Sideline Mandate Effective Immediately
(updated august 28)
The Spring 2026 NYSL season has seen a record number of spectator issues during and following games. To try to prevent this behavior from continuing, effective immediately your team and your spectators are required to sit on the same sideline for all remaining NYSL matches. this graphic shows how this is to be applied. In the event that a spectator issue arises you, as the team administrator, need to address your spectators immediately.
New Positioning Clarification:
To help teams when submitting their FairWhistle surveys, please set up with the following AR positioning:
-AR1 should be positioned in front of the Home Team bench
-AR2 should be positioned in front of the Away Team bench
This fall the following updates are made to the sideline seating mandate:
Team Benches will be diagonal across from each other
Teams must sit behind the AR on each side of the field
Spectators must be in the designated dotted area between the halfway line and the corner flag.
Spectators should not be withing 10 feet from the halfway line to avoid substitution area.
Spectators must be 10 feet from the touchline
SPRING 2026 - MAY 11 UPDATE
Unfortunately, we have also seen an uptick in coaches and spectators engaging with referees after the match. Engaging with critiques, feedback or questions with referees post game is not allowed. All teams have access to provide feedback via FairWhistle surveys and that is the only encouraged way to do so.
Nothing good can come from a post-match interaction with opposing teams/referees, please discuss this expectation with your staff and spectators.