National Events Rules & Policies
Every Alliance National Event runs on one shared rulebook, whether a team is competing at Regional Championships, the Alliance Fastpitch Championship Series (AFCS), Super Cup Series, Alliance Fastpitch Open Nationals (AFON), or the Diamond Legacy Champions Cup Series. This page is the source of record for how those events are officiated, who is eligible to play, how rosters are built and locked, and how teams qualify and get seeded.
Coaches and team administrators should review these rules before every national event. Full detail lives in the linked documents throughout this page; key facts, age cutoffs, and deadlines are summarized here so they're easy to find and easy to search.
NFHS Rule Modifications for National Events
Alliance National Qualifying Events all play under NFHS rules with the modifications below. These apply in place of, or in addition to, standard NFHS playing rules.
- 01 Digital communication follows current NCAA rules on both offense and defense. One-way electronic devices from the dugout or coaches' boxes are permitted; in-ear devices are limited to the catcher.
- 02 Uniforms have no Alliance restrictions on logos, sponsors, mascots, or team names. Each player must be distinguishable by number or last name; duplicate numbers are allowed as long as players can be told apart.
- 03 Weather delays or cancellations are decided by the Complex or Event UIC, who makes the final call on stopping, delaying, or restarting play.
- 04 Pitching follows current NCAA pitching rules in full, including start back, no step back, and intentional walk procedures.
- 05 Unreported substitutions follow NCAA 8.3.3 rather than the standard NFHS penalty structure. All substitutions and courtesy runners must still be reported to the plate umpire when entering the game.
Roster Rules & Player Transfer Policies
An Official Alliance Roster only includes athletes and coaches who are fully registered and paid members. Players listed as "Action Required" are not eligible to compete under that roster until their registration clears.
*Note: "Action Required" means a parent or guardian still needs to log into Sport:80 and sign the waiver.
Player Transfers
A player transfer or roster move is defined as a player being registered with a League Team, moving to another League Team. This will be important for AFCS Qualified teams as those rosters will be locked upon Qualification.
Athletes get one permanent roster move per season (10U and 12U players get two).
Qualifier Rosters & Player Transfers
No player can ever help two teams qualify in the same season (August to July).
Players from a Qualified Roster may only move to another Qualified Roster. They may not be moved to an unqualified roster or to being a "Free Agent" or "Unaffiliated Team."
Roster Locks for National Events
Each season, the National Rules Committee will determine when rosters will be locked prior to Alliance National Events. It's always good practice to email the tournament director to confirm those deadlines for Roster Locks.
Protest & Appeal
A registered coach may protest an Official Roster for a $200 fee, refunded if the protest is upheld. Bracket play decisions are issued within an hour; pool play decisions within 48 hours.
2027 Season Age Division Eligibility
Alliance National Events follow the same age eligibility rules as USA Softball. A player's age as of August 31st determines her eligible age division for that current season.
National Events and Qualifiers require the birth dates below.
| Age Division | Eligible Birth Date |
|---|---|
| 18U | Born Sept 1, 2007 or after (must also be a 2027 grad or younger for AFCS) |
| 16U | Born Sept 1, 2009 or after |
| 14U | Born Sept 1, 2011 or after |
| 13U | Born Sept 1, 2012 or after |
| 12U | Born Sept 1, 2013 or after |
| 11U | Born Sept 1, 2014 or after |
| 10U | Born Sept 1, 2015 or after |
| 9U | Born Sept 1, 2016 or after |
Players who have enrolled in college are not eligible for Alliance Fastpitch National Events.
Download Age Verification Rules PDFHow Teams Qualify for the AFCS
Each Alliance Member League receives an allotment of AFCS berths per age division at the start of the season. A team earns its berth at AFCS Qualifiers, then moves through acceptance, registration, and payment.
Click here to find AFCS Qualifiers near you.
Once teams qualify, they will need to confirm they are registered with the Alliance Fastpitch to start the process for accepting their berth, registering for the AFCS, and paying their entry fee and/or deposit.
Download Qualification Process & Rules PDFAFCS Event Rules & Format by Age Group
AFCS event format, time limits, and bracket structure vary by age division; full details are in each PDF below.
10U
Games run on a 1:45 finish-inning time limit except the Tier 1 Elite 8. Format runs Regional Pool Play into Super Regional double elimination brackets, then a WCWS-style Tier 1 Elite 8 or a Tier 2 Final 4. Step back pitching is allowed at 10U.
Download 10U Rules & Details PDF12U / 14U
Follows the same Regional-to-Super-Regional-to-Championship progression as the other age divisions, with time limits and bracket sizing set for 12U and 14U play. See the full PDF for exact time limits, run rules, and bracket counts.
Download 12U/14U Rules & Details PDF16U / 18U
No time limit on any game. A seven-day format runs from Player Experience Day through Regional brackets, Tier 1/2/3 Super Regionals, an 8-team Elite 8 in each tier, and a best-of-3 Championship Series.
Download 16U/18U Rules & Details PDFAFCS Seeding Process
A neutral Seeding Committee seeds AFCS brackets in the 12U to 18U age divisions, blending objective results (Alliance Team Rating, League rankings, League Championship results, major independent tournament results) with subjective softball knowledge the data alone cannot capture. The goal is a bracket where top teams don't meet until later rounds, while lower seeds get real early chances to prove themselves against strong competition.
Teams are grouped into buckets of roughly 16, ranked within each bucket, then adjusted round by round as the committee reviews potential matchups across the full field.
Download Seeding Process PDFFrequently Asked Questions
What determines a player's age division for Alliance National Events?
Her age as of August 31st.
How many times can a player transfer teams in a season?
One permanent roster move per season for most age divisions. 10U and 12U players are allowed two.
What is the protest fee at an Alliance National Event?
$200, submitted in writing or by text to the Event Director. It's refunded if the protest is upheld.
What ball is used at Alliance National Events?
Bownet is the official ball of the Alliance Fastpitch. 11U and up use a 12-inch ball. 10U uses an 11-inch ball.
Can college players participate in Alliance National Events?
No. The Alliance does not allow age eligible college players to participate in National Events.
Can one player help multiple teams qualify?
No player can ever help two teams qualify in the same season (August to July).
Players from a Qualified Roster may only move to another Qualified Roster. They may not be moved to an unqualified roster or to being a "Free Agent" or "Unaffiliated Team."
The competition is out there. Is your team ready?
Explore the events these rules govern and see where your team fits.
END
Alliance Fastpitch Rules and Policies
