“To create change, we must change the rules and count what matters.”
The Impact League season and scoring system emphasizes engagement, advocacy and play
The Impact League is a soccer league where teams play for a greater purpose while being scored for their community impact and athletic performance.
To play in the Impact League, all you need is pure passion for the planet and a burning urge to make a difference.
We welcome all players identifying as women aged 18 and over, from talented players to complete beginners, to join the league. We embrace diversity in our teams, cultures, companies, friendships, and among feminists and activists.
We believe this diversity will make the league more competitive and enjoyable for everyone involved. The combination of points earned throughout the season will determine the overall league champion.
The scoring system
Football Point
Each football match is 20 minutes long. The winning team will receive 3 points, the losing team will receive 1 point, and both teams will receive 2 points in the event of a tie.
Action Point
Rewards the team's community activities between game days. To capture the team’s play-activism actions, your captain will fill out an Action Report. You can score 1 to 5 points.
Play Spirit Point
Awarded after the Impact Games. Each team can score 1 to 5 points based on their energy, attitude, and creativity in overcoming challenges and reacting to new and perhaps 'silly' situations.
Crowd Point
The team's effort on Instagram when sharing about: Game days, training and activities for the Global Goal. This point category is also the League’s collective contribution to breaking statistics and bias when it comes to how we normally talk about and showcase women in sports. You must have a team Instagram to be able to score this point. You can score 1 to 5 points.
Team Style
While style points aren't part of the scoring in this league, we encourage you to use your outfits as a way to express yourself and your Global Goal / Purpose Project. We celebrate individuality, creativity, and enjoy seeing your unique style and how you incorporate recycling and upcycling into your team's fashion.
Purpose Project
On Final Game Day, each team has the opportunity to present their Purpose Project and collect votes from family, fans, and audience. Each team will in the beginning of the season get a template to use for this presentation.
The voting will open at the start of Final Game Day and close at the end of the day.
Votes will be counted electronically and the results will be announced at the end of Final Game Day.
In the event of a tie, the team with the most Impact Points accumulated during the League will be declared the winner.
Overall Impact League Season Winner
The team with the highest combined point score including the votes for their Purpose Project wins the money prize for their project!
Pre-season activities
Join the pre-season get-together.
Log in to a web application with the live rankings, directory, and more.
Read the playbook with more details and relevant information for your league.
Connect with your local League Managers.
Meet up with your team and start thinking about your team’s Purpose Project based on the Global Goal you will be playing for. Find Global Goal inspiration here.
The Impact League season kickoff and game days
Pre-season activities
Join the pre-season get-together.
Log in to a web application with the live rankings, directory, and more.
Read the playbook with more details and relevant information for your league.
Connect with your local League Managers.
Meet up with your team and start thinking about your team’s Purpose Project based on the Global Goal you will be playing for. Find Global Goal inspiration here.
The season
An Impact League season is 3 months with 6 game days every other weekend. Depending on our host, this can vary. Each Impact League has a minimum of 7 teams, 85-100 players, and every team meets up at each of the 6 game days.
The doors open 15 minutes before and we always start with a togetherness moment and warm-up before the football matches.
First, we speak up
Before matches, all teams meet on the impact field, a space for learning through play and becoming more confident activists.
All teams get to lead and be part of the active audience.
You will practice creative expression to engage audiences, reflect on your commitments to a Global Goal, and share your team's activities throughout the season.
Your team is scored in Play Spirit.
Impact Field Games
Teams get a challenge and have 3 minutes to discuss how they will play it out. Other teams are active audience members and participants. Some challenges are designed for all teams to collaborate or work on the goal at the same time. Each activist game or challenge lasts 8-10 minutes.
Themes
Game Day 1: Speak Up
Game Day 2: Lead
Game Day 3: Mapped Out
Game Day 4: Reflection
Game Day 5: Invite
Game Day 6: Celebrate
Then, we take the ball
After the impact games, you will play 5v5 football matches.
Each match lasts 20 minutes, with 10 minute halves and a 1-3 minute break in between.
Teams gather in the middle of the field with the referee at the start and end of each match.
How we play to reduce injuries and improve performance
Play 5v5 football on slightly bigger fields. This gives us more space to receive and pass the ball
Remove hard tackles
Don't use headings
Add strength and balance training to our warm up
Talk about how our period and menopause can influence our play
The teams you play may have a different level of football experience than your team. Always play at a level that allows everyone to be the best player they can be. Everyone is welcome in this league and encouraged to play
On the field, your team is scored as follows
Losing team: 1 point
Tie: 2 points for each team
Winning team: 3 points
In between game days, the world is at play
When you sign up, your team chooses one of the 17 Global Goals to play for.
Between game days, your team engages in community work to build and advance your Purpose Project. Your efforts are rewarded through the Impact and Crowd point categories.
Leaf A Mark @leafamarkjo (pictured right) plays for Global Goal 15: Life On Land. They aim to plant 1 million trees by 2030 to change the 1% green in Jordan. Tree sponsor is Cairo Amman Bank.
Action reports
Before each game day, team captains fill out an Action Report. The numbers are calculated and added to the ranking. The first Action Report is due before the second game day.