5aside.com leagues
Deposits, forfeits & short on players
How the deposit and match fees work, what happens if your team can’t play, and how to get a game on when you’re short. Our aim is always to get football played.
Deposit and match fees
💷 The deposit
Worth a set number of match fees, paid when you register. It pays for that number of games at the end of your season, so those weeks are already paid. Staying on? It carries over to next season instead, so there's no new deposit to pay. Your league's deposit is shown when you register.
📅 Match fees
Per team, per game. Each league's fee is shown on its page. We take it from your saved card 48 hours before each kick-off. Company teams can pay by invoice.
🔁 If a payment fails
We tell the captain and try again 24 hours later. Update your card any time from My 5aside.
If your team can’t play
The pitch and the ref are paid for either way, so we always try to get a game on. If football gets played, everyone pays their normal fee. If it doesn’t, the team that pulled out pays more. The other team always gets a 10-0 win.
You pay your own fee only
Tell your league manager at least 48 hours before kick-off. We’ll try to find a stand-in team so the other team still gets a game.
You pay both fees
That’s one extra match fee, unless a stand-in team plays instead, in which case you pay only your own.
No game, no fee
If no game is played, the team left without a game pays nothing for that night. If it's one of the games their deposit covers, we refund one game's fee from the deposit.
The game still counts for stats
If a stand-in team plays, everyone pays as normal. The result still goes in the table as 10-0, and the turned-up team’s goals, assists and Player of the Match count. Stand-ins don’t get stats, like ringers.
If we call a game off (for example the pitch is unplayable), nobody pays for it and we rearrange it. Repeated forfeits may lead to removal from the league.
Short on players?
It’s always better to get a game going, even with just 2 or 3 regulars. Here’s how to give yourselves the best chance:
- Check who’s in
Before every game your players say in, out or not sure. If you’re under 5, you and your league manager get a warning 2 days before.
- Ask us for ringers
WhatsApp or email us as soon as you can. We’ll put it out to our players’ community, with your kick-off time and any fee.
- Ask at the venue
Players from other teams are usually happy to get more game time. Tell the ref before kick-off so they can help.
- Last resort
Still short? Tell your league manager as early as you can. With 48 hours’ notice or more, you pay only your own fee.
Your league manager will help where they can, but getting enough players remains the team’s responsibility. With at least 2 weeks’ notice you can ask to move a game, which is usually only possible early in the season.
Leaving early, and next season
🤝 Committed to the season
Registering commits your team to the whole season. If you leave early, we stop taking match fees but keep the deposit to cover the empty games, unless a replacement team we approve takes your place, when we refund it in full.
🔜 Next season
We’ll ask your captain halfway through the season and again at 75%. Saying yes holds your place, and your deposit carries over to next season, so there's nothing more to pay. Your last games this season are then charged as normal. Nobody is signed up or charged for a new season without saying yes.
The full rules are in our terms and conditions. Questions? Call 020 8058 2545 or email info@5aside.com.
