Rules of Ultimate — Appendix v4.0
Appendix E: Seeding, Schedule and Event Bids
E1. Seeding for National Team Events (per division)
- E1.1. Use final standings of the previous instance of the event being seeded to determine the top eight (8) teams.
- E1.2. For remaining countries not included in E1.1, determine the seeding by using:
- E1.3. All countries with a zero (0) score from E1.2 will be ordered at the bottom of the seeding list by random draw.
- E1.4. Re-seeding for European Teams
E2. Seeding for Club Team Events (per division)
- E2.1. Seed all teams participating from each country (example – USA1, USA2, USA3) according to each National Federation, or in lieu of National Federation comment, based on the event used to qualify for WFDF event.
- E2.2. Re-seed for European Teams: Seed European teams using most recent European Ultimate Club Championships (example – EUR1, EUR2, EUR 3). Teams from each country will retain their relative position to each other as per E2.1.
- E2.3. Use final standings of previous instance of the event being seeded, placing teams from each country into past standing obtained by teams from the same country. In the case of European teams, placing teams into past standing obtained by teams from Europe.
- E2.4. Ultimate Committee to use best knowledge to seed teams not seeded by E2.3.
E3. Seeding Pools (Semi-Random Seeding)
- E3.1. Pools will be seeded using a traditional “snake” numbering system. Example:
Pool A Pool B Pool C Pool D 1 2 3 4 8 7 6 5 9 10 11 12 16 15 14 13 17 18 19 20 - E3.2. In situations where pools have an uneven number of teams, the pools with fewer teams will correspond with the pool with the #1 seed, then the pool with the #2 seed and so on. Example:
Pool A Pool B Pool C Pool D 1 2 3 4 8 7 6 5 9 10 11 12 16 15 14 13 17 18 - E3.3. The #1 seed for each pool gets placed according to the ranking list of teams.
- E3.4. The next “n” number of teams from the ranking list, where “n” = the number of pools, are randomly drawn into the next “n” number of positions.
- E3.4.1. For systems with 4 or more pools “n” is always a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 50% of the number of pools (while enough unplaced teams remain)
- E3.5. Repeat step E3.4 until all teams are placed.
- E3.6. If the placement of a set of teams results in a country having more than two (2) teams for a World event, or more than one (1) team for a Continental event, in a single pool WFDF may adjust the random draw of that set of teams to avoid this situation. Teams may only be moved within their random draw pot of “n” teams (see E3.4) to achieve this goal.
- E3.7. For WU24 and WJUC events, where the number of pools is greater than two (2), if the placement of a set of teams results in a region having more than three (3) teams in a single pool WFDF may adjust the random draw of that set of teams to avoid this situation. Teams may only be moved within their random draw pot of “n” teams (see E3.4) to achieve this goal.
E4. Bids to National Team Events (WUGC, WU24, WJUC, WMUC)
- E4.1. For each division, where space is available, all WFDF National Federations indicating an expression of interest for each division will receive one (1) bid in each playing division for each event.
- E4.2. Where events have limitations on the number of teams or participants, WFDF will reduce the number of bids offered to National Federations by the following criteria implemented in order. No Federation will receive more than one (1) bid per playing division. For section E4.2.1 & E4.2.3 WFDF may limit the number of bids offered using the most recent WFDF World Rankings of Ultimate if implementing that criteria for all National Federations exceeds the event capacity.
- E4.2.1. National Federations receive one (1) bid in each playing division in which the National Federation placed a team in the top nine (9) (including ties), from the previous relevant World National Team Event.
- E4.2.2. The host federation will receive one (1) bid in each division for any division which they did not receive a bid in E4.2.1.
- E4.2.3. National Federations not receiving a bid from E4.2.1 or E4.2.2 will receive one (1) bid in each playing division in which the National Federation placed a team in the top three (3) (including ties), following the removal of teams from countries receiving bids in E4.2.1 and E4.2.2, from that countries Continental Event concluding prior to ten (10) months before the start of the event.
- E4.2.4. National Federations who have not received a bid in E4.2.1, E4.2.3, or E4.2.3 will be given a single bid in the division of their choice, assuming space is available, based on the current WFDF World Ultimate Rankings as of the time of opening of registration for the event.
- E4.2.5. Following the initial release of bids created by E4.2.1, E4.2.3, E4.2.3, and E4.2.4, remaining bids, bids returned by National Federations or bids forfeited by teams failing to meet event registration deadlines for each division will be given to National Federations from the waitlist.
- E4.2.6. A waitlist will be created for each playing division in the event using remaining teams who have expressed an interest in attending the event in the order of the WFDF World Ultimate Rankings as of the opening of registration for the event. Any country accepting a single bid in E4.2.4 will have all remaining teams on the waitlist in other divisions moved to the bottom of the waitlist, in order of WFDF World Ultimate Rankings for all similar teams.
E5. Bids to Club Team Event (WUCC)
WFDF will use the following criteria, implemented in order. WFDF may limit the number of bids offered using the most recent WFDF World Rankings of Ultimate if implementing that criteria for all National Federations exceeds event capacity.
- E5.1. National Federations receive one (1) bid in each playing division in which the National Federation participated in the previous WUGC event.
- E5.2. For each playing division, one (1) bid will be given out to the top three (3) finishing countries in that division at the preceding relevant World Club event.
- E5.3. For each playing division where the host does not have a bid from E5.1 or E5.2, one (1) bid will be given to the host country.
- E5.4. For each playing division, if the country that won the most recent Continental Championship has not received at least one (1) bid from E5.1 or E5.2, they will receive a bid in that division.
- E5.5. Any National Federation not receiving at least one (1) bid in E5.1, E5.2, E5.3, or E5.4 will receive one (1) bid into a division to be determined by the Federation.
- E5.5.1. WFDF may restrict the choice of division from E5.5 if a division is deemed to be “full” from previous bids offered.
- E5.5.2. If a National Federation turns down all of the bids they receive by rule E5.1, E5.2, E5.3, and E5.4, then for the purposes of rule E5.5 they will be treated as a federation that did not receive a bid in E5.1, E5.2, E5.3, or E5.4.
- E5.6. National Federations receive one (1) bid in each playing division if that division was included in that Federations previous calendar year’s National Championships or if that division is planned to be included in that Federations current calendar year’s National Championships.
- E5.7. National Federations not receiving a bid (per division) from E5.6 will receive one (1) bid in each playing division in which that National Federation had a team participating in the previous Continental event. This bid will not be offered if it is in the same division as the bid selected by the National Federation in E5.5.
- E5.8. Additional spaces per division will be offered to National Federations based on the finishing position of countries at the preceding relevant Worlds Club event, starting with the 4th place country.
- E5.9. Additional spaces per division will be offered to National Federations based on WFDF World Rankings at the time of the opening of the bid allocation process, starting with the 1st place country.
E6. Bids to Masters Club Team Event (WMUCC)
WFDF will use the following criteria, implemented in order. WFDF may limit the number of bids offered using the most recent WFDF World Rankings of Ultimate if implementing that criteria for all National Federations exceeds event capacity.
- E6.1. National Federations receive one (1) bid in each playing division in which the National Federation participated in the previous WMUC event. National Federations receive one (1) bid in each playing division for all other divisions at WMUCC that were not offered at the preceding WMUC.
- E6.2. For each division, one (1) bid will be given to the top three (3) finishing countries in that division at the preceding WMUC event. For all other divisions, the top three (3) countries based on the most recent WFDF World Ultimate Rankings will receive one (1) bid per division.
- E6.3. National Federations not receiving a bid in E6.1 or E6.2 will receive one (1) bid in any division that was included in the Federations previous calendar year's National Championships or if those divisions are planned to be included in that Federations current calendar year's National Championships.
- E6.4. Any National Federation not receiving at least one (1) bid in E6.1, E6.2 or E6.3 for any divisions will receive one (1) bid into the division determined by the Federation.
- E6.4.1. Should an individual division be at capacity, WFDF may restrict the choice of division by the National Federation.
- E6.5. Additional spaces per division will be offered to National Federations based on the finishing position of countries at the preceding relevant Worlds Club event, starting with the 4th place country.
E7. Scheduling Rules
When creating the schedule for WFDF World Events, officials will take into account the following criteria. Each section is considered more important than the one following.
- E7.1. All teams in the tournament must have the same path to the championship based on overall schedule structure. Example – No team is given an automatic “bye” to a later round in the event unless all teams had a similar opportunity to achieve that bye.
- E7.1.1. An exception can be made if an event has an uneven number of teams in the initial pools. In this case teams in pools with more teams may need to play an additional game in round robin play, and an additional team from a larger pool may be eliminated from the next round over a pool with fewer teams.
- E7.2. Teams will have a minimum of sixty (60) minutes between games unless there are extenuating circumstances.
- E7.3. Teams will not play more than two (2) games in the same day.
- E7.3.1. This rule may be broken if significant scheduling constraints exist, or in the case that weather issues have created a need to fairly complete the tournament. Example – playing Quarter Finals, Semi-Finals and Finals on the last day of the event rather than cancel the Quarter Final round. In this case the schedule must adhere to the following:
- E7.3.1.1. No team will play three (3) games in one (1) day more than once at a tournament.
- E7.3.1.2. When possible, a team should only play a third game in a single day if that game is against another team that is also playing its third scheduled game of that day.
- E7.3.1.3. When possible, teams involved in a third game should have followed the same schedule for the day, with games and byes having occurred at the same time.
- E7.3.1. This rule may be broken if significant scheduling constraints exist, or in the case that weather issues have created a need to fairly complete the tournament. Example – playing Quarter Finals, Semi-Finals and Finals on the last day of the event rather than cancel the Quarter Final round. In this case the schedule must adhere to the following:
- E7.4. Schedule should minimize teams playing in the last timeslot of a day and the first timeslot the next day.
- E7.5. Schedule should minimize the possibility of the same team playing in the first timeslot of a tournament for three (3) consecutive days.
- E7.6. Schedule should minimize the possibility of the same team playing in the first timeslot and the last timeslot of the day.
- E7.7. The Bronze Medal (3rd Place/4th Place) games may be excluded from the schedule of the event depending on the size of the event, available field space and benefits of scheduling to Semi-Final games. In such a case both teams will be awarded a Bronze Medal and 3rd place at the event, and will take place in the final medal ceremony. For the purpose of World Ultimate Rankings, each country will receive the average of the points awarded for 3rd and 4th place.
E8. World Ultimate Rankings
- E8.1. The World Ultimate Rankings are rankings that are based on the finishing position of each country’s top team in each playing division over the last four years from the most recent WFDF Ultimate events.
- E8.2. World Ultimate Ranking Points are calculated by using the following formula for each team participating in all eligible divisions for all eligible events:
Points = (MAX Points/Teams in Division) X ((Teams in Division - Team Rank)+1)
- E8.2.1. For Club Events, only a country’s top placing team will collect points. Lower ranked teams from the same country will be removed from the list of teams for the purposes of calculating the “Teams in Division”.
- E8.2.2. A country’s World Ultimate Ranking is the sum of all points collected by all that country’s from all eligible events/divisions.
- E8.2.3. World Ultimate Rankings are calculated using the most recent occurrence of all eligible events.
- E8.3. Eligible Events, Divisions and Max Points:
ªAge Restricted Divisions at Continentals Events are only eligible if the same division has previously occurred at WJUC, WMUCC, WMUC (for Grass Events) or WBUC (for Beach Events).Event Divisions Max Points WUGC/WUCC O/W/X 48 WBUC O/W/X 48 WBUCM O/MW/MX 24 WBUC Other Masters Divisions 12 WU24/WJUC O/W/X 36 WMUC/WMUCC MO/MW/MX 24 WMUC/WMUCC Other Masters Divisions 12 Continentals O/W/X 24 Continentals Masters Divisionsª 12 - E8.4. The most recent World Ultimate Rankings are defined as the rankings that are current at the time of the bid allocation process for any given event.