• The tournament’s published points system, tiebreaker procedure, match durations, and knockout penalty procedure will apply throughout the competition.

⏰ Late Arrivals & Forfeits:
Teams are expected to be checked in and ready to play at their scheduled kickoff time.

• A team unable to field enough eligible players may be declared to have forfeited the match at the discretion of the Tournament Director.
• The standard recorded score for a forfeit will be 3–0, unless tournament management determines another result is appropriate due to exceptional circumstances.

🤝 Sportsmanship & Conduct:
Players, coaches, spectators, and team personnel are expected to treat opponents, referees, tournament staff, facility personnel, and spectators with respect.

• Houston Cup has zero tolerance for fighting, threats, referee or staff abuse, racism, discrimination, deliberate violent conduct, or serious unsportsmanlike behavior.
• Tournament management may eject or suspend individuals or teams for serious misconduct.
• Severe violations may result in removal from the tournament without refund or tournament credit.

🚫🍺 Alcohol Policy:
Alcohol is not permitted during Houston Cup.

• Players, coaches, and team personnel may not bring, consume, or distribute alcohol, or participate while under the influence of alcohol during the tournament.
• Violations may result in removal from the tournament or facility and additional disciplinary action.

🟨🟥 Yellow & Red Cards:
Referees may issue yellow and red cards in accordance with tournament competition rules.

• A player receiving a red card will be immediately dismissed from the current match.
• Additional suspension or disciplinary action may be imposed depending on the severity of the offense.
• Tournament management has final authority over tournament suspensions and disciplinary matters.

🚑 Injuries & Medical Emergencies:
Soccer participation involves inherent risks of injury. Players are responsible for determining whether they are physically able to participate.

• Tournament staff may assist in contacting emergency medical services when necessary.
• Players must follow referee, facility, and tournament staff instructions regarding injuries and player safety.

⛈️ Weather, Delays & Unforeseen Circumstances:
Houston Cup will make reasonable efforts to safely complete the tournament.

• Tournament management may delay, shorten, suspend, relocate, reschedule, or cancel matches because of unsafe weather, field conditions, facility issues, emergencies, or other circumstances beyond reasonable control.
• Any applicable refunds or tournament credits resulting from a tournament that has already begun will be determined by tournament management based on the circumstances and the amount of competition already completed.
• If Houston Cup cancels the entire tournament before play begins, registered teams will receive a full refund of tournament registration payments, including the $100 deposit.

📸 Photography, Video & Media:
Houston Cup is a media-covered tournament. Photography and video may take place throughout the event.

• Participants and attendees acknowledge that they may appear in event photography or video used by Houston Cup, Peek Sports, and authorized event partners for tournament coverage, websites, promotional materials, and social media, subject to applicable law and the official participation waiver.

🛡️ Liability & Assumption of Risk:
Participation requires completion and acceptance of the official individual tournament participation waiver.

• Every participating player must individually complete the required waiver before playing.
• A team captain cannot accept the waiver on another player’s behalf.
• The official participation waiver governs applicable assumption-of-risk, release, and liability terms.

👨‍⚖️ Tournament Director Authority:
The Tournament Director and authorized tournament management reserve the right to interpret and enforce tournament rules, resolve disputes, adjust schedules or field assignments, address unforeseen circumstances, administer disciplinary action, and make other decisions reasonably necessary to operate the tournament safely and fairly.

• Tournament competition decisions made by tournament management are final.

✅ Agreement:
By registering for Houston Cup, the team captain acknowledges that they have read and agreed to these Tournament Rules & Policies and accepts responsibility for communicating tournament requirements to their players and team personnel.

• Each participating player must individually complete and accept the official participation waiver before competing.