For those of you who may be new to the game here is summary of soccer's 17 laws of the game. They are derived from FIFA, the international ruling body and modified for our kids.
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Summary of the Laws of Soccer for
Coaches
Law 3 -- Number of players and
substitutes
DRACUT SOCCER/NVYSL ZERO TOLERANCE
BY-LAW
Law 6 -- The Assistant Referee
(Linesman)
Law 7 -- The duration of a game
Law 9 -- Ball in and out of play
Law 10 -- The method of scoring
Law 12 -- Fouls and misconduct
(b) Technical (indirect free kick)
fouls
DRACUT SOCCER - MODIFIED RULES FOR
6 ON 6 PLAY
The
Laws of the Game (LOTG) are intended to regulate official adult men’s games
played under the jurisdiction of FIFA, such as World Cup qualifiers. The law
writers recognize that certain specific details are not appropriate for all
players, and permit modifying the following aspects for youth, senior or women
players (so be sure to check with the league or referee in your games):
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size of the field and its various marked areas, and size of the goals
(Law 1)
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size of the ball (Law 2)
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duration of the game (Law 7)
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number of players and substitution procedures (Law 3)
USA
high school (National Federation) and college (NCAA) write their own soccer
rules, which, although similar to FIFA’s, depart from the international
standard in various ways. The rules of indoor soccer vary from one arena to the
next.
Many
leagues extend the scope of the laws by making “administrative” decisions in
areas where LOTG give the referee “technical“ jurisdiction. For example, LOTG
prohibit dangerous jewelry (Law 4), but many leagues simply prohibit all
jewelry. Such practices simplify the referees’ job and add consistency to their
decisions. The law makers specifically permit this with respect to the laws
mentioned above, and informally approve it in other areas not related to
real-time decisions during the game.
The
requirements for a soccer field
are as follows:
a)
The field must be rectangular, laid out longer between the goal lines
defining its ends than between the touch lines defining its sides. Official-sized match fields must be between
100 x 50 yards (minimum) and 130 x 100 (maximum). For younger players or
smaller-sided games, smaller fields (e.g. 80 x 50 or less) are often specified.
b)
An upright rectangular-mouthed goal must be centered on each of the two
goal lines. The upright front posts
should rest on the goal line, their back edges aligned with the back edges of
the goal. Official-sized goals are 8ft
high (to bottom of the crossbar) and 8yds wide between the inside edges of the
front posts. Smaller, similarly
proportioned goals are often used for younger players on smaller fields.
c)
The field and goals must be in safe condition. This decision is the
referee’s to judge whether to allow the match to proceed. The field must be
free of dangerous holes, obstructions, and hazards (e.g. a protruding sprinkler
head) or too much standing water, ice, or deep mud for a safely playable
game. The goals must be anchored
and in safe good repair, including the crossbar.
d)
The field’s lines and markings enable the referees and players to
readily tell when a ball is in or out of play, whether a goal has scored,
whether a foul occurred in or out of the penalty area, or whether a player is
in the correct position at a restart of play. A properly marked soccer field
includes the following:
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goal lines (end) and touch lines (side) bounding the
field;
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corner flags at least 5 ft high (safety requirement) at each
intersection of goal & touch lines, with a 1-yard corner arc inside each
corner;
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goal area, the smaller rectangular box centered in front of the
goal, extending 6 yards out from the goal line and 6 yards to either side of
the inside of each goalpost;
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penalty area, the larger rectangular box centered in front of the
goal, extending 18 yards out from the goal line and 18 yards to either side of
the inside of each goalpost;
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center spot at the center of field, where kickoffs are taken,
surrounded by a 10-yard radius center circle, and at each end a penalty
spot centered 12 yards from the goal, surrounded by a 10-yard partial penalty
arc outside the penalty area.
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halfway line across the center of the field dividing it in half.
ISSUES:
1.1 Lines are part of the areas they bound, which are
3-dimensional extending upward indefinitely.
This means, for example, that a ball is in bounds if any part of it is
within the outside boundary of the line, whether touching the line or above it
in the air (see LOTG 9). Not only are the lines part of the field, but so are
the referee, assistant referee, goal and corner flags. If the ball hits any of
these and stays in play, the game is not stopped.
1.2
A goal net is essential to determine when a goal is scored, especially if
there is only one referee. The net should be without holes, tears, etc., and
should be fastened securely to both the ground(!) and the goal.
(However, LOTG do not require a net.)
1.3 Sometimes the markings are obscured or missing, and
there is no timely practical way to supply the missing markings. The rules
specify that all the markings mentioned above are to be present, but
nevertheless often both teams would prefer to play anyway, and accept some
irregularities in the markings. The final decision is up to the referee whether
the game may proceed, but here are some practical guidelines for considering
whether to go along willingly or under protest. You can get by without corner flags if the goal lines and
touch lines are decently visible and intact. If these lines are obscured,
properly placed corner flags and goal posts are essential to permit the
linesmen and referee to visually extrapolate these boundaries, but both teams
must be willing to live with more inexact judgments, including sometimes
whether a goal has scored. You can
get by without being able to see exactly where the goal area rectangle,
corner arcs, center spot or center circle are; visual estimation is usually
good enough for fairness. You can
get by with an obscure halfway line, provided everyone is willing to accept
some inexactness and inconsistency in judging offside near midfield. The penalty spot can be stepped off, as can
6 yards from the goal for a free kick, if need be. However, something you
cannot get by without are sufficiently visible penalty area lines so their
boundaries clear to everyone. (Cones are easily knocked out of place, and are
unacceptable as markers).
The
standard ball for adults and players older than about 12 is the “size 5.”
Younger divisions often use sizes 4 (approx. ages 8-11) or 3. The ball should
be a perfect sphere with no irregularities (no wobble when spinning), and
should be relatively firm -- it should yield only about 1/4” to 1/2” even when
pressed pretty hard with the thumb -- unfortunately, it is very common for the ball
to be softer than that in youth games. There should be 2 or 3 in good condition
available in case the first one is lost, won’t hold air, etc. If balls tend to
roll forever at one end of the field, a spare or two can be left behind that
goal.
Any
standard brand is probably okay, although some of the more expensive balls are
livelier. Balls with latex rubber bladders are more lively, but need to be
topped up every week; butyl bladders may hold air for several weeks. Have a
pump and needle available. If the grass is wet, try to use a ball with an
intact skin so it won’t take up water and become heavy.
A
regular soccer team is eleven players on the field plus a few substitutes (how
many varies from one league to another). One of the players must be designated
the goalkeeper, who may play the ball with her hands within her own penalty
area. A game may be started or continued with fewer than eleven, although if
either team falls below seven players the game ends. Teams lose players when
one is sent off [shown a red card] -- he may not be replaced and the team plays
short. Many youth leagues play “small-sided” games where the upper and lower
limits of 11 and 7 are reduced (sometimes down to 3 vs 3), and sometimes they don’t
use goalkeepers.
Some
competitions require a brief sit-out after a caution [yellow card or blue card
in indoor soccer], during which time the team has to play short-handed.
Youth
leagues commonly use free substitution, where players may leave and re-enter
the game (like basketball), although LOTG say officially that once a player
leaves, he cannot re-enter (like baseball). Ask the referee when substitutions
may be made: your team’s throw-ins, all goal kicks, etc. In AYSO, the game is
divided into quarters, with subs permitted only at quarter breaks and for
injury. However it is done, substitutions can only be made when play is
stopped, and with the permission of the referee. You must also wait for a
stoppage and inform the referee before changing the designated goalkeeper. (The
one wearing the keeper jersey is the official keeper, even if the referee
wasn’t informed -- but they can both be cautioned if two players switch without
permission.)
The
player(s) going in needs to be at the half-way line, ready to enter, and (after
receiving permission from the referee) should call to the player(s) they are
replacing to leave; they should wait until the first player has left before
entering the field.
If
you find you have too many players on the field, call the surplus one(s) over
to the touch line (staying on the field, however), and inform the referee. Be
prepared for the extra player to receive a caution [yellow card]. If you have
too few, get the new one ready to enter at the touch line near midfield, and
ask the referee for permission.
In
some situations, the distinction between “players” (currently in the game) and
“substitutes” (eligible, but currently on the bench) is important. Either group
can receive cautions [yellow cards] and be sent off [red cards], but only
players can commit fouls that are restarted by free kicks. A foul-like offense
committed by a substitute might result in a card, but play would restart on a
drop ball.
Required
equipment is shoes (they don’t need to be special soccer shoes -- sneakers are
fine), shinguards and a uniform. A uniform includes a tucked-in shirt, shorts
and socks. Goalkeepers should wear uniforms or bibs that are distinct from all
other players. A player may not wear anything dangerous either to him/herself
or others. This includes bracelets, wristwatches, hard hair holders, almost all
earrings and almost all chains around the neck. Most youth leagues, and most
referees, simply forbid all jewelry, period, and don’t argue, because it’s all
up to the referee, despite what the book may seem to say. Dangerous equipment
includes baseball shoes or other shoes with sharp metal cleats or any cleats at
the toe. Some leagues and referees will permit light, well-padded casts, some
won’t.
FIFA
policy (not law) is that players whose shoes become untied must leave the field
to tie them, while their team plays short. This is rarely enforced at youth
level.
Under
standard soccer rules, there is one center referee with full authority
to make all decisions about maters of fact, and how the rules of soccer apply
to them. The referee’s authority extends beyond the players to the coaches and
spectators, if needed. On matters of fact, such as whether a goal scored or
a foul was committed, the referee’s decisions are final and not subject to
appeal. The center referee may be aided by two assistant referees (or
linesmen), described in Law 6, to whom
the center referee will typically defer on certain matters (offside, or whether
the ball is in or out and off whom). Nevertheless, the center referee always
has the power to overrule them on any matter.
Soccer
is by nature both a physical contact sport and a fluid, non-stop game that is
meant to flow. These aspects strongly impact the way soccer referees manage it.
1)
Referees have leeway in judging the degree of contact that constitutes a foul
in a particular game. A referee tries not to unnecessarily limit the physical
contact nature of the game, yet he will guard the players’ safety, taking into
account factors such as the skill and age of the players.
2)
When judging when to let play continue, or when to call a foul, referees
try not to interrupt the flow of the game except where the foul has an effect
on play and calling it is necessary to insure fairness to the fouled team. In particular:
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referees refrain from calling relatively trivial fouls or
technicalities;
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even where the foul is nontrivial, referees may let play continue where
that appears more advantageous to the team fouled than calling a foul to stop
play and award them a free kick (“the advantage rule”).
3)
When play does stop, the referee’s intervention usually limited to a quickly
given signal: which team (direction) gets the ball, how the game is to be
restarted (e.g., free kick or throw-in) and from where. In most situations, the
team awarded the ball has the right to restart play immediately as soon as they
can retrieve the ball to the appropriate spot, with no need to wait on the
other team or on the referee.
4)
Soccer referees often don’t explain their calls. They use the whistle to stop
play, and then an arm signal to indicate how play will restart -- not to
explain why it was stopped. For instance, after a goal is scored the referee
points to the center circle, because the next play will be a kick-off. If
there's a foul, the players involved usually know what happened, and just want
to know that a free kick has been awarded. Most referees will explain calls if
asked, however they are not obliged to.
5)
An important concept is “advantage.” This rule says, don't stop play for
a foul if the play continuing on the field is already working or expected to
work to the benefit of the fouled team.
Imagine
a breakaway is starting, and three attackers, with the ball, have just crossed
the halfway line and are confronted by two defenders. There's no one between
them and the goal except the goalkeeper. One defender deliberately brings down
both the attacker with the ball, and herself. The action is a clear foul, and
probably deserves a caution as well. But -- the ball squirts free and goes
right to one of the other attackers, and suddenly a two-on-one breakaway has
started.
Consider
the referee's options. One option is to stop play, show a yellow card, and have
the ball brought back for the free kick. While this is happening, the defenders
will get organized, and the free kick will not lead to another breakaway. The
other option is to let play continue, on the basis that the two-on-one
breakaway is a major advantage for the attacking team, possibly even better
than the original three-on-two. If the referee is going to show a yellow card,
he can still do so the next time play stops. In either case, a genuine foul was
observed. However, under the second option, although the referee called the
foul, he didn't stop play for the free kick, and play continued because the
play going on was more advantageous to the fouled team than a free kick would
have been.
Advantage
implies that the foul was called, i.e., recognized by the referee -- however,
play was not stopped. In American gridiron football terms, the referee judged
that the fouled team would decline the penalty if given the choice.
The
signal for advantage is for the referee to extend both arms forward and say
"Play on," and/or "Advantage." If a referee applies
advantage, but then sees that the play isn't working out as well for the fouled
team as he thought, he can still change his mind and award the free kick
instead, within a few seconds.
6)
The fouls a referee chooses to call indicate his skill at recognizing fouls and
his sense of how much control he needs to exercise in each particular game.
The
referee is supposed to let play continue unless fouls are creating injury,
causing the team in possession to lose the ball, or leading to bad feelings on
the part of the players that may result in retaliation. Some referees correctly
sense that the players (and coaches and parents) are willing to tolerate
physical play without becoming angry, and let play continue without
interruption, which helps the players' enjoyment. Soccer referees carry
whistles in their hands, not their mouths to encourage them to wait a little
while they see things to see what the effect of the foul is on the play. If there's
no effect, or if there is advantage to the fouled team, they may not call
anything.
7)
A referee can change or correct a call if play hasn't already been restarted.
Sometimes the referee will receive information from a linesman regarding
something he didn’t see that causes him to change a call.
8)
Play is not always stopped for injured players. The law says the referee
should stop for a "serious" injury, but let play continue until the
ball goes out of play for minor injuries. The dividing line between serious and
minor injuries is up to the referee, although referees are usually quicker to
stop the game when younger children are involved. Another factor in the
decision is whether a strong attacking play is going on -- referees are more
likely to let play continue, unless there is a seriously injured defender in
the midst of things. (A referee must consider the possibility of feigned
injuries to stop an opponents’ attack.)
9)
The referee's authority over the players and other aspects of a match begins
when he enters the area of the field -- when he leaves the dressing room, if
there is one -- and continues until he departs after the conclusion of the
match. This means that misconduct that occurs before or after a game, or during
half-time, can be dealt with. For instance, players fighting before the game
can be forbidden from playing, just as if they received a red card.
10)
The referee has the authority to manage the game, including terminating it if
things get out of control. However, he doesn't have authority to assign a
winner, except by reporting the number of goals that were scored. Should a game
be terminated, the referee sends a report on the game to the league, and the
league has to decide what to do.
11)
A solo referee without linesmen may have difficulty making accurate calls when
the ball goes out of play. You can offer to provide two assistant referees or
linesmen, called club linesmen if they are not certified. See Law 6 (Assistant
Referees) for a discussion of what club linesmen can and cannot do.
12)
You have limited options if the referee is really dreadful. Rule No. 1
is never argue with a bad referee, since you expose yourself to the real chance
of getting tossed out for dissent and, even if you get away with arguing, you
probably will just make the referee worse. Newer referees who are already
nervous will make even more mistakes when you yell, and stupid ones aren't
going to bother to read the rules just because of your griping.
You
can complain or appeal to league or tournament authorities after the game about
referees who are truly awful and in over their heads at that level of play, but
remember: the referee is final judge of facts, and you won't win arguments
about factual interpretations. Complaints will carry more weight if you are the
winning team.
If
the referee is making systematic errors, such as not knowing this year's law
changes, you can factor that in to your team's tactics -- for instance avoid
the offside trap if the referee or linesman doesn't seem to know the offside
law. Even if the referee's badge is for the current year, not all referees
attend clinics as part of their recertification, and they don't all read the
lawbook. Remember too that some referees simply don't agree with some recent
law changes or official interpretations and are reluctant to enforce them.
REFEREE SUPPORT
The coaches shall provide support to the referees at all times.
(1) Coaches are responsible for fan behavior. Any
coach who does not comply with a referee's request to deal with a fan shall be
issued a misconduct as deemed appropriate by the referee.
(2) Any fan who verbally or physically assaults a
referee prior to, during, or following a game will be subject to a review by
the Sportsmanship Committee and may be prohibited from viewing games for a period
deemed appropriate. The enforcement of this prohibition will be the
responsibility of the town.
(3) Any team/town that refuses to provide the name
and address of a fan who verbally or physically assaulted the referee will be
subject to review of the Sportsmanship Committee and may be denied play in
NVYSL as a result of that review.
Every coach and all spectators shall support the referee. Failure to do so
undermines the referee's authority and has the potential to create a hostile
environment for players, the referee, and all the other participants and
spectators. Consequently, NVYSL (and Dracut Soccer) has adopted the following
rule:
No coach or spectator is to address the referee during the game!
Coaches - Allowable Exceptions:
During the game:
At half time or at the end of the game:
Penalties:
Spectators –Allowable Exceptions:
During the game:
Penalties:
Communications among players and referees are governed by the FIFA Laws
of the Game.
In
an “official” three-official team, the center referee has two Assistant Refs,
formerly known as Linesmen. The ARs are positioned on the touch lines and as
such are usually better placed to call ball in or out of play, and offside.
However, the center referee makes all calls (he has the only whistle) issues
all yellow and red cards, and can always overrule or ignore an AR’s
advice. The AR’s power to make calls
depends on the amount of deference the center referee gives. Referees typically delegate the following
judgments to ARs:
a.
when a player should be penalized for being offside;
b.
when the ball has gone out of play over the touch (side) line or
goal (end) line, which side gets the ball and whether the restart should
be by throw-in, goal kick, or corner kick;
c.
when a team requests and is properly entitled to substitute;
d.
when a foul or misconduct has occurred out of the view of the center
referee.
Issues:
1.
An AR’s top priority is to monitor offside. Offside judgments are the calls where center referees are most
dependent on their ARs. This is why ARs stay positioned with the next to last
defender rather than with play around the ball; it is entirely proper for
linesmen to turn away from and maybe miss the ball going out when necessary to
keep up with potential offside. For a
club linesmen (see below), who are not empowered to call offside, watching for
the ball going out is the top priority.
2. ARs do not signal offside merely because a
player is in an offside position. Rather, they consider all the factors in Law
11 (q.v.) and only make the call if the player is involved in active play.
3.
If an AR sees a foul, but sees that the center referee also saw the
incident, the linesman will usually not signal, even if she has a “better”
or “closer” view. The AR only signals a
foul if she is convinced the center referee’s view is obstructed, and that the
referee would make the same call if able to see it.
4.
When the ball goes out and the AR signals who should get the ball, the center
referee will often defer to the linesman’s call, the center referee’s call
prevails if different from the AR’s signal (even if the AR supposedly
had a superior view). Sometimes, however, the referee may change the call if
she realizes the AR knows better.
5.
Club linesmen may be recruited from among the spectators to serve, if
there aren’t two certified ARs (i.e. certified as referees) available for a
game. A club linesman’s duties are to
signal when the ball goes out and who should get it, and to signal for
substitutions. They do not include calling offside or calling fouls outside the
view of the referee. If there is only
one certified linesman and one club linesman, the rules dictate that both
should have only the status of club linesman.
6.
Teams sometimes will mutually agree to expand the club linesman’s duties,
particularly for help with offside calls. Although the LOTG do not provide
that the limitations on club linesmen may be waived, even when a certified
referee is available to serve as AR, in practice it is common for teams to
mutually agree to various arrangements.
If you do: 1) never do so without the full agreement and knowledge of
the referee and both teams, including about the linesmen’s possible interests
with either team; 2) it is especially unsound to permit anyone with the
technical status of a club linesman to call any fouls out of view of the
referee; 3) the game result is at greater risk of being open to challenge from
these nonstandard arrangements, and some tournaments and leagues may and not be
informally tolerated at all.
The
laws define an official adult men’s soccer game as two 45-minute halves. Most
youth games are shorter with halves typically ranging from 20 to 40 minutes,
varying according to the players’ ages. Our league has its own rules about this
--
U19, U18, and U17 Two 45 minute halves
U16 and U15 Two 40 minute halves
U14 and U13 Two 35 minute halves
U12, U11, and U10 Two 30 minute halves
The half-time interval shall be 5 minutes.
Both
halves must be the same length, and there must be a break in between. Because
play is continuous, there are no time outs, and there is usually no visible
clock, soccer timekeeping can seem unusual to those accustomed to sports like
basketball.
Official
time is kept by the referee, and you should keep a copy on your own watch. Each
half will usually go on beyond the prescribed length, however, because the
referee is supposed to add time to compensate for time “lost” due to injuries,
lost balls, or other abnormal situations that prevent play. Even though soccer
games have a strictly defined official length and end when that time runs out,
the added time (which is entirely up to the referee) makes the exact duration hard
for an observer to predict exactly. Perhaps halfway through each half, and then
again near the end, you should ask the referee how much time is left, and from
that you can estimate how much time, if any, is being added. Sometimes games
are packed together so tightly that the referee cannot add as much time as he
fairly should.
It
is extremely rare for a game to end
while a shot is in the air, or while a strong attacking move is taking place.
One of the world’s elite referees ended a half during a corner kick that was
volleyed into the goal in a World Cup -- never again was he given an
international assignment, even though he believed the kicking team had been
delaying and didn’t deserve any extra time. Soccer traditionally has not had
the micro-second timing of basketball, for instance, and most coaches and
players prefer to let the last-second goal be scored rather than use overtime
or penalty kicks to settle a game. Many referees wait until the first minor
lull in play (or ball out of play) after time runs out, or until the team that
is leading gains control of the ball, before ending the game. Remember, the
time to be added to make up for losses is entirely up to the ref.
Before
the game, the two teams’ captains meet and hold a coin toss. The winners choose
which direction they will play in the first half, and the losers kick off from
the center of the field. The teams swap ends and kick-off in the second half.
The ball is in play once it is kicked forward (into the opponents’ half). The
ball only needs to move barely forward, and it may then be kicked backwards to
the rest of the team by a teammate of the original kicker -- the first player
cannot play it twice in a row.
Most
stoppages have a defined restart -- for example, if the ball goes over a touch
line, the restart is a throw-in. When the referee stops play on his own
initiative while the ball is in play -- such as for injury, broken goalpost, or
spectator on the field -- the restart is a dropped ball. Another reason for a
dropped ball is misconduct that is not also a foul or infraction (see Law 12
for these terms), or for a situation where no other restart is specified.
Usually, the ball is dropped between two opposing players, but the referee may
perform a “one-man” dropped ball -- e.g., if play was stopped while the
goalkeeper was holding the ball, it may be dropped back to him. Once the
dropped ball touches the ground, it is in play -- if the first player to touch
it kicks it into a goal, the score counts.
Note: The other ways of restarting play after it is stopped
are described in other Laws. Offside, described in Law 11, leads to a free
kick. Law 12 identifies penal fouls, technical fouls and misconduct. These lead
to free kicks, penalty kicks and on occasion a dropped ball. Free kicks and
penalty kicks are described in Laws 13 and 14. Laws 15 through 17 describe the
restarts after the ball goes out over a boundary line. And scattered throughout
the Laws are technical infringements that lead to indirect free kicks, such as
playing the ball twice on a free kick.
Play
is started or restarted with a throw-in, goal kick, corner kick, free kick,
kick-off, or a dropped ball, depending on the situation. If the restart is
conducted properly, the ball is then in play until it goes out or the referee
stops play. As stated earlier, to leave the field, the entire ball must pass
completely beyond the outer edge of a touch line or goal line, either in the
air or rolling on the ground -- the field is a 3-dimensional space. The key is
the location of the ball, not the players or their feet -- if the ball goes out
in the air and then curves back in, it is out. However, if a player’s natural
momentum carries her off the field, play continues as long as the ball remains
wholly or partly inside.
If
you think you see a foul but the referee hasn’t blown the whistle, play on --
the ball is still in play. It’s also still in play if it hits the goal post,
crossbar, corner flag, referee or linesman and stays in the field.
A
goal is scored when the entire ball passes completely beyond the goal
line, between the goal posts, under the crossbar. It doesn’t matter who touched
it last. It doesn’t matter if the goalkeeper is holding it. All that matters is
the location of the ball. The referee is not allowed to award goals -- they
must all be earned; if any “outside influence” such as a spectator enters the
field and interferes with a goal by touching the ball, the goal does not count,
even if the ball would have scored without the interference.
There
are certain situations where an apparent “goal” doesn’t count -- you can’t
score against either team on a throw-in or indirect free kick; you can’t score
against yourself on a direct free kick, goal kick, or corner kick. In those
cases, if the ball goes directly into the goal without being touched after the
initial throw or kick, the restart is as if the ball had missed the goal (goal
kick or corner kick).
If
a foul occurs in the play immediately preceding a goal, the referee may
disallow the score, even if he didn’t have time to blow the whistle before the
ball entered the goal -- as long as the foul happened first. This occurs most
often where the referee didn’t see the linesman’s offside flag right away.
A
basic principle from the earliest days of soccer is that attacks have to go through
the other team -- you can’t station a player behind the other team and pass the
ball over everybody to her. This principle appears in the laws as the offside
infraction. A player commits the infraction if she is (a) involved in active
play while (b) in an offside position.
A
player is in an offside position if she is all of these
things:
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in the opponents’ half of the field, and
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ahead of the ball (closer to the opponents’ goal line than the ball), and
>
ahead of the second-last defender (usually, the last defender is the
keeper, and the second-last is the deepest fullback) and
>
she is not receiving a throw-in, corner kick or goal kick (those
three are exempt).
A
player is involved in active play (participating is a term often
used) if she does any one of these:
>
interferes with play (such as receiving a pass or trying for the ball), or
>
interferes with an opponent (such as getting in their way or challenging
for possession), or
>
gains an advantage as a result of being in that offside position (such
as getting the rebound off a goalkeeper’s save, or being in the right spot to
capitalize on a defender’s miskick).
An
important feature of offside is that the offside position and participation in
play are judged at the moment the ball is played by an attacking
teammate.
>
If an attacker is in an onside position when the ball is passed forward,
and she then runs past the defense to get it, that is not offside even
if she is beyond the second-last defender when she reaches the ball.
>
If an attacker is in an offside position when the ball is passed, and
then runs back into an onside position (such as into her own half) to collect
it, that is offside, because offside position was determined when her
teammate played the ball.
>
You cannot be offside when the opponents have control of the ball
-- offside position is judged at the moment a teammate plays the ball.
So if the goalkeeper, after controlling the ball with his hands, accidentally
throws it to an offside opponent, there is no offense.
Both
conditions -- position and participation -- must be met.
>
It is not an offense merely to be in offside position -- the player in
offside position does not commit any offense if she just stands there and stays
out of play.
>
However, if the conditions are met, it is an offense even if the offside
player did not intend anything wrong -- this infraction is based on simple
geometry and participation in active play, not mind-reading by the referee.
>
For example, suppose the goalkeeper saves a shot (without controlling
it) which rebounds to an attacker who was in offside position when the shot was
taken. If the attacker then gains control, shoots and scores, that is offside
and the goal doesn’t count -- the attacker gained advantage from being in that
position, even though she just happened to be there as the result of an earlier
play. Notice that in this case, the goalkeeper’s save did not cancel the
potential for offside -- because the defense did not gain control, the
attacking team’s original “play” continued, and the offside determinations made
the referee or linesman when the shot was taken continued to apply.
>
In this example, if the goalkeeper is able to control the ball, many
referees will not call offside even though the offside player is in a good
position to play a rebound if one occurs. Without the rebound, the offside
player doesn’t become involved (she does not gain any advantage from her
offside position), so the referee ignores the potential infraction.
>
If the assistant referee is not quite sure just who is or isn’t
“involved in active play” at the moment the ball is played, he may wait a few
seconds to see what the players in offside position are up to before deciding.
ARs are instructed that if they’re not completely sure, don’t call it. Some
observers, noting such a delay by an AR, conclude that participation by offside
players should be judged only when the ball is received rather than when it is
passed. This is incorrect; an AR will delay an offside call only when unable to
determine participation immediately.
Offside
is normally called by the assistant referee (linesman) if there is one, who
tries to stay even with the second-last defender in order to judge whether any
attackers are farther downfield and therefore in offside position. If he sees
an offside infraction, the linesman will raise his flag and remain at that
position until acknowledged by the referee. The linesman then indicates the
location of the restart, which is an indirect free kick for the defense.
Officially, the IFK is awarded at the point where the offside player was when
the ball was played by her teammate, but frequently the linesman indicates a
point opposite where he himself was standing at that moment -- which usually
makes little difference.
Offside
can be used as a tactical weapon by the defense. If they quickly follow
play up to the halfway line, they force the attackers to pull out with them or
risk being in offside position and unable to participate. This has the effect
of compressing the area of play, which may be a tactical advantage. The
“offside trap,” where the defense quickly steps up just before an attacker
kicks the ball forward, is an aggressive variant on this basic tactic. However,
there are risks associated with a aggressive offside defense. All that open
space behind the defense gives the attackers more room to play lead passes to
fast runners, and the timing of an offside trap can misfire, leaving the
defense going the wrong way. A further risk in the offside trap is that the
team executing it depends on the referee and linesmen to make what are
sometimes difficult calls -- in the past few years, FIFA and national
associations have given referees and ARs direction not to call offside if there
is any doubt about either position or participation.
This
law provides the referee with the tools to maintain order in the dynamic,
physical game of soccer. It is important to remember that calling fouls is almost
entirely a matter of judgment -- the law names the fouls, but does not describe
most of them. It is up to the referee to know what is and isn’t “fair play”
(which can vary from one game to another).
Referees
use the term foul to refer to unfair play that occurs on the field while the
game is underway, that results in a free kick or penalty kick. These are
divided into penal fouls that lead to direct free kicks, and technical fouls
that lead to indirect free kicks. Misconduct covers offenses against the spirit
of the game that lead to yellow and red cards. Misconduct can occur while the
ball is in or out of play, before and after the game, on or off the field.
During the game, misconduct is usually also associated with a penal or
technical foul, hence the restart for misconduct is usually the restart for
that foul.
The
direct free kick (DFK) fouls are also called “penal” fouls -- if one of them is
called against a defender within his own penalty area, the other team is
awarded a penalty kick (see Law 14). Because of this severe consequence,
referees often require a clear-cut foul with visible effect before making the
call. If a “penal” foul occurs on the line bounding the penalty area, then it
is within the area -- lines are part of the area they bound.
These
DFK fouls can only occur (a) on the field, (b) against an opponent [except
handling, which is against the ball], and (c) while the ball is in play.
If the three conditions are not met, an action can be misconduct leading
to a yellow or red card, but it can’t be a foul in the strict sense, and
the restart would not be a direct free kick or penalty kick.
Tripping, pushing, jumping at, striking, kicking
These
fouls are for actions that are similar to normal play, which become fouls when
they are carried out in a manner the referee judges to be “careless, reckless
or with excessive force.” Because the actions covered are so similar to normal play, many referees will call the fouls
only when there is some effect on play (the fouling team gains possession or
stops their opponents’ attack), if
there is severe contact, or if there is a deliberate attempt to play the
man instead of the ball. In the case of tripping, striking and kicking, it is also
an offense merely to attempt the action -- actual contact is not required.
Deliberate
tripping, or clumsy play that results in a trip, is easy to recognize,
as well as where a player slides and possibly tries for the ball, but is so
late there’s no real chance to do anything but bring down the dribbler.
However, if a defender makes a clean play on the ball and then the attacker
simply happens to trip over his outstretched leg while he’s lying on the
ground, that is probably not a trip, nor is it if the defender traps the ball
so that the attacker, carried on by his momentum, falls over it.
Striking
suggests hitting with the hands or fists, but is not limited to those. Striking
can be done by the elbows or knees, and it’s even striking to throw the ball at
an opponent. Many cases of striking are also unsporting behavior [yellow card
-- caution] or violent conduct [red card -- send-off].
Pushing
means the obvious pushing with the hands, but also includes elbows, general
play with the arms extended from the body, and pushing with the body or thighs.
There’s usually a lot of pushing with younger kids, which is often ignored when
it has no effect on play. Even with older players, if the victim can fight it
off, then many refs are inclined to turn a blind eye.
Players
jostling for position on balls in the air can lead to obstruction, holding,
pushing and/or tripping. The tripping foul on a high ball, a.k.a. bridging, is
when one player goes in under his jumping opponent, who then falls over him.
This action is potentially very dangerous, while looking quite innocent -- it
often looks like the victim committed the foul.
“Jumping
at” is a form of reckless, dangerous play where the opposing player, more
than the ball, is the target. One case is where two players are trying to head
a ball in the air, and one is properly positioned underneath the point of
contact, while the other player, initially out of position, comes flying in
from the side and collides with the opponent at the same moment as they both
head the ball. Even though they are both “going for the ball,” it’s not a fair
play. A similar case is two players going to play a ball on the ground, where
one is in position and the other comes flying in cleats-first from far away. If
the player flying in from the side is looking at his opponent rather than the
ball, then it’s certainly a foul. Even if he’s concentrating on the ball, it
might still be reckless or careless, and a foul anyway.
Kicking
usually means actually kicking an opponent (even if by accident), which can
happen through careless play when opposing players try to play the ball
simultaneously. It can also mean a deliberate attempt to kick an opponent that
misses. Accidental kicks that miss are usually ignored or considered dangerous
play (see under indirect free kicks, below).
This
group of fouls require a lot of referee judgment as to whether the game needs
to be stopped. An apparent foul may well be trifling (not really rough, no
effect on play) or alternatively, the foul may be real but advantage should be
applied (the fouled team kept its attack going anyway). Just because one player
has her hands on an opponent’s back, or an elbow in her side, that does not
mean that a foul must be called -- even though the action may meet the
definition of the foul. Referees often distinguish “playing the man” and
“playing the ball” based on the player’s eyes -- to play the ball is to look at
it.
Holding, spitting, handling
These
fouls are somewhat more clear-cut than the pushing-holding-jumping at group,
largely because they are not simple extensions of “normal play.” The most
obvious is spitting at an opponent, or attempting to spit at, which is
obviously not part of a soccer game (and it leads to a sending-off or red
card).
Holding
is commonly grabbing an opponent’s uniform -- one reason referees will ask
players to keep their shirts tucked in is to make this more difficult. However,
if the held player is still able to play effectively, the referee may ignore
the foul by putting it in the trifling-doubtful-advantage category. There are
other forms of holding besides the obvious grabbing with the hands, including
using an arm or thigh to shield an opponent off the ball (these might
alternatively be interpreted as pushing), and the two-on-one “sandwich,” where
a player is pinned between two opponents.
Handling
the ball involves deliberately playing it with the hand or arm. It is
not a foul every time the ball makes contact with a hand, although players from
some cultures believe that is so. Cases where the ball strikes a player’s hand
entirely through accident or the actions of other players are not fouls
providing the player did not contribute to the outcome -- however, players need
to learn how to play with the arms out of the way, because holding the arms
where they are likely to get in the way of the ball may be interpreted as
deliberately causing the ball to strike the hand, therefore a foul -- guarding
space with the arms held out is not permitted. A reflex action to protect
oneself may not be called, although should be if the player has enough time to
play the ball another way. For players defending a free kick in a wall, as long
as they position their arms for self-protection before the ball is kicked, and
don’t move them while the ball is in flight, a foul should not be called if
they are struck on the arms at relatively close range.
Tackling and charging offenses
As
with the fouls for tripping, etc., these offenses are “normal play” that is not
executed correctly. Indeed, tackling and charging are not merely normal play,
they are the very essence of soccer defense and therefore cannot be forbidden
by the referee -- although they can become fouls. This is clearly a judgment
call. With young players, this foul will occur rarely, while in a game of older
kids or adults, the referee will need to “draw the line” somewhere and stick to
it, based on his perception of the players and their expectations.
Charging
is an act by a defensive player to gain possession of the ball through body
contact. For a charge to be legal, the contact should be a staccato shoulder-to-shoulder
action, with arms close to the body; the charger should have at least one foot
on the ground; and the ball should be within playing distance (a yard or two).
If the charging player leaves the ground, then it’s likely to be an illegal
charge, or jumping at.
The
player with the ball is permitted some leeway in keeping his body in the way to
shield the ball and fend off opponents. How much physical contact is permitted
in these situations varies according to the age, sex and nationality[!] of the
players, and according to the referee’s expectations. Slide tackles are
entirely legal, and if the tackler gets the ball and afterwards the opponent
trips over his outstretched leg, that isn’t a foul. However, there is a
distinction between a slide tackle and a trip, and this is an area where the
referee’s positioning and judgment come to the fore, because it is often easy
to see exactly what happened. Hip checking (a defender going in sideways but
not playing with the shoulder) is not a legal charge.
There
are times when an apparently legal charge isn’t legal. If the two players
involved are not within playing distance of the ball, then the charge isn’t
legal -- it might be obstruction [IFK], holding [DFK], or simply an illegal
charge. (Obstruction in this circumstance was formerly in the law as an IFK for
charging without being in playing distance.) If an attacker with the ball has
his back to the opponents’ goal, then he can expect some pressure from behind
to be tolerated by the ref; if he’s facing the goal and has a shooting
opportunity, a hard charge on his back is more likely to be a foul.
The
referee often bases the call on whether the defender is “playing the ball” or
“playing the man” -- the latter is the foul, such as riding the player away
from the ball. If two defenders simultaneously play the man and make a
sandwich, that is usually holding.
The
IFK is for less serious offenses, offenses not directly involving an opponent,
and also relatively technical violations described in other laws such as
playing the ball twice on a dead-ball restart. Some referees try to make
effective use of the flexibility provided by this “less serious” offense and
use it to steer the game in a more sporting direction, by awarding an indirect
free kick (usually combined with a talking-to) rather than a caution for minor
unsporting acts such as time wasting. Other referees “chicken out” and award an
IFK when a penalty kick is called for.
As
with the DFK fouls, these offenses can only be called while the ball is in play
and must occur on the field.
Impeding (a.k.a. obstruction)
Impeding
involves getting in an opponent’s way to screen and prevent him from reaching
or challenging for the ball. It is generally not a contact foul -- if it is
executed with physical contact, the referee may call holding or pushing (DFK)
instead. What the referee looks for is playing the man vs. playing the ball.
However, it is perfectly legal to shield the ball to maintain possession. The
key question: is the ball within playing distance? (Playing distance is a
couple of yards -- close enough that the player can reach out and touch it if
he wishes.) If the ball is that close, then shielding is a perfectly legal form
of “playing” it.
The
most common example of legal shielding is protecting the ball from an opponent
while it runs out of bounds, so as to gain the restart. Illegal impeding may be
a player deliberately running in an opponent’s way to make him go around, so
that a teammate will be able to reach the ball first, or the ball will run out
of play.
A
variation is preventing the goalkeeper from releasing the ball, once he has it
in his hands, which also leads to an IFK. A certain amount of accidental
obstruction also occurs in a normal game, and it is typically ignored.
A
minor terminological point: impeding is the name of the foul, while obstruction
refers to protecting the ball legally.
Dangerous play
In
its most succinct form, DP is any play that looks dangerous, and that’s how
it’s usually called with very young players. Examples include kicking at a high
ball near another player’s face, or trying to head a ball near the ground while
another player is playing the ball with his feet. These calls can be made whether
the other player is an opponent or a teammate. It’s also dangerous play if a
player’s actions cause an opponent to refrain from making a normal play because
of the risk of injury -- a player who accidentally falls and lies on the ball
prevents other players from playing it because they don’t want to kick her.
At
higher levels, the referee is unlikely to make the call unless the play is very
obviously dangerous (such as an overhead bicycle kick in the middle of a
crowd), or the play involves preventing an opponent from making his normal play
(it does not usually apply to endangering teammates or preventing them from
playing). For example, if a player ends up accidentally lying on the ball on
the ground, other players will be reluctant to play it out of a fear of
injuring him; the foul is called to compensate them for being prevented from
making their “normal” play.
With
younger kids, dangerous play is called more often, which leads some observers
to conclude that high kicking, low heading, and playing on the ground are
always forbidden. That is not the law -- these actions are dangerous play only
when they endanger someone, and with older players probably only when the
opponents are effected also -- there must be another player nearby for there to
be DP.
Dangerous
play also applies to standard ball challenges and tackles that are carried out
in a way that increases the potential for injury, even if the player playing
dangerously misses both the ball and the opponent. The slide tackle from behind
so hopeless that it misses by a foot or two is an example -- the referee may
call DP to make an example.
The goalkeeper
There
are some special rules for the goalkeeper, because she is the only player who
can use her hands. (This is one of the
reasons the referee needs to know who is the designated keeper -- it’s the one
in the Spider Man shirt -- and why that designation can’t be changed without
informing the ref.) There are five IFK fouls that can be committed only by a
keeper:
>
taking more than four steps while holding the ball in her hands.
This rule is designed to prevent time-wasting, and to prevent the keeper from
taking undue advantage of her privilege to use hands. Referees rarely count
steps exactly, and usually won’t call the foul if the keeper puts the ball into
play promptly even if she takes some extra steps.
>
“double possession” is a foul that occurs when the keeper puts
the ball into play (i.e., deliberately puts it on the ground to be played with
the feet by herself or a teammate), and then handles it again. This rule is
designed to keep the ball in play. It should not be double possession if the
keeper accidentally drops the ball while trying to kick it and then picks it up
again.
>
handling a ball deliberately kicked to her by a teammate. This
rule is designed to prevent endless back-and-forth passing between the keeper
and a fullback. The kick needs to be deliberate -- it’s okay for the keeper to
handle the ball if a pass or shot on goal is deflected towards her by a teammate
attempting to block it, or if the teammate makes a desperation clear to
“anywhere.”
>
handling a ball thrown-in by a teammate. This rule is designed to
keep play moving along without having the keeper “withdraw the ball from play”
by picking it up unnecessarily. If another player from either team touches the
ball before the keeper, this rule doesn’t apply.
>
wasting time while holding the ball. Referees are instructed to
award an IFK if the keeper holds the ball for more than “five or six” seconds
without putting it into play.
Misconduct
refers to the caution [yellow card] and sending-off [red card],
which are the referees strongest weapons against actions contrary to the spirit
of the game and fair play. The fouls mentioned earlier are mostly “ordinary
play carried to excess,” whereas misconduct covers deliberate acts of poor
sportsmanship that go entirely beyond the realm of fair play. The punishment
for misconduct is given personally to the player, in addition to the free kick
awarded against his team.
Certain
specific acts are defined in LOTG as misconduct, such as spitting, dissent, and
unsporting behavior. However, many referees will “go up the ladder” and try to
stem bad behavior through warnings and force of personality before showing
cards, and some referees are relatively deaf to dissent. Other referees will
immediately reach into their pocket for the piece of plastic. Your team has to
be ready for either approach -- if your team includes some hotheads, you’ll need
to size up the referee.
In the strict FIFA laws, a caution is a
warning of a potential sending-off which, in a game with extremely limited
substitutions, is a serious threat. However, most youth soccer employs
relatively free substitutions so that cautioned players can be moved to the
bench at no further cost. As well as being instruments to regulate games, cards
have become of interest in themselves, and are tracked by leagues as a measure
of players’ and teams’ worthiness. Consequently, referees need to be consistent
in issuing cards, and FIFA have provided guidelines over the past few years to
bring more consistency to this decision.
Yellow
card offenses generally cover bad sportsmanship and disruption of the game --
but not acts that cause injury or affect the score. A good example is
“persistent infringement” -- a succession of “ordinary” fouls. Red cards are
reserved for acts completely against the spirit of the game (e.g., handling the
ball to prevent an obvious goal) or totally inappropriate behavior (e.g.,
spitting or fighting).
Historically,
referees have been reluctant to issue yellow and red cards, for various reasons
we all know. Although this may not be a problem in youth games, international
soccer has become a pretty rough game with marquee players getting serious
injuries, and the law writers (the “International Board”) have responded by
imploring referees to deal more severely with “professional fouls,” and by
singling out more specific acts as misconduct. As a result, the lawbook that in
1973 listed only seven yellow and red card offenses now lists fourteen. The
definitions haven’t really changed (e.g., it was always considered
“ungentlemanly conduct” to interrupt the taking of a free kick, even before
that particular offense was singled out), but the message to the world’s
referees is clear: crack down on unsporting play and get those players out of
the game. A side-effect that coaches need to be aware of is that a few referees
interpret the guidance as an invitation to caution and send off players at the
drop of a hat, instead of trying to keep all players on the field and the game
flowing.
Although
misconduct fouls are usually serious, the referee may give advantage and not
stop play immediately to show the card. For an example, see the scenario in the
discussion of advantage, under Law 5, above. If misconduct occurs without an
accompanying foul while the ball is in play -- this often happens with dissent
-- and the referee stops play, the restart is an IFK for the other team if the
misconduct was committed by a player and occurred on the field, or a drop ball
in other cases. If the misconduct is serious enough for a red card, the referee
will almost always stop play immediately. If misconduct occurs while the ball
is out of play, the restart is what it would have been -- for instance, if the
ball went out over a touch line, the restart is a throw-in, whether or not
misconduct occurs before the ball is put back into play.
Two
of the most serious red card offenses are violent conduct and serious foul
play. Generally, SFP is something totally outside the realm of fair play, but
still part of the game in some sense, such as an extremely violent tackle from
behind which injures the victim’s legs -- assuming the tackle is an attempt to
play the ball. Violent conduct, in contrast, is simply fighting without regard
to the game. In many leagues VC results in a longer suspension than SFP.
Two
specific forms of SFP [red card] that have been singled out in recent years are
denying a goal through handling the ball, and denying an “obvious goal-scoring
opportunity.” Denying a goal is a player other than the keeper stopping a
would-be goal with his hands. Denying an obvious opportunity to score means a
foul to prevent a shot committed against an attacker who (a) has the ball or is
about to get it, (b) is heading towards the goal with at most one defender
ahead of him, and (c) has a reasonable shooting opportunity. Because of the
required conditions, these often also lead to penalty kicks.
According
to the FIFA laws, which are followed by the national federations such as USSF,
only players and substitutes should be shown red or yellow cards, although many
competitions permit, encourage or even require showing a card when anyone is
cautioned or sent off. Coaches and other bench personnel may be “warned” and
“dismissed” without cards, but not “cautioned” and “sent off.” The difference
in terminology is minor, but ask if the referee says he’s warning you --
it may be a formal caution. Similarly, if the ref shows a yellow card to a
group of players, they should ask exactly which individual has been cautioned.
Free
kicks are the restart after a foul or other infraction. The referee’s signal is
a whistle to stop play, followed by an arm pointing in the direction the
kicking team is going. Both teams need to determine quickly which team has the
kick and get into position, because a free kick is potentially dangerous -- a
disproportionate number of goals are scored off FKs among players old enough to
score from just outside the penalty area.
One
additional piece of information also needs to be obtained: is the free kick
direct or indirect? A goal can be scored directly from a direct free kick (DFK)
but not from an indirect (IFK) -- on an IFK a second player must touch the ball
after it’s in play for a goal to count.
The referee signals an IFK by holding one arm straight up; the lack of a
signal indicates a DFK (although if the referee simply forgets to raise his arm
and the foul was an IFK foul, it’s still an IFK). Both kinds of free kicks are
taken from the spot of the foul, which the referee will often indicate,
especially if it’s not clear.
The
term “free kick” indicates that the kick is to be free from interference and
may be kicked in any direction. Consequently all opponents must move at least
10 yards away in all directions. The referee may stop play and get the
opponents back if they are too close, or he may wait for the kicking team
either to ask him to move them back or take a quick kick. If the referee does
intervene, he should direct the kicker to wait for a whistle before kicking,
and have the defenders move back to a point he indicates, where they usually
form a “wall.” This is called a “ceremonial free kick.”
If your team has the free kick, you are permitted to put the ball down and restart immediately (a “quick free kick”) after having retrieved the ball to the spot of the foul. (The referee typically doesn’t care if the ball isn’t placed precisely on the spot). If the opponents are disorganized or short-handed in this part of the field, you may want to get going immediately, and there is no need to wait for a signal, unless the referee directs you to wait -- the whistle that stops play for the foul is also a signal t