What must a team do if they do not have enough players at the beginning of the game?

When a team does not have enough players at the beginning of a game, the appropriate course of action is to forfeit the game due to insufficient players. This aligns with standard procedures established by most sports governing bodies, which require a minimum number of players to be present for a game to be played. When a team cannot meet these requirements, they effectively surrender the match, resulting in a forfeit.

This outcome maintains the integrity of the competition, as games must be played with teams adequately staffed to ensure fair play. Allowing substitutions from the opposing team or postponing the game could create imbalances and disrupt the schedule, while requesting a league exemption would typically not be in line with how rules are enforced to ensure fairness among all teams.