The Guest Player Dilemma: Balancing Fairness and Competition in Youth Soccer

I recently received this email from a local soccer parent who has asked to remain anonymous. I don't know this person, they have not shared where their player plays and I don't know what experience sparked this inquiry. I asked him if I could share his email and he agreed.

Hello - I am reaching out to hopefully gain a better understanding of the guest player policy. Our child plays at the U12 level and we have experienced firsthand now (several times) clubs conveniently utilizing guest players to their advantage during tournament play. The guest players we’ve witnessed were clearly at a different skill level (higher) than the rest of the players on the team they were playing for, as well as the opposing team. These players would play the majority of the game, pretty much dominating during that time, and then once removed/substituted for, the two teams were then clearly more appropriately matched. It was my understanding that if a guest player is rostered, they are there to basically serve as a back-up in case someone gets injured and to periodically be subbed in to give the other regular players a breather, not to play the majority of the match. We’ve also noticed that at times, these guest players do not play the entire tournament, rather are utilized just for select games, so it would appear. 

From my vantage point, this tactic has no benefit for anyone other than to win a trophy/medal. Regularly rostered players of the team utilizing the guest players are being left on the bench rather than playing and gaining valuable experience to help them develop as a player. On the other side, opposing teams are unfairly being overmatched which does not allow for quality competition. This has been noticeably frustrating to players/families on both sidelines and does not encourage quality competition/player development. Subsequently, this also likely contributes to the inability of smaller clubs to grow/expand as it is more difficult for smaller clubs to gain visibility from playing in and/or winning championship matches during tournament play as the guest player phenomenon is generally only utilized by larger clubs (from what I've seen) as most smaller clubs do not have the ability to add a guest player from another squad within their club. On the other side, it appears that many of the larger clubs will roster the bare minimum but have multiple teams at different tier/skill levels and then bring in guest players during tournaments/higher level games to have an appropriate roster size and gain an advantage skill wise over the competition. Personally, this is just a money grab by such clubs to have as many members as possible, rather than just forming a smaller number of teams and allowing all members to have equal playing time. Instead, members of the "lower" level teams within these clubs get replaced by guest players while the families of those being replaced by these players are left to foot the bill for their kid to watch from the sidelines. 

I understand that the guest player policy is something that has been in place for quite a while but I am interested in exploring any avenues possible to maybe get this policy changed/revised to allow for a more competitive, player friendly environment but I’m not sure where/who to contact for such an effort, so I thought I’d start here. Any insight you can provide regarding the exact guest player policy/rules and/or thoughts on who I could contact to possibly get something set in motion to possibly have this policy changed is much appreciated. 

Sincerely,

A Soccer Dad

This parent and I exchanged several emails back and forth where I explained that there is not a centralized policy for guest playing. Within league play guest playing is not typically allowed unless it is a club pass player. Club pass players are those that are from within the same club as the team but potentially play on another team within the same club. This could be a player that plays on a higher or lower level team in the club but for whatever reason was designated to play in a match with another team in the club. There are many reasons why a player would be asked to do this, the player could be coming off of injury, or need to gain confidence or the player could be from a lower team and need more of a challenge.

When it comes to tournaments the hosting organization will designate their guest playing policy. For tournaments a club is required to have all players rostered prior to the event and all players must be carded from the same sanctioning organization. This is typically USYS (OSA) or US Club Soccer. Both carding organization have processes in place to protect players, clubs and the sporting integrity of the event. For guest players participating with a club that they are not associated with the guest player would have to have a guest player form on file. For US Club Soccer this includes a form that will accompany their Player Pass which has sections for the loaning and host team to complete. The form must be presented with the team roster prior to the event and sent to be filed with US Club Soccer. USYS (OSA) has a similar system that requires a request for guest playing and the player will be added to the hosting team's roster for the event. Each of these forms are temporary loaning documents with specific dates. The purpose of the process is as mentioned before to protect the players, clubs and the integrity of competition. Requesting and filing guest player documents correctly protects players by insuring players are covered by insurance and that coaches are are in communication supporting player load and recovery needs. It protects clubs and teams by creating transparency so that clubs are not stripped of their eligible players and teams are able to plan and compete. It also helps the events appropriately document player participation, create fair and competitive flights and supports the integrity of their competitions.

Guest Players vs. Regular Players: Regular players on the team using guest players often lose valuable playing time, which directly impacts their development. These players are sidelined while guest players take over, gaining no benefit from the competition.

Opposing Teams: Teams that were appropriately seeded for the tournament often face overwhelming competition from guest-heavy rosters. The result? An unbalanced, humiliating experience that can drive players and families away from the sport.

This tactic may win a tournament for the guest-laden team, but it comes at a cost. Not only do non-guest players miss out on meaningful game time, but it also discourages healthy competition. Players on the opposing teams may feel disillusioned, frustrated, and may even lose interest in a sport they once loved.

Are Guest Players Ever a Good Idea?

In an ideal world, guest players should serve as temporary support for a team facing an unexpected shortage. They should be subbed in as needed, not dominate play. Unfortunately, the reality is that guest players often become the focal point of a team’s strategy, disrupting both development and competition. 

On the other hand, I've always encouraged players try guest playing if the opportunity presents itself. I believe there is benefit from playing with different players and hearing a different coaching voice but this should be an opportunity for development and to support a team with a specific temporary need.

Many tournaments do impose limits on guest players, but there are loopholes. For example, club-carded players (those rostered within the same club) can often participate without being classified as guest players. This makes it harder for parents and coaches to push for changes, as the current system is technically within the rules.

Can the Guest Player Rule Be Changed?

Club directors can speak with the organizers of each tournament to advocate for adjustments - coaches receive flight assignments before every tournament and if your coach see’s your team has been miss-seeded they can request a change before schedules are published. But beyond that, there’s no singular governing body that controls all aspects of youth soccer tournaments. While some tournaments are sanctioned by organizations like USYS or US Club Soccer they still accept carding from other lesser known carding associations. 

In reality, the solution lies within the soccer community itself. Parents, players, and coaches must hold their clubs accountable for maintaining sporting behavior. Parents should request that clubs avoid overloading rosters with guest players and that their children receive the playing time and development they signed up for. Likewise, parents of guest players need to ensure that their children honor their commitments to their home clubs and not chase medals at the expense of fair competition.

Moving Forward: A Parent-Driven Solution

Ultimately, this issue can’t be solved by a governing body or a single tournament. It requires a collective effort from parents to drive change. Parents must communicate their concerns to their clubs, demanding transparency and integrity in the use of guest players. Encouraging loyalty to home teams, rather than a pursuit of trophies, will ensure a more development-focused environment for all players.

I believe this parent’s assessment of the situation is thoughtful and offers a well-reasoned argument for change. With more voices joining the conversation, there’s hope for a shift toward a healthier, more competitive landscape in youth soccer.

What are your thoughts on the use of guest players in tournaments? Let’s continue the conversation and advocate for a fairer experience for all youth soccer players.