Choose a topic. Read each question, make your call, then select See Decision.
All questions
LAW 8 · The Start and Restart of Play / Ball in Play
The ball touches a match official (outside the penalty area), remains on the field of play and the team in possession of the ball changes. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
The referee stops play and drops the ball for the team that would have retained or gained possession if the ball had not touched the match official. If the referee cannot determine this, the ball is dropped for one player of the team that last touched the ball. Play is restarted at the position where the ball made contact with the match official.
LAW 8 · The Start and Restart of Play / Ball in Play
After a goal kick has been taken by the goalkeeper, the ball touches the referee outside the penalty area, remains on the field of play and bounces back towards the goal. The goalkeeper handles the ball to prevent it from entering the goal. The referee stops play at this point. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee stops play and drops the ball for the goalkeeper’s team at the position where the ball made contact with the referee.
LAW 8 · The Start and Restart of Play / Ball in Play
A player of Team A plays the ball which then touches the referee (outside the penalty area), remains on the field of play and, as a result, Team A starts a promising attack. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
The ball touched a match official and Team A started a promising attack. In this case, play is restarted with a dropped ball for one player of the team that would have retained or gained possession if the ball had not touched the referee. The ball is dropped at the position where the ball made contact with the referee.
After an unsuccessful pass by Team A, the ball is heading out for a throw-in. While it is still on the field of play, very close to the touchline, a ball boy/girl catches the ball in an attempt to help restart the game quickly. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee stops play and instructs the ball boy/girl to leave the field of play. Play is restarted with a dropped ball for one player of Team B as they would have had the throw-in if the ball had gone out of play. The ball is dropped at the position where the ball made contact with the ball boy/girl. A free kick cannot be awarded because the interference was caused by an outside agent, not by someone named on the team lists.
LAW 8 · The Start and Restart of Play / Ball in Play
The ball is kicked by a Team A player and is going to a Team B player when it deflects off the referee to another Team A player rather than to the Team B player. The Team A player immediately creates a promising attack for their team. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
Play is stopped and restarted with a dropped ball for one player of Team B, as it is clear to the referee that Team B would have gained possession if the ball had not deflected off the referee. The ball is dropped at the position where the ball made contact with the referee.
A player (Team A) is in the middle of the field and attempts to pass the ball to a team-mate (Team A) near the halfway line. As the ball reaches the team-mate it bursts. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee stops play, has the ball changed and then drops the ball for one player of Team A as they would have kept/gained the possession if the ball had not burst. The ball is dropped at its position when play was stopped.
LAW 8 · The Start and Restart of Play / Ball in Play
After a goal kick has been taken by Team A, the ball touches the referee outside the penalty area, remains on the field of play and the opponents (Team B) gain possession of the ball. The referee stops play (as the team in possession changes) and restarts play with a dropped ball for the team that would have retained or gained possession had play not been stopped. Where should the referee drop the ball?
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The decision
The ball is dropped at the position where the ball made contact with the referee.
LAW 8 · The Start and Restart of Play / Ball in Play
A player (Team A) plays the ball which then touches the referee (outside the penalty area), remains on the field of play and, as a result, Team A starts a promising attack. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
The ball touched a match official and Team A started a promising attack. In this case, play is restarted with a dropped ball for one player of the team that would have retained or gained possession if the ball had not touched the referee. The ball is dropped at the position where the ball made contact with the referee.
LAW 8 · The Start and Restart of Play / Ball in Play
A player of Team A kicks the ball towards a team-mate. The ball moves quickly on the ground and is heading out for a throw-in when it deflects off an assistant referee who is standing on the touchline. As a result, the ball remains on the field of play and is then controlled by another Team A player who starts a promising attack. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The ball touched a match official and Team A started a promising attack. In this case, the referee restarts play with a dropped ball at the position where the ball touched the assistant referee. The ball is dropped for Team B as they would have gained possession if the ball had gone out of play for a throw-in.
When the ball is in play in the middle of the field, the referee notices that a player lies on the ground and stops play because the player is seriously injured. The player leaves the field for treatment. How is play restarted?
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The decision
Play is restarted with a dropped ball for one player of the team that would have retained or gained possession if this can be determined by the referee; otherwise, it is dropped for one player of the team that last touched it. The ball is dropped at its position when play was stopped.
An attacking team player falls to the ground without being fouled while their team-mate has possession of the ball near their opponents’ penalty area. What is the referee’s decision if the player is seriously injured and there is no goal-scoring opportunity for the attacking team?
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The decision
The referee stops play to ensure that the player receives medical attention. Depending on the injury, the player may be assessed and/or treated on the field of play but must then leave the field and remain off it until play has restarted and one minute has elapsed. As the injury is not the result of an offence, the referee restarts play with a dropped ball to a player of the attacking team at the position of the ball when play was stopped.
An attacker (Team A) takes a shot which is blocked by a defender (Team B). The ball bounces away, remains on the field of play outside the penalty area and is chased by one player from Team A. However, the referee stops play before the Team A player touches the ball because the defender, who was hit by the ball, is seriously injured. What is the correct restart of play?
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The decision
Play is restarted with a dropped ball for Team A (not for Team B that last touched the ball) because it was clear to the referee that Team A would have gained possession if play had continued. The ball is dropped at its position when play was stopped.
LAW 8 · The Start and Restart of Play / Fouls and Misconduct
Play is restarted with a dropped ball for Team A. After the ball touches the ground, a Team A player touches it several times with their feet, runs into the opponents’ penalty area, and is recklessly tackled by a Team B defender. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The player receiving the dropped ball can dribble or continue playing the ball, with no limit to the number of touches. At the time of the tackle, the ball was in play, so the referee awards a penalty kick. Since the foul was reckless, the defender is cautioned (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour.
A defender and an attacker jump for a header in the middle of the field and collide in the air while competing legally for the ball (neither of them touches it). After that, both players fall to the ground and appear to be seriously injured so the referee stops play to allow the players to be assessed/treated accordingly. How will play be restarted if the ball was outside the penalty area when play was stopped?
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The decision
Play will be restarted with a dropped ball (as outlined in Law 8).
While the ball is in play, a spectator throws a bottle onto the field towards a player who is running with the ball, close to the touchline. The player stops running to avoid the bottle. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
The object interfered with play so the referee stops a match and has the bottle removed from the field. If the match is not suspended or abandoned for safety reasons, play restarts with a dropped ball (as outlined in Law 8).
Play is restarted with a dropped ball for Team A. After the ball touches the ground, a Team A player touches it several times with their feet and then kicks the ball directly into the opponents’ goal. What is the correct decision if the ball has not touched any other player after it was dropped?
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The decision
The player receiving the dropped ball can dribble or continue playing the ball, with no limit to the number of touches. However, the player cannot score in the opponents’ goal if the ball does not touch at least one other player (from either team). In this case, play is restarted with a goal kick to Team B.
LAW 8 · The Start and Restart of Play / Fouls and Misconduct
Play is restarted with a dropped ball for a Team A player in the middle of the field. After the ball has touched the ground, an opponent (Team B), who was more than 4 m away, quickly runs to the ball and plays it first. Surprised by this action, the Team A player pulls the opponent to stop a promising attack (SPA). What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The opponent was allowed to play the ball before the player for whom the ball was dropped because the required distance was respected until the ball touched the ground. From that moment, the ball was in play and any player could play it (no offence by Team B). Consequently, the referee punishes the pulling offence committed by Team A with a direct free kick and a caution (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour (SPA).
While the ball is in play, an attacking player takes a shot at goal. The ball passes the defending goalkeeper and suddenly bursts within the goal area. As a result, it remains on the field of play but does not enter the goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee stops play and replaces the defective ball. Play is then restarted with a dropped ball for the defending team’s goalkeeper, as the ball was in their penalty area when play was stopped.
Play is restarted with a dropped ball for Team A. After the ball touches the ground, a player of Team A notices that the opposing goalkeeper is far from the goal line and kicks the ball towards Team B’s goal. The goalkeeper tries to catch the ball, but it slips out of their hands and goes into the goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The goal is awarded because the dropped ball has touched two players before entering the goal (the player for whom the ball was dropped and the opposing goalkeeper).
The match is drawn and requires extra time. What is the correct procedure to determine the ends and which team will start the first half?
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The decision
The referee tosses a coin before the start of extra time because this is a new ‘kick-off’. The procedure is the same as at the start of the match: the team that wins the toss decides which goal to attack in the first half or to take the kick-off depending on the above, their opponents take the kick-off or decide which goal to attack in the first half
LAW 8 · The Start and Restart of Play / Fouls and Misconduct
An attacker kicks the ball which then hits the defender’s arm inside their penalty area and quickly goes out over the goal line (but not in the goal). Initially, the referee awards a penalty kick for handball, but after an 'on-field review', the referee cancels the penalty kick because the ball touched the defender’s arm when it was close to their body and did not make it unnaturally bigger. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
If the referee had blown a whistle before the ball went out, play is restarted with a dropped ball for the defending team goalkeeper. If the ball was already outside the field of play when the referee whistled, play restarts with a corner kick.
Play is restarted with a dropped ball for a defender (Team A) outside their penalty area. After the ball has touched the ground, an opposing attacker (Team B) who was more than 4 m away, runs towards the defender, plays the ball first and kicks it directly into the goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The opponent is allowed to play the ball before the player for whom the ball was dropped, provided that the required distance is respected until the ball is in play (i.e. touches the ground). As a goal cannot be scored from a dropped ball unless two or more players have touched the ball, the referee awards a goal kick to Team A.
LAW 8 · The Start and Restart of Play / Fouls and Misconduct
A player is instructed by the referee to leave the field of play and change their footwear. When the ball is in play, the player argues with a photographer outside the field and attempts to strike the photographer. The referee stops play for this incident. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The player is sent off (red card) for violent conduct. Play is restarted with a dropped ball as outlined in Law 8. A free kick cannot be awarded because the player left the field of play with the referee’s permission and the offence was not committed against someone on the team lists or a match official.
The referee drops the ball for one player of the team that last touched the ball before play has been stopped. After the ball touches the ground, the player notices that an opposing goalkeeper is far from the goal line, takes a shot and kicks the ball directly into the goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a goal kick to the opposing team. A goal cannot be awarded because the dropped ball has not touched two players before entering the goal.
The referee has awarded a free kick to Team A. A player from Team B does not agree with this decision and runs furiously at the referee. What is the correct action if the player does not make any verbal comments or gestures?
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The decision
The player’s behaviour shows clear dissent by action (running at the referee in an aggressive / dissenting manner) and must be punished with a caution (yellow card). As the offence occurs when the ball is not in play, this does not change how the play is restarted (free kick to Team A).
Team A player takes the kick-off and kicks the ball directly into the opponent’s goal. What is the correct decision if a Team B player entered the opponents’ half of the field before the ball was in play?
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The decision
The referee plays advantage for the offence by Team B and awards the goal.
LAW 8 · The Start and Restart of Play / Fouls and Misconduct
A player who is already off the field of play (having been treated for an injury) argues with a ball boy/girl and spits at him/her. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
The player is sent off (red card). Play is restarted with a dropped ball as outlined in Law 8 – a free kick cannot be awarded because this offence was not committed against someone on the team lists or a match official.
LAW 8 · The Start and Restart of Play / Fouls and Misconduct
During the match, while the ball is in play, a coach (Team A) enters the technical area of the opposing team and attempts to strike the opposing coach (Team B). The referee stops play to deal with this situation. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The coach of Team A is sent off (red card). Play is restarted with a dropped ball (as outlined in Law 8).
The referee drops the ball for the goalkeeper (Team A) in their penalty area (as outlined in Law 8). After the ball has touched the ground, the goalkeeper does not touch the ball and leaves it for a defender (Team A) who remained 4 m from the ball until it was in play. The defender comes up, kicks the ball and starts an attack. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee allows play to continue. In certain circumstances, Law 8 requires that the ball is dropped for the defending team goalkeeper, however, the goalkeeper does not have to play the ball.
LAW 8 · The Start and Restart of Play / Fouls and Misconduct
A player is instructed by the referee to leave the field of play to correct the equipment. When the player is outside the field, their coach starts an argument and strikes the player in the face. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
The coach is sent off (red card) for violent conduct. If the referee stops play for this incident, play restarts with a dropped ball as outlined in Law 8. If the ball was already out of play, it is restarted according to the previous decision.
The distinction is who committed the offence and who the offence was committed against.
The coach strikes their own player, who is temporarily off the field.
The coach commits violent conduct and is sent off. The disciplinary sanction and the restart are separate decisions.
Law 12 prescribes a direct free kick or penalty kick for certain physical offences by team officials against an opponent or match official. Here, the coach struck a member of their own team outside the field of play. The Laws do not prescribe a free-kick restart for this combination. If the referee stops play, Law 8 therefore provides the restart: a dropped ball.
Compare the decisions when the ball is in play
Situation
Discipline
Restart
Coach strikes their own player off the field
Coach sent off
Dropped ball
Coach strikes an opponent off the field
Coach sent off
Direct free kick on the nearest boundary line; penalty kick if applicable
Coach enters the field and strikes an opponent
Coach sent off
Direct free kick or penalty kick where the offence occurs
Spectator interferes with play
Spectator removed
Dropped ball
If the ball was already out of play when the coach struck the player, the misconduct does not change the restart. The coach is sent off and play resumes with the restart already due.
LAW 8 · The Start and Restart of Play
A defender (Team A) makes a clearance under pressure from an attacker (Team B) and tries to kick the ball away without looking where other opponents are standing. Unfortunately, the ball hits another attacker (Team B) in the face who is three metres away, inside the defender’s penalty area. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
The referee allows play to continue (accidental incident, no offence) unless the attacker requires medical attention. In this situation, the referee stops play and allows a doctor to enter the field and examine the player. Play will be restarted with a dropped ball for the defending team goalkeeper in their penalty area.
LAW 8 · The Start and Restart of Play / Fouls and Misconduct
The referee drops the ball for the goalkeeper in their penalty area. After the ball has touched the ground, the goalkeeper picks the ball up inside the penalty area and then kicks the ball to a team-mate. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee allows play to continue. The goalkeeper may handle the ball in their own penalty area when play is restarted with a dropped ball and the ball is in play (has already touched the ground).
Play is restarted with a dropped ball for Team A. After that, the ball touches the ground and leaves the field of play, without touching a player. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee drops the ball again for Team A player.
A dropped ball is in play when it touches the ground. However, Law 8 has a specific instruction for what happens next: if it leaves the field of play without touching any player, the referee drops it again.
That is why Team B does not receive a throw-in here. The ball reached the touchline after touching the ground, but no player touched it. The original drop is repeated for a Team A player.
If a player had touched the ball after the drop and it then crossed the touchline, the normal throw-in decision would apply according to which team touched it last.
LAW 8 · The Start and Restart of Play
Play is restarted with a dropped ball for Team A. After the ball touches the ground, a player makes a short pass to a team-mate. The team-mate notices that an opposing goalkeeper is far from the goal line, immediately takes a shot and kicks the ball directly into the goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The goal is awarded because the dropped ball has touched two players before entering the goal (the player for whom the ball was dropped and the team-mate). If only one player touches the ball, a goal cannot be scored.
Play is restarted with a dropped ball for Team A and a player kicks the ball before it touches the ground. Is this allowed?
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The decision
No, because the ball is not in play until it touches the ground. If the ball touches the player first (before touching the ground), the referee drops the ball again for Team A.
Play is restarted with a dropped ball for Team A. After the ball has touched the ground, an opposing player (Team B) who remained more than 4 m away comes up and plays the ball first. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee allows play to continue. This is permitted as Law 8 only requires that all players (except the player for whom the ball is dropped) remain at least 4 m from the ball until it is in play (i.e. until it touches the ground).
Play is restarted with a dropped ball for Team A. After the ball touches the ground, a player makes a pass to the goalkeeper (Team A) who attempts to kick the ball but does not touch it. The ball enters the goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
Play is restarted with a corner kick to Team B because the dropped ball enters the goal without touching at least two players.
Play is restarted with a dropped ball for Team A. After the ball touches the ground, a Team A player makes a long pass to a team-mate who is in an offside position. This player receives the ball and passes it to another Team A player who scores a goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
Team A player is penalised for offside. The referee disallows the goal and awards an indirect free kick to Team B where the offside offence occurred.
LAW 8 · The Start and Restart of Play / Fouls and Misconduct
The referee has stopped play and awarded a direct free kick to the Team A. The offending player (Team B) has been cautioned (YC), however, one of the players (Team A) approaches the referee and gestures for a red card. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
The player (Team A) receives the YC for showing dissent from the referee’s decision. As this offence occurs when the ball is not in play, the restart cannot be changed so play is restarted with the direct free kick for Team A.
May the referee allow a kick-off after a goal was scored when players of the scoring team are off the field celebrating?
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The decision
No. The Law 8 clearly states that "for every kick-off, all players, except the player taking the kick-off, must be in their own half of the field of play".
Can a goal be scored directly from a dropped ball?
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The decision
No. If a dropped ball enters the goal without touching at least two players play is restarted with a goal kick (if it enters the opponents' goal) or a corner kick (if it enters the team's goal).
May a player score a goal against the opponents directly from the kick-off?
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The decision
A goal may be scored directly against the opponents from the kick-off; if the ball directly enters the kicker’s goal, a corner kick is awarded to the opponents.
An attacking team player has possession of the ball in the defending team’s penalty area. Play is stopped by the referee (no offence committed). How is play restarted?
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The decision
The referee will restart the game with a dropped ball for the defending team goalkeeper.
LAW 8 · The Start and Restart of Play / Ball in Play
A player plays the ball which then touches the referee (inside the penalty area), remains on the field of play and goes directly into the goal. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
The goal is disallowed and play restarts with a dropped ball for the defending team goalkeeper in their penalty area.
An attacking player (Team A) takes a shot which clearly goes wide, missing the goal by several metres. As the ball is clearly going out of play for a goal kick, a substitute from Team B, warming up near the goal line, stops the ball with their foot on the goal line. What is the correct decision if no other player has the chance to touch the ball before it leaves the field of play?
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The decision
The substitute touched the ball while it was still in play but when it is clearly leaving the field of play, without any intention of unfairly interfering with play. In this case, the referee awards an indirect free kick to Team A at the position where the substitute touched the ball. There is no disciplinary sanction.
A player from Team A kicks the ball which then touches an opponent (Team B) and is clearly going out of play for a throw-in. While the ball is still on the field of play, very close to the touchline, a coach from Team A stops it in an attempt to help their team quickly restart play. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The coach made contact with the ball while it was still in play but when it was clearly leaving the field, without any intention of unfairly interfering with play. In this case, the referee awards an indirect free kick to Team B at the position where the coach touched the ball. There is no disciplinary sanction, unless the coach has persistently left the technical area, which would be cautioned (yellow card).
The ball is kicked by a Team A player and is going towards a Team B player when it deflects off the referee and leaves the field of play by the touchline without touching any other player. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
A throw-in is awarded to Team B, as the Team A player was the last to touch the ball before it went out of play. Play cannot be restarted with a dropped ball because the ball did not remain on the field of play after touching the referee.
An attacker takes a shot and is then recklessly tackled by a defender inside the penalty area. Even though the ball is heading towards the goal, the referee blows the whistle immediately after a foul, before the ball enters the goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The ball was heading towards the goal, so the referee should have applied advantage. However, as the whistle stopped play before the ball entered the goal, a goal cannot be awarded. In this situation, play is restarted with a penalty kick and the defender is cautioned (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour (reckless tackle).
An attacker commits a late sliding tackle, recklessly fouling a defender near the goal line. The tackle occurs shortly after the defender has kicked the ball and it has already gone out for a corner kick. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The attacker is cautioned (yellow card) for the reckless tackle, even though it occurred after the ball was out of play. However, play is restarted with a corner kick because the referee cannot award a free kick as the ball was outside the field of play at the time of the reckless tackle.
After a throw-in has been taken, the ball enters the penalty area, bounces off the ground, and a defender deliberately touches it with the arm. The referee notices a handball offence and immediately blows the whistle, even though the ball has gone to an attacker who takes a shot just after the whistle was blown. What is the decision if the ball enters the goal?
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The decision
The referee should wait a few seconds to allow a possible advantage to develop. However, as play has been stopped by the referee, the ball was out of play when the goal was scored so it cannot be awarded. In this case, play is restarted with a penalty kick for the handball offence and, depending on the exact situation, any appropriate disciplinary action.
A defender commits a reckless tackle against an attacker after the ball has been touched by the attacker and gone out over the touchline. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The offender is cautioned (yellow card) for the reckless challenge even though it occurred after the ball was out of play. However, play is restarted with a throw-in for the defending team because the referee cannot award a free kick as the ball was outside the field of play at the time of the challenge.
An attacker gets the ball close to the goal line and runs into the opponents’ penalty area. A defender commits a sliding tackle that endangers the safety of the attacker. What is the decision if the tackle occurs after the ball has wholly passed over the goal line (outside the goal, without touching any defender)?
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The decision
The defender is sent off (red card) for serious foul play. A penalty kick cannot be awarded because the ball was out of play at the time of the tackle. Play is restarted with a goal kick.
Is the ball in play if it rebounds off an assistant referee?
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The decision
The ball is out of play when it touches a match official, remains on the field of play and: a team starts a promising attack or the ball goes directly into the goal or the team in possession of the ball changes The ball is in play at all other times when it touches a match official and has not wholly passed over the goal line or touchline.
A player kicks the ball that hits the referee and leaves the field by the goal line/by the touchline. How is play restarted?
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The decision
A goal kick/corner kick/throw-in is awarded to the opponents because play restarts as if the ball has not hit/touched the referee. A dropped ball is only when the ball touches a match official, remains on the field of play and a team starts a promising attack or the ball goes directly into the goal or the team in possession changes.
A player of Team A takes the throw-in. After the ball is in play, it hits the referee and leaves the field of play by the touchline without touching any other player. How is play restarted?
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The decision
The referee awards a throw-in to the opponents (Team B) as Law 9 clearly states that it is a dropped ball only when the ball remains on the field of play.
During penalties (penalty shoot-out), a player slips while taking a kick. The ball accidentally touches the player’s non-kicking foot/leg at the same time or immediately after the kick and does not enter the goal. What is the correct decision if the goalkeeper has not committed any offence?
During penalties (penalty shoot-out), a player slips while taking a kick. The ball accidentally touches the player’s non-kicking foot/leg at the same time or immediately after the kick and then enters the goal from the kick. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The kick cannot be scored as there was a double touch by the kicker. However, as the second touch was accidental, the kick is retaken (it is not recorded as missed).
During penalties (penalty shoot-out), after completing the run-up, the kicker feints to kick the ball and, at the same time, the goalkeeper has both feet in front of the goal line. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
The kick is recorded as missed and the kicker is cautioned (yellow card, YC).
LAW 10 · The Outcome of a Match / Fouls and Misconduct
The referee blows the whistle at the end of the second half of extra time after the ball has gone out of play for a throw-in near Team A’s penalty area. A Team B player angrily approaches the referee and shows clear dissent, complaining that the referee did not allow the throw-in to be taken. What is the decision if the same player has already been shown a yellow card (YC) and the match will be decided by penalties (penalty shoot-out)?
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The decision
Law 10 states that penalties are taken after the match has ended (they are not part of the match and therefore begin after the final whistle). Yellow cards are not carried forward into the penalty shoot-out, so a player who received a YC during normal or extra time and then receives a YC for dissent after the final whistle is not sent off. It is considered their first YC in the penalty shoot-out, and the player may take part in the penalties.
The match ends in a draw and requires penalties (penalty shoot-out) to determine the winning team. What is the correct procedure for the toss of a coin?
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The decision
The referee tosses a coin twice.
• The first toss decides the goal at which the kicks will be taken. There is no captain’s choice; the referee will usually assign one side of the coin to each goal.
• The team winning the second toss chooses whether to take the first or second kick.
For player safety, ground conditions or another reason, the referee may choose the goal without a toss or change goals during the shoot-out if the goal or surface becomes unusable.
During the second half of extra time, a match official is informed that Team A wants to use a substitute, however, there is no stoppage in play before the referee signals the end of extra time. Can Team A make the substitution before penalties (penalty shoot-out) start as they made the request before the final whistle?
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The decision
Except for a substitute for a goalkeeper who is unable to continue, only players who are on the field of play or temporarily off the field at the end of the match are eligible to take part in the penalties. Therefore, as the substitution did not take place before the end of extra time, it cannot be made even though it was requested before the final whistle.
A team official is cautioned (yellow card, YC) during extra time and then receives a YC during penalties (penalty shoot-out). What is the correct procedure?
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The decision
Warnings and cautions (YCs) issued during the match (including during extra time) are not carried forward into penalties (penalty shoot-out). A team official who receives a YC during the match and then during the penalties (penalty shoot-out) is not sent off. The two separate cautions are reported to the appropriate authorities.
LAW 10 · The Outcome of a Match / Fouls and Misconduct
A goalkeeper is cautioned (yellow card) during the match which is then followed by penalties (penalty shoot-out). The goalkeeper saves the first kick and makes a provocative gesture towards spectators of the opposing team. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The goalkeeper is shown a yellow card but is not sent off because Law 10 states that cautions (and warnings) issued to players and team officials during the match are not carried forward into penalties (penalty shoot-out). Both cautions are reported to the appropriate authorities.
An attacking team player takes a shot on the goal. The goalkeeper dives for the ball and catches it inside their goal area. After that, the goalkeeper gets up and accidentally throws the ball into their team’s own goal. What is the correct decision?
Team A has not used the maximum number of substitutes and substitution opportunities during the match. After the end of extra time, the coach of Team A wants to replace one player with a substitute before penalties (penalty shoot-out) start. Is this allowed?
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The decision
No. With the exception of a substitute for a goalkeeper who is unable to continue, only players who are on the field of play or are temporarily off the field of play (injury, adjusting equipment etc.) at the end of the match are eligible to take kicks.
During penalties (penalty shoot-out), all eligible players of both teams have taken a kick once. After the eleven kicks, the scores are level. Who will take the first kick in the second round?
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The decision
The first kick will be taken by the team that took the first kick of the first round. Both teams may change the order of their kickers – the referee is not informed of the order.
LAW 10 · The Outcome of a Match / Fouls and Misconduct
During penalties (penalty shoot-out), a Team A player uses an offensive gesture towards the opposing goalkeeper after taking their kick. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The outcome of the kick is recorded (it cannot be declared missed as the kick had been taken before the offence), the player is sent off (red card) and Team B must remove one player and inform the referee of the name and number of this player.
At the end of a drawn match, Team A has one unused substitute but has used all its substitution opportunities. penalties (penalty shoot-out) start, during which the goalkeeper of Team A is injured and unable to continue. Can the goalkeeper be replaced by a substitute?
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The decision
Yes, because the Laws allow a goalkeeper who is unable to continue to be replaced by an unused substitute. In addition, as penalties (penalty shoot-out) are not part of the match, any restrictions on substitution opportunities do not apply.
During penalties (penalty shoot-out), the goalkeeper has both feet in front of the goal line and, as a result, the kick is retaken. What disciplinary action does the referee take?
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The decision
As most goalkeeper encroachment results from mis-anticipating when the ball will be kicked, the goalkeeper is warned for a first offence but must be cautioned (yellow card, YC) for any further offence(s) at the retaken kick and/or any subsequent kick.
Penalties (penalty shoot-out) are taken after the end of extra time. A player has completed their run-up, deliberately stops to gain an advantage over a goalkeeper and then kicks the ball into the goal. The same player was cautioned (yellow card) for another offence during extra time. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
The kick is recorded as missed and the kicker is cautioned for unsporting behaviour (illegal feinting). Cautions issued during the match (including during extra time) are not carried forward into penalties (penalty shoot-out) so the player who received a yellow card during both the match and the penalties (penalty shoot-out) is not sent off. The two separate cautions are reported to the appropriate authorities.
A goalkeeper is injured during penalties (penalty shoot-out). Their team has already used its maximum number of substitutes and the goalkeeper cannot be replaced. May the goalkeeper change places with a team-mate who is on the field of play and eligible to take part in the kicks?
A goalkeeper is injured during penalties (penalty shoot-out) and is replaced by a substitute (another goalkeeper). What is the further procedure?
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The decision
The replaced goalkeeper takes no further part and may not take a kick. If the goalkeeper has already taken a kick, the replacement may not take a kick until the next round of kicks.
A player (other than the goalkeeper) is injured during penalties (penalty shoot-out) and unable to continue. Their team has not used its maximum number of substitutes. What is the correct procedure?
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The decision
The player can leave the penalties (penalty shoot-out) but may not be replaced. The opposing team must remove one player (to equalise the numbers) and inform the referee.
A player (Team A) is injured at the end of extra time and unable to continue. Team A has already used its maximum number of substitutes. May Team A exclude the injured player from taking part in the penalties (penalty shoot-out)? What is the correct procedure assuming that both teams have the same number of players on the field?
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The decision
Yes, the injured player may be excluded. Team B must then exclude one player and inform the referee of the name/number of this excluded player.
A player is cautioned (yellow card, YC) during extra time. After the match has ended, the same player receives a YC during penalties (penalty shoot-out). What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
Warnings and cautions (YCs) issued during the match (including during extra time) are not carried forward into penalties (penalty shoot-out). A player who receives a YC during both the match and the penalties (penalty shoot-out) is not sent off. The two separate cautions are reported to the appropriate authorities.
A goalkeeper is injured during penalties (penalty shoot-out) and is unable to continue. The team has already used three substitutes. May the injured goalkeeper be replaced?
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The decision
Yes. The goalkeeper may be replaced by:
1. a substitute, if the competition rules allow an additional substitute in extra time;
2. a player excluded to equalise the number of players; or
3. a team-mate who is on the field.
Can an injured player who is off the field of play being treated at the final whistle take part in penalties (penalty shoot-out)?
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The decision
Yes – any player who was temporarily off the field for a valid reason (injury, changing equipment etc.) is eligible to take a kick. However, substitutions cannot be made after the match has ended except for a goalkeeper who is unable to continue (if the team has not used the maximum number of substitutes).
Having used all substitutes does not make the injured player ineligible. The key question is whether the player was temporarily off the field for treatment when the match ended. Law 10 includes that player among those eligible for the shoot-out. If they recover, they may take a kick.
If the player cannot continue, an outfield player cannot be replaced after the match, even if the team had unused substitutes. The player may be excluded before the kicks or leave during them. If that leaves their team with fewer eligible players, the opposing team reduces its number to match and tells the referee which player is excluded.
The goalkeeper has a separate exception. An unable-to-continue goalkeeper may be replaced by a named substitute only if the team has not used its maximum permitted substitutions, or by a player previously excluded to equalise numbers. An eligible team-mate may also change places with the goalkeeper. If the original goalkeeper can still participate as an outfield player, the number of eligible players has not changed, so the opponents do not reduce their numbers.
LAW 10 · The Outcome of a Match
Must the referee be informed of the order in which players will take the kicks during penalties (penalty shoot-out)?
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The decision
No. The order of the kickers is the tactical responsibility of the teams. The referee’s responsibility is to make sure that no player takes a second kick before every other team member has taken their first kick.
At the end of the match and before penalties (penalty shoot-out) Team A has a greater number of players than its opponents (Team B). What is the correct procedure?
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The decision
Team A must reduce its numbers to the same number as its opponents and the referee must be informed of the name and number of each player excluded. Any such excluded player is not eligible to take part in the kicks (except as outlined in the Laws of the Game).
LAW 10 · The Outcome of a Match / Fouls and Misconduct
A coach enters the field of play during penalties (penalty shoot-out) and approaches the penalty area to confront the referee. What action does the referee take?
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The decision
The coach is sent off (red card) and must leave the field of play and its immediate surrounds, including the technical area.
LAW 10 · The Outcome of a Match / Fouls and Misconduct
During penalties (penalty shoot-out), a coach acts in a provocative manner towards opposing team officials. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee may take disciplinary action against team officials who fail to act in a responsible manner during kicks. The coach will be cautioned (yellow card) or sent off (red card) depending on the exact circumstances.
A forward (Team A) is in an offside position at the moment when a team-mate takes a shot on the goal. After that, the defender (Team B) deliberately handles the ball on the goal line. The ball goes to the forward who scores a goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
A player in an offside position receiving the ball from an opponent who deliberately plays the ball, including by deliberate handball, is not considered to have gained an advantage (no offside offence). Since the defender has unsuccessfully tried to stop a goal with their hand(s)/arm(s), the referee plays advantage and awards a goal. There is no disciplinary sanction (the defender is not cautioned or sent off).
A goalkeeper catches the ball and attempts to start a quick counter-attack by throwing the ball to a team-mate near the halfway line. At which moment of the goalkeeper’s contact with the ball is the team-mate’s offside position determined?
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The decision
When the goalkeeper throws the ball, the offside position is determined at the moment the goalkeeper releases the ball, as this last touch provides a clear and consistent reference point.
A defender (Team A) attempts to kick the ball out of the penalty area. The ball deflects off another defender (Team A) and goes to an attacker (Team B), who has been in an offside position since the first defender kicked the ball. The attacker controls the ball and is unfairly challenged (careless tackle) by an opponent inside Team A’s penalty area. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
There is no offside offence, as the ball was not played or touched by a team-mate of the attacker. The referee therefore awards a penalty kick to Team B. The careless challenge itself does not warrant a caution, unless it denied the attacker an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.
An attacker is in an offside position when their team-mate makes a long pass towards them. However, the ball does not reach the attacker, as it is intercepted by a defender. The defender controls the ball with their feet, moves a few metres and touches the ball several times. After that, the attacker, who was in an offside position, runs to the ball, tackles the defender and gains possession without committing a foul. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
The attacker, returning from an offside position, becomes involved in play after the defender has gained clear control of the ball and moved with it; therefore, the attacker may fairly challenge the defender. No offside offence or foul has been committed, so the referee allows play to continue.
An attacker and a defender chase the ball in the middle of the field of play. The attacker kicks the ball past the defender, who fails to touch the ball and commits a late careless tackle which stops a promising attack (SPA). However, another attacker, who was clearly in an offside position when their team-mate kicked the ball, gains possession and runs towards the opponents’ goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee cannot apply the advantage because the attacker who gained the ball was offside when it was kicked. Therefore, the referee stops play, awards a direct free kick for the foul (as it occurred before the offside offence), and cautions (yellow card) the defender for unsporting behaviour (SPA offence).
A midfielder plays a through ball towards two team-mates: a winger in an onside position (who controls the ball) and an attacker in an offside position (who does not move towards the ball and does not interfere with any opponent). Both players then run into the opponents’ penalty area, and the winger passes the ball to the attacker, who is now in an onside position. What is the correct decision if the attacker scores a goal?
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The decision
The attacker who was initially in an offside position did not commit an offside offence when the ball went to and was initially played by the winger (their team-mate). After that, a new phase of play started, and the attacker was then onside when the ball was passed to them, so the referee awards the goal.
A defender from Team A kicks the ball backwards to their goalkeeper. The pass is unsuccessful as the ball deflects off an opponent from Team B and then goes to a Team B attacker who has remained in an offside position since the defender kicked the ball. The attacker controls the ball and scores a goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee disallows the goal and awards an indirect free kick to Team A for offside. It does not matter whether the ball went from one Team B player to another Team B player (who was in an offside position) accidentally or deliberately.
An attacker is in an offside position at the moment a team-mate takes a direct free kick. While the ball is in the air, the attacker jumps to head it but does not touch the ball. The attacker’s movement confuses the goalkeeper, who fails to make a save, and the ball enters the goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The attacker who was in an offside position has an impact on the goalkeeper by clearly attempting to play the ball when it is close. This is an offside offence, so the referee awards an indirect free kick to the goalkeeper’s team.
An attacker is in an offside position at the moment their team-mate takes a free kick. While the ball is in the air, the attacker moves towards the opposing goalkeeper and jumps in front of them, attempting to head the ball. Although the attacker does not touch the ball, their action clearly impacts on the goalkeeper, who can only parry the ball with one hand and is unable to catch it. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The attacker who was in an offside position interferes with the goalkeeper by clearly attempting to play the ball and therefore has an impact on the opponent. This is an offside offence, so the referee awards an indirect free kick to the goalkeeper’s team.
An attacker takes a corner kick to a team-mate. The team-mate then passes the ball back to the kicker, who is in an offside position and plays the ball. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
Law 11 makes it clear that there is no offside offence if a player receives the ball directly from a corner kick. However, once the corner kick has been taken, the player who took the corner kick can then be offside. In this situation, the referee awards an indirect free kick to the defending team for an offside offence by the kicker (interference with play by playing the ball passed by the team-mate).
A defender (Team A) takes a free kick and passes the ball to an attacker (Team A) who is standing in an offside position in the opponents’ half. The attacker then moves back into Team A’s own half and plays the ball. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee stops play and awards an indirect free kick to Team B at the position where the offside offence occurred – where the attacker played the ball and thus interfered with play.
A goalkeeper (Team A) leaves the penalty area and attempts to kick the ball away. The clearance is unsuccessful and the ball goes to an opponent (Team B), who takes a shot with an attacker (also Team B) in an offside position between the goalkeeper and the last defender (Team A). The defender deliberately blocks the shot with their leg and stops the ball from going into the goal. The ball goes to the (offside) attacker who scores. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee disallows the goal and awards an indirect free kick to the defending team. It is an offside offence because the attacker in an offside position gained an advantage by playing the ball after the deliberate save by the defender.
An attacker is in an offside position when their team-mate makes a long pass towards them. The ball does not reach the attacker because a defender anticipates its movement in the air and clears the ball by deliberately heading it (without being challenged by any opponent). After that, the attacker becomes involved in play, gains possession of the ball and kicks it into the opponents’ goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards the goal (no offside offence) because the attacker received the ball from the defender who deliberately played it. As the ball travelled from distance, the defender anticipated its arrival and had time to position themselves, so they are considered to have had control of the ball.
An attacker is in an offside position when their team-mate takes a shot on goal. The goalkeeper saves the shot and the ball rebounds to the attacker who plays the ball and is then carelessly fouled by a defender inside the penalty area. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The attacker who was in an offside position committed an offside offence as they gained an advantage by playing the ball after it was saved by the goalkeeper. The offside offence occurred before the foul, so the referee awards an indirect free kick to the defending team, not a penalty kick.
A defender (Team A) attempts to clear the ball out of the penalty area. The clearance is blocked by an opposing player (Team B), and the ball deflects off their foot to a Team B attacker in an offside position, who then scores a goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee disallows the goal and awards an indirect free kick to Team A. The attacker (Team B) is penalised for an offside offence because they interfered with play, having been in an offside position at the moment the ball was touched by another Team B player.
Before a free kick is taken by Team A, a defender (Team B) deliberately leaves the field of play over the goal line without the referee’s permission to put an attacker (Team A) in an offside position. The attacker then receives the ball directly from the free kick and scores a goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The goal is awarded and the defender is cautioned (yellow card) for deliberately leaving the field without permission. The attacker was not in an offside position because, according to Law 11, a defending player who leaves the field is considered to be on the goal line until the next stoppage in play or until the defending team plays the ball towards the halfway line and it is outside the penalty area.
A goalkeeper takes a goal kick and makes a long pass to an attacker (team-mate) who is in an offside position. The attacker controls the ball and is then fouled by a defender outside their penalty area (careless tackle which stops a promising attack, SPA). What is the correct decision?
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The decision
There is no offside offence if a player receives the ball directly from a goal kick, so the referee penalises the defender’s foul and awards a direct free kick for the attacker’s team. The defender is cautioned (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour (SPA offence).
A player (Team A) makes a long pass towards a forward (Team A) who is in an offside position, close to the opponents’ penalty area. A defender (Team B) also chases after the ball and kicks it first while running (limited contact with the ball in the air). After that, the forward receives the ball and passes it to a team-mate who scores a goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee disallows the goal for an offside offence. The defender’s contact with the ball is not considered to be ‘deliberate play’ because they were not in control of the ball and had no possibility of clearing it by kicking. Although the ball travelled from distance, the defender was running without time to coordinate their body movement.
A winger (Team A) attempts to make a strong pass towards a forward (Team A) who is in an offside position, in the opponents’ penalty area. A defender (Team B) who is a few metres from the winger instinctively stretches out their leg to block/intercept the pass. The ball deflects off the defender’s leg and goes to the forward who scores a goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee disallows the goal and awards an indirect free kick for an offside offence because the forward gains an advantage by playing the ball when it has deflected off the opponent. The defender is not considered to have ‘deliberately played’ the ball because they had no control of the ball and no possibility of clearing it by kicking. The ball came from a short distance and moved quickly, and the defender had no time to coordinate their body movement.
A player (Team A) makes a long pass towards a forward (Team A) who is in an offside position. The ball moves on the ground and is played by a defender (Team B) who anticipated the direction of the ball and had time to coordinate their body but fails to control the ball. As a result of this contact, the ball goes to the forward who scores a goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards the goal (no offside offence) because the forward received the ball from the defender who had deliberately played the ball. The ball travelled from distance and the defender had the possibility of gaining possession of the ball. The fact that this attempt was unsuccessful does not stop it being ‘deliberate play’.
A player (Team A) makes a long pass towards a forward (Team A) who is in an offside position. The pass does not reach the forward because a defender (Team B) controls the ball in the air by using their chest to play the ball towards the goalkeeper (Team B). The pass is inaccurate and the forward intercepts the ball. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee allows play to continue (no offside offence) because the forward received the ball from the defender who had deliberately played the ball. The ball travelled from distance and the defender attempted to pass the ball to the goalkeeper. The fact that the pass was unsuccessful does not stop it being ‘deliberate play’.
A forward is in an onside position at the moment when their team-mate takes a shot and then in an offside position when the goalkeeper saves the shot. After that, the ball goes to the forward who scores a goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards the goal. There is no offence because a player’s position for offside is determined at the moment the ball is played or touched by a team-mate (not an opponent).
An attacker from Team A is in an offside position when the ball is passed by a team-mate. Instead of running towards the ball, this attacker moves in the opposite direction and interferes with the movement of a defender from Team B. Neither touches the ball, which goes to another attacker from Team A, who was in an onside position at the time of the pass. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards an indirect free kick to the defending team for an offside offence, as the first attacker interfered with an opponent by clearly affecting the defender’s ability to play or challenge for the ball.
Two attacking players move towards the opponents’ goal which is defended only by the goalkeeper. One attacker runs with the ball into the penalty area and passes the ball to the other attacker who is nearer to the opponents’ goal line than the ball and the second-last opponent. The attacker receives the ball and shoots over the crossbar. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
Play is restarted with an indirect free kick to the defending team from the place where the offside offence occurred. If the ball was received (played) by the attacker inside the goal area, the free kick may be taken anywhere in that area.
A player takes a throw-in quickly and delivers the ball to a team-mate who is in an offside position. The team-mate controls the ball inside the opponents’ penalty area and is then carelessly fouled by an opponent. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a penalty kick because there is no offside offence if a player receives the ball directly from a throw-in.
An attacker passes the ball to a team-mate in an offside position and, immediately after that, is fouled by a defender (reckless tackle outside the penalty area). The team-mate waits for the ball, receives it a few seconds after the foul and then runs towards the opponents’ goal (one-on-one situation). What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee stops play, cautions (yellow card) the defender and awards a direct free kick to the attacking team as the foul has occurred before the offside offence. The referee could not allow play to continue because the attacking team could not benefit from the advantage in this situation as their team-mate was offside.
Team A player takes a throw-in. The ball enters the field of play, deflects off a defender (Team B) and goes to an attacker (Team A) who was in an offside position at the moment the throw-in was taken. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee allows play to continue as a player cannot be offside from a throw-in and, after the throw-in was taken, the ball was not touched or played by any Team A player (until it reached the attacker).
A midfielder (Team A) makes a long pass to a forward (Team A) who is aware of their offside position and initially does not move towards the ball. After that, a defender (Team B) shields the ball to let it go out for a goal kick (without touching it) but the ball slows down and does not leave the field of play. The forward notices this, catches up with the defender and challenges for the ball. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee stops play and awards an indirect free kick to Team B where the offside offence occurred (where the forward challenged the defender for the ball).
A player kicks a free kick into the opponents’ penalty area. While the ball is in the air, a defender holds an attacker and prevents them from jumping for the ball. After that, the ball goes to another attacker who scores a goal, having been in an offside position when the ball was last played by a team-mate. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee disallows the goal (because of the offside offence) and awards a penalty kick (as the holding offence occurred before the offside offence). If the foul denied an obvious-goal scoring opportunity (DOGSO), the defender is sent off (red card, no attempt to play the ball or challenge for the ball). If it was not a DOGSO situation, the defender is cautioned (yellow card).
A goalkeeper takes a free kick inside their penalty area and makes a long pass to a team-mate who is standing in the opponents’ half and who is nearer to the opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent. The team-mate receives the ball, runs into the opponents’ penalty area and scores a goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee disallows the goal and awards an indirect free kick to the opposing team. It is an offside offence if the player interferes with play by playing/touching the ball received directly from the free kick.
An attacker is in an offside position at the moment the ball is kicked towards the penalty area by a team-mate. This attacker moves and deliberately blocks an opponent (there is contact). Another attacker (who was onside) receives the ball and scores a goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee disallows the goal and awards a direct free kick to the defending team for the Law 12 physical offence which is penalised (rather than any offside offence) as it is the more serious offence.
An attacker (Team A) is in an offside position when a defender (Team B) passes the ball to a goalkeeper (Team B). The attacker intercepts the ball, runs into the penalty area and is fouled by the goalkeeper. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The attacker is not penalised for offside because the attacker received the ball from the opponent who deliberately played the ball. In this case, the referee awards a penalty kick and takes appropriate disciplinary action against the goalkeeper.
An attacking team player is in an offside position at the moment when their team-mate takes a free kick. After the ball is in play, a defending team player pushes the attacker inside the penalty area before the attacker starts moving towards the ball. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a penalty kick because the attacker in an offside position is fouled before any offside offence has been committed. The offender receives the appropriate disciplinary sanction.
Team A player takes a throw-in and throws the ball towards the opponents’ penalty area. An attacker (Team A) attempts to take a shot but fails to kick the ball. The attacker’s movement confuses the goalkeeper (Team B) and the ball enters the goal (without touching any player except the thrower). What is the correct decision if the attacker was in an offside position at the moment the ball was thrown?
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The decision
There is no offside offence because the attacker received the ball directly from a throw-in. As a goal cannot be scored directly from a throw-in, the referee awards a goal kick to Team B.
A player starts a counter-attack and passes the ball to a team-mate who is nearer to the opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent. At the time of the pass, the team-mate is in their own half of the field except one extended arm that is beyond the halfway line. The team-mate receives the ball and starts running towards the opponents’ goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee allows play to continue. The hands and arms of players are not considered so the team-mate is not in an offside position.
A player (Team A) makes a pass to an attacker (Team A) who is in an offside position in the opponents’ penalty area. The attacker moves very close to a defender (Team B) who accidentally kicks the ball into Team B’s goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The attacker is penalised for an offside offence if their action clearly impacted on the defender. In this case, the referee disallows the goal and awards an indirect free kick to Team B.
A defender (Team A) tries to kick the ball out of the penalty area. The ball hits another defender (Team A) and goes to an attacker (Team B) who has been in an offside position since the first defender kicked the ball. The attacker scores a goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The goal is awarded as the ball has not been played/touched by a team-mate of the scorer.
While a forward (Team A) takes a shot on the goal, a midfielder (Team A) is standing in an offside position on the goal line. The midfielder does not attempt to play the ball and does not challenge the goalkeeper and other Team B players (no impact on the opponents). The ball goes directly into the goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a goal because the midfielder has not committed an offside offence.
An attacker tries to kick the ball and score a goal. The attacker touches the ball but fails to take a shot. As a result, the ball accidentally goes to a team-mate who is in an offside position. The team-mate scores a goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards an indirect free kick to the defending team where the offside offence occurred. Law 11 states that a player in an offside position is penalised for interfering with play by playing/touching a ball passed or touched by a team-mate (it is not required that the ball is received from a team-mate who deliberately passed the ball).
A midfielder (Team A) passes the ball towards an attacker (Team A) who is in an offside position and challenges for the ball. After that, a defender (Team B) pushes the attacker in a reckless manner outside the penalty area. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards an indirect free kick to Team B because the offside offence occurred before the foul. The referee must also take appropriate disciplinary action against the defender and caution (yellow card) the player for the reckless push.
A player (Team A) passes the ball to an attacker (Team A) who is nearer to the opponents’ goal line than the ball and the goalkeeper (Team B). At the time of the pass, there is one defender (Team B) nearer to the goal line than the attacker. The attacker scores a goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The attacker was in an offside position. The referee awards an indirect free kick to Team B where the offside offence occurred – where the attacker interfered with play (played the ball).
A midfielder (Team A) passes the ball towards an attacker (Team A) who is in an offside position and challenges for the ball. After that, a defender (Team B) pulls the attacker’s shirt outside the penalty area and, in the opinion of the referee, stops a promising attack (SPA). The referee stops play and notices that the assistant referee has indicated an offside offence. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards an indirect free kick to Team B because the offside offence occurred before the foul. As the attacker was in an offside position, there was no promising attack, so the defender cannot be cautioned for SPA (no yellow card).
A defender (Team A) starts an attack and tries to make a long pass to an attacker (Team A) who is standing in an offside position in the opponents’ half. The attacker moves back into Team A’s half and plays the ball. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee stops play and awards an indirect free kick to Team B where the offside offence occurred – where the attacker interfered with play (played the ball).
A player (Team A) takes a corner kick and passes the ball to a team-mate who is standing close, in an offside position. After that, the team-mate passes the ball to another Team A player (in an onside position) who heads the ball and scores a goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The goal is awarded. There is no offside offence because the team-mate received the ball directly from the corner kick.
Which parts of the player’s body are considered when judging an offside position?
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The decision
Any part of the head, body or feet, apart from hands and arms of all players (including the goalkeepers). For the purposes of determining offside, the upper boundary of the arm is in line with the bottom of the armpit.
An attacker is in an offside position at the moment when his/her team-mate takes a free kick. The attacker receives the ball directly and scores a goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards an indirect free kick to the defending team. It is an offside offence if the player interferes with play by playing/touching the ball received directly from the free kick.
A forward is in an offside position at the moment when a midfielder (his/her team-mate) takes a shot on the goal. After that, the ball rebounds off the crossbar and goes to the forward who scores a goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards an indirect free kick to the defending team. It is an offside offence as the forward is considered to have gained an advantage from being in an offside position and is therefore penalised for playing the ball.
An attacker (Team A) in an offside position and a defender (Team B) jump for a header and compete for the ball. Neither of them touches the ball which goes to another Team A player who is in an onside position and scores. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards an indirect free kick to Team B. It is an offside offence because the attacker clearly attempted to play the ball which was close and this action impacted on the opponent.
A defending player (Team A) challenges an attacking player (Team B) and deliberately kicks the ball (no foul is committed). After that, the ball goes directly to another Team B player who is in an offside position. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee allows play to continue. There is no offside offence if a player in an offside position receives the ball from an opponent who deliberately plays the ball.
A forward (Team A) is in an offside position at the moment when a midfielder (Team A) takes a shot on the goal. The goalkeeper (Team B) saves the shot and the ball goes to the forward who scores a goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards an indirect free kick to Team B. It is an offside offence – the forward is penalised for gaining an advantage by playing the ball when it has been deliberately saved by an opponent.
A forward is in an offside position at the moment when a midfielder (his/her team-mate) takes a shot on the goal. After that, the ball rebounds off a goalpost and goes to the forward who scores a goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards an indirect free kick to the defending team. It is an offside offence as the forward is considered to have gained an advantage of being in an offside position and penalised for playing the ball.
A goalkeeper takes a goal kick and makes a long pass to a team-mate who is standing in the opponents’ half nearer to the opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent. The team-mate receives the ball, runs into the opponents’ penalty area and scores a goal. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
The goal is awarded. There is no offside offence if a player receives the ball directly from a goal kick.
A midfielder (Team A) passes the ball back to a defender (Team A). The defender gains control of the ball but, before he/she plays the ball, an opposing player (Team B) came from an offside position, made a challenge and intercepted the ball. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
Play continues – the Team B player is not 'offside' as the ball was not played by another Team B player.
A defending player (Team A) tries to pass the ball to his/her goalkeeper (Team A) but instead plays the ball to an attacking player (Team B) who is in an offside position. After that, the attacker attempts to play the ball and this action impacts on the goalkeeper. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
The referee allows play to continue. The attacker (Team B) is not considered to have gained an advantage as the defender (Team A) deliberately played the ball.
An attacking player (Team A) in an offside position receives the ball from a defending player (Team B) who made a clear movement towards the ball and tried to intercept a pass that could lead to a clear goal-scoring opportunity. Is the defender’s action considered a ‘deliberate save’ for offside?
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The decision
No, because a ‘save’ is only when a player stops, or attempts to stop, a ball which is going into or very close to the goal. The referee allows play to continue as the attacking player (Team A) is not considered to have gained an advantage as the defender (Team B) deliberately played the ball.
A player starts a counter-attack and passes the ball to a team-mate who is standing in their own half, nearer to the opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent. The team-mate receives the ball and starts running towards the opponents’ goal. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
The referee allows play to continue because the team-mate is not in an offside position as no part of the attacker's body (i.e. any part of the head, body or feet) is in the opponents’ half.
A player scores a goal while a defending player lies injured next to the goal line (on the field of play). What is the referee's decision?
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The decision
If there are two or more opponents nearer the goal line then the attacker is not offside and a goal is awarded. It does not matter what position a defender is in: standing, sitting, lying etc.
A defending player leaves the field of play without the referee’s permission. How should this situation be judged regarding the opponents’ offside position?
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The decision
The player shall be considered to be on the goal line or touchline until the next stoppage of play or until the defending team has played the ball towards the halfway line and it is outside their penalty area.
A player in an offside position is moving towards the ball with the intention of playing the ball and is fouled in the penalty area before playing the ball or challenging an opponent for the ball. What is the referee's decision?
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The decision
It is a penalty kick. The foul is penalised as it has occurred before the offside offence.
An attacking player remains stationary between the goalposts and inside the goal when the ball enters the goal. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
A goal must be awarded unless the player commits an offside offence or a Law 12 offence, in which case play is restarted with an indirect or direct free kick.
A player moving from an offside position interferes with the movement of the opponent towards the ball. Is it an offside offence?
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The decision
Yes, if it impacts on the ability of the opponent to play or challenge for the ball. If the player intentionally impeded the opponent’s progress (e.g. blocks the opponent), the offence should be penalised under Law 12.
A free kick is awarded for an offside offence. A player kicks the free kick directly into the opponents’ goal. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
If an offside offence occurs, the referee awards an indirect free kick. A goal cannot be scored directly from an indirect free kick; a goal kick is awarded to the opponents.
An attacking team player is fouled after he/she has passed the ball to a team-mate who was in an offside position when the pass was made. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
Whichever offence occurs first is penalised so the foul is only penalised if it occurs before the player in an offside position commits an offside offence (e.g. touched the ball). If both offences occur at the same time the foul is penalised as it is more serious i.e. offside is punished with an indirect free kick whereas the foul is punished with a direct free kick.
After the ball has been played by Team A, an offence is committed against a player of Team A who was in an offside position and was already challenging an opponent (Team B) for the ball inside the opponents’ penalty area. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
An indirect free kick is awarded to Team B. The offside offence is penalised as it has occurred before the foul challenge.
The shot by an attacking player (Team A) is deflected by an opponent (Team B) to another attacker (Team A) who plays the ball having previously been in an offside position. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
It is an offside offence. The referee will award an indirect free kick to Team B where the offside offence occurred.
An attacking player in an offside position is clearly obstructing the goalkeeper’s line of vision. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
It is an offside offence. The referee awards an indirect free kick to the defending team. The attacking player is penalised for preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the goalkeeper’s line of vision.
An attacker (C) is in an offside position, not interfering with an opponent, when a team-mate (A) passes the ball to player (B) in an onside position who runs towards the opponents’ goal and later passes the ball to the team-mate (C) who is in an onside position at this moment. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
The referee allows play to continue as no offside offence is committed.
An attacking player steps off the field of play not to be involved in active play. After that, the player re-enters from the goal line. How should this situation be judged in terms of an offside position?
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The decision
If the attacking player re-enters from the goal line and becomes involved in play before:
* the next stoppage in play or
* the defending team has played the ball towards the halfway line and it is outside its penalty area
the player shall be considered to be positioned on the goal line for the purposes of offside.
An attacking player in an offside position (Team A) runs towards the ball but does not play the ball or prevent the opponent (Team B) from playing or being able to play the ball. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
It is not an offside offence so the referee allows play to continue. The attacking player is only penalised if he/she plays the ball or interferes with an opponent.
A defending player (Team A) stops a ball which is going into the goal. After that, the ball is played by an attacking player (Team B) who was in an offside position when the ball was last touched or played by a team-mate. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
It is an offside offence. The referee stops play and awards an indirect free kick to the defending Team A. The attacking player (Team B) is penalised for gaining an advantage by playing the ball when it has been deliberately saved by the opponent.
An attacking team player in an offside position (A) runs towards the ball and a team-mate in an onside position (B) also runs towards the ball and plays it. The first player (A) does not touch the ball and does not impact any opponent’s ability to play or challenge for the ball. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
The referee allows play to continue as the attacking team player (A) has not committed an offside offence.
A goalkeeper prepares to take a goal kick and places the ball on the ground (but does not touch it afterwards). The ball remains stationary inside the goal area and a player from the goalkeeper’s team picks it up with their hands to move it. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
Handling the ball cannot result in a penalty kick as the ball was not in play. If the team is deliberately delaying the goal kick, the referee may use their whistle and/or voice to indicate that they should hurry up. To start the five-second countdown the referee blows the whistle, signals with their hand/arm for the goal kick to be taken and counts down the five seconds with a raised hand. If the ball is not in play by the end of the five seconds, the referee awards a corner kick to the opposing team. There is no caution, unless the goalkeeper or their team-mate then excessively delays the taking of the corner kick by the opposing team.
An attacking player (Team A) kicks the ball which then accidentally touches a hand/arm of their team-mate (Team A). The referee stops play, but wrongly decides that the handball offence was committed by a defending player (Team B), who is punished with a yellow card (YC) and a direct free kick to Team A. May the video assistant referee (VAR) inform the referee that the player from the non-offending team was cautioned?
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The decision
A YC which is not a second YC can be reviewed to identify the player who committed the handball offence that was penalised. In this case, the YC for the defender is cancelled and play is restarted with a direct free kick to Team B.
The goalkeeper delays a goal kick at the end of the match: ignores the ball passed by a ball girl, goes for another ball, and slowly walks to the goal area. The goalkeeper has already been cautioned (yellow card) in the first half. What action does the referee take?
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The decision
As the goalkeeper is deliberately delaying the restart of play, the referee does not have to wait for the goalkeeper to have possession of the ball to blow the whistle and signal the start of a five-second countdown. If the goal kick has not been taken by the end of the five seconds, the referee awards a corner kick to the opposing team. The goalkeeper is cautioned (yellow card) and then sent off (red card) only if they excessively delay the restart after the corner kick has been awarded.
A few minutes before the end of the second half, Team A, which is leading by one goal, is awarded a throw-in. A Team A player slowly walks to the touchline, picks up the ball, and excessively delays taking the throw-in. What action does the referee take?
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The decision
The referee blows the whistle, signals with their hand/arm for the throw-in to be taken and counts down the five seconds with a raised hand. If the ball is not in play by the end of the five seconds, the referee awards the throw-in to the opposing team from the same position as the original throw-in. The offending player is not cautioned, unless they then excessively delay the taking of the throw-in by the opposing team.
A player appears to take a throw-in but suddenly leaves the ball to a team-mate. What action does the referee take?
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The decision
If the team is deliberately delaying the throw-in, the referee may use their whistle and/or voice to indicate that they should hurry up. To start the five-second countdown (which may start without the above cue), the referee blows the whistle, signals with their hand/arm for the throw-in to be taken and counts down the five seconds with a raised hand. If the ball is not in play by the end of the five seconds, the referee awards the throw-in to the opposing team from the same position as the original throw-in.
An attacker takes a shot and the ball is heading towards the empty goal. A defender, unable to clear the ball in time, accidentally touches it with their hand/arm inside the penalty area while attempting to block the shot (in doing so, the defender’s hand/arm makes their body unnaturally bigger). The ball then changes direction and goes to another attacker who scores a goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee plays the advantage and awards the goal. If the defender had denied the opposing team a goal and the referee had awarded a penalty kick for a non-deliberate handball offence, the defender would have been cautioned (yellow card). As the advantage was applied and a goal was scored, there is no disciplinary sanction for the defender.
An attacker runs with the ball towards the opponents’ goal in a one-on-one situation. The goalkeeper runs out of their penalty area and commits a careless tackle, causing the attacker to fall and denying them an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO). The referee allows play to continue because the attacker quickly gets up, wins the ball back, and then kicks the ball into the goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee plays the advantage following a DOGSO offence and, as a result, the attacking team scores, so the goal is awarded, and the goalkeeper is not cautioned or sent off.
Which handball offences are punished with a caution (yellow card, YC)/sending-off (red card, RC)?
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The decision
A player is cautioned (YC) if they handle the ball:
* to interfere with or stop a promising attack (except where the referee awards a penalty kick for a non-deliberate handball offence)
* in an attempt to score a goal
* and deny the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity and the referee awards a penalty kick for a non-deliberate handball offence
A player is sent off (RC) if they deny the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by committing:
* a deliberate handball offence (wherever the offence occurs)
* a non-deliberate handball offence outside their own penalty area
While taking a goal kick, a goalkeeper slips on the grass. After the ball is in play, they kick the ball a second time (before it has touched any other player) to deny an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO). The ball goes to an opposing player who scores a goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee plays the advantage following a DOGSO offence and, as a result, the attacking team scores, so the goal is awarded, and the goalkeeper is not cautioned or sent off.
While taking a goal kick, the goalkeeper kicks the ball only a few metres. As an opponent then enters the penalty area and runs towards the ball, the goalkeeper kicks the ball again (before it has touched any other player). This second touch prevents the opponent from gaining control of the ball, denying them an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO); however, the ball rebounds off the opponent’s leg and goes into the goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee plays the advantage following a DOGSO offence and, as a result, the attacking team scores, so the goal is awarded, and the goalkeeper is not cautioned or sent off.
An attacker runs with the ball inside the opponents’ penalty area and tries to go past the goalkeeper (obvious goal-scoring opportunity). The goalkeeper attempts to play the ball and carelessly fouls the attacker who falls to the ground, however, the ball still goes directly into the goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee plays the advantage following a DOGSO offence and, as a result, the attacking team scores, so the goal is awarded, and the goalkeeper is not cautioned or sent off.
A defender competes with an attacker for the ball and commits a careless tackle outside the penalty area which denies the opponent an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO). The referee allows play to continue as the ball goes to another attacking player who gains possession of the ball, takes a shot and scores a goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee plays the advantage following a DOGSO offence and, as a result, the attacking team scores, so the goal is awarded, and the defender who committed the offence is not cautioned or sent off.
A defender (Team A) deliberately touches the ball with their hand/arm outside the penalty area to stop a pass towards an attacker (Team B). The handball offence denies the attacker an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO), however, after that, another Team B player gains possession of the ball, runs one-on-one towards the goal and scores. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee plays the advantage following a DOGSO offence and, as a result, the attacking team scores, so the goal is awarded, and the defender who committed the offence is not cautioned or sent off.
A defending player (Team A) denies an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO) by pulling an opponent’s shirt (Team B) outside the penalty area. The referee allows play to continue as the ball goes to another Team B player who gains the possession, takes a shot on goal and misses the opportunity (the ball goes over the crossbar). What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
The goal kick is awarded to Team A. As the referee played advantage for a DOGSO offence and no other sending-off (red card) offence was committed (neither serious foul play nor violent conduct), and a goal was not scored, the offending player (Team A) is cautioned (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour.
A defending team player commits a careless tackle and stops a promising attack (SPA). The attacking team retains possession of the ball and the referee plays advantage and allows play to continue. Does the referee take a disciplinary action against the defending team player when the ball is next out of play?
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The decision
No, the defending team player is not cautioned because the referee played the advantage for the SPA offence and the careless tackle does not warrant a yellow card.
A defending team player stops a promising attack (SPA). The referee does not start the disciplinary sanction procedure, and the attacking team takes a quick free kick and has a clear goal-scoring opportunity. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
The referee allows play to continue. When the ball is next out of play, the defending team player is not cautioned (no yellow card) because the offence was SPA and the referee allowed the free kick to be taken quickly.
A defending team player deliberately handles the ball within their penalty area and thus prevents the ball from entering the goal. After that, the ball goes to an attacking team player who scores a goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards the goal. Although the deliberate handball offence denied the goal, playing the advantage for this offence allowed the attacking team to score so there is no disciplinary sanction (the defender is not cautioned or sent off).
A defending player uses their hand(s)/arm(s) in an attempt to prevent the ball from going into the goal. What is the referee’s decision if the ball then enters the goal?
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The decision
Since the player has unsuccessfully tried to stop a goal with their hand(s)/arm(s), the referee plays advantage and awards a goal. There is no disciplinary sanction (the defender is not cautioned or sent off).
The referee stops play and awards a penalty kick because a defender recklessly tackles an attacker inside the defender’s penalty area. The attacker is able to continue playing and remains on the field; however, the defender is injured and requires medical attention. What is the correct procedure?
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The decision
The referee cautions the defender (yellow card) for the reckless challenge and requires them to leave the field of play for treatment. The defender cannot be on the field when the penalty kick is taken and may only return (with the referee’s permission) one minute after play has restarted.
A defender commits a careless tackle against an attacker which stops a promising attack (SPA) in the centre circle. The attacker goes down and appears to be seriously injured. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee stops play, awards a direct free kick and cautions (yellow card) the defender for the SPA offence. As the injury results from a physical offence for which the opponent is cautioned, the attacker may stay on the field of play after the assessment/treatment.
A player (Team A) committed a reckless challenge against an opponent (Team B) outside the penalty area. As a result, both players are injured and need attention. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee stops play and awards a direct free kick to Team B. The Team A player is cautioned (yellow card), must leave the field of play and remain off it until play has restarted and one minute has elapsed. The Team B player may stay on the field after the assessment/treatment.
When the substitution board is being shown, the player being substituted is on the far side of the field of play, close to the touchline. After the referee signals for the substitution to take place, the player walks slowly towards the substitute who is at the halfway line. What is the correct procedure?
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The decision
The player must leave the field of play within ten seconds of the substitution board being shown, usually at the nearest point on the boundary line. If the time limit is exceeded, the player must still leave as quickly as possible (no caution, unless they excessively delay the restart). Play restarts, but the substitute may only enter with the referee’s permission during the first stoppage after one minute has elapsed following the restart.
A goalkeeper holds the ball inside their penalty area for eight seconds, then bounces it several times on the ground and catches it again. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The goalkeeper is considered to be in control of the ball with the hand(s)/arm(s) while bouncing it, so this bouncing does not stop or reset the eight-second countdown. Since the goalkeeper controlled the ball longer than the time limit, the referee awards a corner kick to the opposing team, taken from the side closest to the goalkeeper’s position when penalised.
The goalkeeper holds the ball with their hands inside their penalty area for no longer than eight seconds and then drops the ball to the ground instead of throwing or kicking it to a team-mate. What is the correct decision if the goalkeeper is clearly wasting time?
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The decision
Since the goalkeeper released the ball from their hands within the eight-second limit, there is no offence and play continues. The goalkeeper is no longer in control of the ball with their hands, so any opponent can challenge them for the ball. If the goalkeeper touches it with their hand/arm again before it has touched another player, the referee will award an indirect free kick.
What is the correct decision if a goalkeeper holds the ball with their hands/arms inside their penalty area for more than eight seconds before releasing the ball?
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The decision
The referee awards a corner kick to the opposing team which is taken from the side closest to the goalkeeper’s position when penalised. No disciplinary action is taken, unless the goalkeeper repeatedly commits the offence (caution, yellow card).
An attacker prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from the hands, causing the goalkeeper to hold the ball for more than eight seconds. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
Unless the advantage can be played, the referee stops play and awards the goalkeeper’s team:
* a direct free kick – if the attacker touched the goalkeeper
* an indirect free kick – if no contact was made
The attacker is not cautioned, unless the referee judges that their offence was reckless or stopped/interfered with a promising attack (yellow card).
A goalkeeper easily catches a weak shot and then falls to the ground. The goalkeeper stays there for a few seconds (without being challenged by any opponent) and then stands up to release the ball. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
The eight seconds started when the goalkeeper had control of the ball, not when the goalkeeper stood up. If the referee judged that controlling the ball with the hands/arms took longer than the time limit, the opposing team is awarded a corner kick.
An attacker comes very close to the goalkeeper, who has caught the ball inside their penalty area. While the goalkeeper is releasing the ball to pass it with their hands, the attacker jumps in front of the goalkeeper to block the pass (without making contact with the opponent). Immediately after the ball is thrown, it rebounds off the attacker’s head and goes into the goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee disallows the goal and awards an indirect free kick to the goalkeeper’s team because the goalkeeper cannot be challenged when in control of the ball with their hands, nor prevented from releasing the ball. The attacker is cautioned (yellow card) if they commit this offence persistently (repeatedly), or if it stops or interferes with a promising attack.
A defender takes a throw-in and throws the ball to their goalkeeper (a team-mate). The goalkeeper controls the ball with their foot outside their penalty area and notices that an opposing attacker is running quickly towards the ball, so the goalkeeper dribbles into the penalty area and then picks the ball up with their hands. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards an indirect free kick to the attacker’s team because the goalkeeper is not permitted to handle the ball after receiving it directly from a team-mate’s throw-in. Since the handball offence was committed by the goalkeeper inside their penalty area, there is no disciplinary sanction (no card for stopping a promising attack or denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity).
A defender passes the ball under pressure from an attacker, who commits a late, reckless tackle shortly after the ball is played by the defender. The ball remains on the field of play, and the attacker’s team gains possession. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee stops play and awards a direct free kick to the defender’s team. The attacker is cautioned (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour as the tackle was reckless. The fact that the foul occurred after the ball was played by the defender is irrelevant because the ball was still in play at the time of the offence.
An attacking player scores in the opponents’ goal after the ball has touched their shoulder. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
When judging handball offences, only contact between the ball and the hand or the arm below the bottom of the armpit is considered (as defined in Law 12). The shoulder is not part of the arm for handball. It is therefore a part of the body with which a goal can be legitimately scored, so the goal is awarded, whether the use of the shoulder is deliberate or accidental.
A defending team player who is on the field of play, close to the touchline, deliberately handles the ball as it is going past them (with no opponents nearby), preventing it from leaving the field of play. Otherwise, the ball would have gone out for a throw-in to the opposing team. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
Any deliberate handball is penalised with a direct free kick; however, no disciplinary sanction is required because the player’s offence did not stop a promising attack or deny the opposing team an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.
A defender recklessly challenges an attacker for the ball inside the defender’s penalty area and this foul denies the opponent an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO). What is the sanction if the referee awards a penalty kick?
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The decision
The defender committed two offences listed in Law 12 under ‘Cautions for unsporting behaviour’:
* a direct free kick offence committed in a reckless manner
* a DOGSO offence which was a challenge for the ball and resulted in a penalty kick
When more than one offence occurs at the same time, the referee punishes the more serious offence. As both offences are punishable with a yellow card, a yellow card is shown for the reckless challenge, as its physical severity is more serious than the ‘tactical’ DOGSO offence.
A defender fairly challenges an attacker for the ball, and the referee allows play to continue because no foul has been committed even though the attacker fell to the ground. The attacker then gets up and deliberately stamps on the opponent’s back in the middle of the field. What is the correct decision if the ball is still in play?
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The decision
The referee awards a direct free kick to the defender’s team. The attacker’s offence is violent conduct and punished with a sending-off (red card).
After the goalkeeper has caught the ball inside their penalty area, an opposing attacker quickly moves into the goalkeeper’s path and deliberately slows down the start of a potential counter-attack. What is the correct decision if the attacker does not touch the goalkeeper or the ball?
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The decision
Unless the advantage can be applied, play is stopped and restarted with an indirect free kick for preventing the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from their hands. The attacker is cautioned (yellow card) if their offence is considered by the referee to be persistent (repeated), reckless, or it stops/interferes with a promising attack.
A defender recklessly tackles an attacker outside the penalty area and this foul denies the opponent an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO). What is the correct decision if the advantage is not applied?
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The decision
The referee stops play and awards a direct free kick. When two offences are committed at the same time, the more serious offence is punished, so the defender receives a red card for the DOGSO offence rather than a yellow card for the reckless foul.
While taking a goal kick, a defender attempts to pass the ball to a nearby midfielder but slips and the ball is kicked only a few metres. As an opposing attacker then enters the penalty area and runs towards the ball, the goalkeeper dives and catches it to prevent the opponent from gaining control. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
The referee allows play to continue. The goalkeeper is permitted to handle the ball inside their penalty area because their team-mate did not deliberately kick the ball to the goalkeeper.
A defender from Team A stops a promising attack (SPA) by pulling an opponent’s shirt. After the referee whistles to stop play for a free kick to Team B, but before the disciplinary sanction procedure has started, another player from Team A picks up the ball and holds it to prevent the free kick from being taken quickly. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
Both players are cautioned (shown a yellow card):
* the defender for unsporting behaviour (SPA offence)
* their team-mate for delaying the restart of play
Play is restarted with a direct free kick from the position of the pulling offence.
A defender starts an argument with an attacker and pushes the opponent outside the penalty area while the ball is in play in the middle of the field. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
The referee may stop play and award a direct free kick for the attacker’s team where the pushing offence occurred, even though it was away from the ball and did not have any impact on play. Depending on the force used, the defender is:
* cautioned (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour – if the offence was reckless
* sent off (red card) for violent conduct – if excessive force or brutality was used
Team A is awarded a free kick for a reckless foul in the middle of the field of play. While the referee is approaching the offending Team B player and taking the yellow card out of their pocket, a Team A player takes the free kick and passes the ball to a team-mate who is in a promising attack situation. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The free kick must be retaken by Team A because the referee had already started the disciplinary sanction procedure and distracted the players of Team B, so they could not defend Team A’s attack.
A player recklessly tackles an opponent while challenging for the ball, which is on the touchline. What is the referee’s decision if contact with the opponent’s leg occurs outside the field of play, but the ball has not left the field?
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The decision
The player is cautioned (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour. The reckless tackle was committed off the field of play when the ball was in play, therefore, play is restarted with a direct free kick on the touchline nearest to where the offence occurred.
A defender receives the ball from a team-mate, ‘flicks’ it up with their foot and heads it to their goalkeeper, who bends down to pick it up inside their penalty area. However, as no opponent approaches, the goalkeeper dribbles the ball with their feet and then kicks it upfield. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee stops play and cautions (yellow card) the defender, as the player responsible for initiating a deliberate trick to circumvent Law 12, which clearly states that this unsporting behaviour is penalised whether or not the goalkeeper touches the ball with the hands. Play is restarted with an indirect free kick to the opposing team where the trick occurred.
An attacker (Team A) and a defender (Team B) are chasing the ball, which was last touched by the attacking team and is about to leave the field of play over the goal line. After the ball has wholly passed over the goal line, the defender recklessly pushes the attacker inside Team B’s penalty area. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The defender is cautioned (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour. A penalty kick cannot be awarded because the reckless pushing offence occurred when the ball was not in play. Therefore, play is restarted with a goal kick to Team B.
An attacking player deliberately uses their hand/arm to control the ball inside the opponents’ penalty area. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee stops play and awards a direct free kick to the opposing team for a deliberate handball offence. A caution (yellow card) is not required, unless the referee judges that the player’s action was an attempt to score.
A goalkeeper (Team A) leaves the penalty area and carelessly fouls an attacker (Team B), denying the opponent an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. The referee allows play to continue because another Team B player gains control of the ball and takes a shot. As the ball is heading towards the goal, a defender (Team A) deliberately moves their hand/arm towards the ball and prevents it from entering the goal. What decisions does the referee make?
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The decision
The referee awards a penalty kick to Team B. The defender is sent off (red card) for denying a goal by committing a deliberate handball offence. The goalkeeper is cautioned (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour but is not sent off because applying advantage restored the obvious goal-scoring opportunity.
A player was cautioned (shown a yellow card, YC) for unsporting behaviour during the first half. During the second half, the same player stops a promising attack (SPA) by pulling an opponent’s shirt. After the referee whistles to stop play for a free kick, but before the disciplinary sanction procedure has started, the offender kicks the ball away to prevent the free kick from being taken quickly. What action does the referee take?
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The decision
The player is shown the yellow card only once, for the SPA offence. As this is their second YC in the match, the player is then shown a red card and sent off. The third YC, for the final cautionable offence (delaying the restart of play), is not shown; however, all three offences must be included by the referee in the post-match disciplinary report.
A player (Team A) carelessly pushes an opponent (Team B) while the ball is in play. The ball then passes over the touchline, and the Team A player picks it up to take a throw-in; however, the match officials signal that play will be restarted with a direct free kick to Team B. In response, the offending Team A player furiously throws the ball on the ground and waves their arms to show disagreement. What is the referee’s decision if the player has already been cautioned during the match?
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The decision
The player is cautioned (yellow card) for a clear act of dissent by action and then sent off (red card), as this is their second caution in the match. Play is restarted with the free kick to Team B.
A goalkeeper takes a goal kick and plays the ball towards a defender who is inside their penalty area, facing the goalkeeper and unaware of an opposing attacker waiting outside the penalty area. After the ball is kicked and clearly moves, the attacker quickly runs into the penalty area and is about to intercept the ball. The defender then makes a late challenge and carelessly fouls the attacker. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a penalty kick. The defender is cautioned (yellow card) if the illegal challenge for the ball denied the attacker an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. Law 16 – The Goal Kick requires opponents to be outside the penalty area until the ball is in play, so the attacker has not committed an offence.
A defender controls the ball outside their penalty area under pressure from an opposing attacker. The defender looks at their goalkeeper and deliberately kicks the ball towards them. While kicking the ball, the defender slips on the grass, causing the pass to fall short. The loose ball is then chased by both the attacker and the goalkeeper, and the goalkeeper touches the ball first with their hands inside the penalty area. Is this allowed?
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The decision
The goalkeeper is not permitted to handle the ball inside their penalty area after it has been deliberately kicked to them by a team-mate, even if the attempted pass is inaccurate or unsuccessful. The referee stops play and awards an indirect free kick to the opposing team. No disciplinary sanction is taken against the goalkeeper.
A player from Team A is carelessly tackled by an opponent from Team B in the middle of the field. The referee allows play to continue because the fouled player quickly gets up and regains possession of the ball; however, another Team B player intervenes and immediately kicks the ball out of play for a throw-in on Team A’s half. What is the decision?
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The decision
The referee waited a few seconds to allow a possible advantage to develop. As Team A did not benefit from the decision to continue play, the referee returns to the original offence and awards a direct free kick to Team A from the position where the tackle occurred.
An attacker is carelessly tackled by a defender inside the penalty area. The defender’s action stops a promising attack (SPA) because the attacker loses possession of the ball which is then kicked outside the penalty area by another defender. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a penalty kick. The defender is not cautioned for the SPA offence, as the foul was part of a challenge for the ball punished with the penalty kick, and the careless tackle itself does not warrant a yellow card.
While an attacker is running with the ball, a defender grabs the opponent’s shirt and pulls them in a blatant, very unfair manner, causing the attacker to lose balance and the ball. What is the correct decision if allowing play to continue does not benefit the attacking team?
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The decision
The referee awards a direct free kick or penalty kick. Depending on the exact situation, the defender may be cautioned (yellow card) for blatant pulling as unsporting behaviour or for interfering with or stopping a promising attack.
A goalkeeper jumps for the ball inside their penalty area and catches it without being challenged by any opponent; however, the ball accidentally slips out of the goalkeeper’s hands and falls to the ground at their feet. An attacker runs towards the ball, but the goalkeeper picks it up inside the penalty area before the attacker can reach it. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
Provided that the goalkeeper is not fouled, the referee allows play to continue. The unsuccessful attempt to hold the ball is not considered to be releasing the ball, so the goalkeeper may handle the ball a second time before it has touched another player (no indirect free kick offence).
A defender commits a careless tackle on an opponent outside the penalty area that stops a promising attack. The referee applies advantage, as the ball goes to another attacker who runs into the penalty area and shoots. The ball goes over the crossbar without touching any other player. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
Play is restarted with a goal kick. There is no disciplinary sanction for the defender because, by playing the advantage, the promising attack was restored, and the careless tackle itself does not warrant a caution.
An attacker (Team A) is legally tackled from behind by a midfielder (Team B) and falls to the ground near Team B’s penalty area. The ball then rolls into the penalty area, where it is caught by a Team B defender who assumes a free kick has been awarded, even though the referee has not whistled or signalled to stop play. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a penalty kick for a handball offence because the Team B defender deliberately handled the ball while it was still in play.
When the ball is slowly heading out for a corner kick, an attacking team player picks it up with their hands while it is still on the field of play, close to the goal line. What is the correct decision if no other player has the opportunity to touch the ball before it leaves the field?
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The decision
The referee awards a direct free kick to the defending team because the attacking player deliberately handled the ball while it was still in play; the player is not cautioned.
Team A is leading by one goal a few minutes before the end of the second half. While the ball is in play, a player from Team A uses significant force to deliberately kick the ball over the touchline, despite not being under pressure from any opponent. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
A throw-in is awarded to Team B. The Laws of the Game do not identify the player’s behaviour as a yellow card offence, especially as it cannot be considered delaying the restart of play because the ball was in play when it was kicked. However, the referee must make correct allowance for the time lost when determining the amount of additional time.
A goalkeeper catches the ball inside their penalty area and prepares to make a long kick, while an opposing attacker is a few metres away, walking with their back to the goalkeeper. After the ball is kicked by the goalkeeper, it rebounds off the attacker and goes into the goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards the goal because the attacker was not acting in a way to prevent the goalkeeper from releasing the ball (they had their back to the goalkeeper).
After the referee awards a free kick against Team A, the captain approaches the referee and shows dissent while the referee is explaining the decision. What action can be taken against the captain?
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The decision
Referees’ decisions must always be respected and a team captain can be punished for dissent, just like any other player. Therefore, if a captain fails to interact with the referee in a respectful manner, a caution (yellow card) is issued.
A goalkeeper catches the ball inside their penalty area and releases it from their hands in an attempt to make a long pass. After the ball is thrown up but before it is kicked by the goalkeeper, an opposing attacker standing nearby extends a leg, kicks the ball, and scores a goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee disallows the goal and awards an indirect free kick to the goalkeeper’s team, as opponents may not play the ball while the goalkeeper is in the process of releasing it. The attacker is not cautioned unless the action is reckless or stops/interferes with a promising attack, in which case a yellow card is shown.
After the first half has ended, the referee sees a player striking an opponent in the tunnel on the way to the dressing rooms. What is the correct procedure?
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The decision
The referee has the power to show cards during the half-time interval, even if the offence occurs off the field of play. The player is shown a red card for violent conduct, takes no further part in the match, and cannot be replaced. Since the card is shown off the field, the referee must inform both teams and, where appropriate, ensure an announcement is made to the spectators before the second half begins.
At a penalty kick, a defending team player shouts loudly at the moment when an attacking team player is about to kick the ball. This unfair interference distracts the kicker and the penalty is missed. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The penalty kick is retaken and the defending player is cautioned (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour.
The ball leaves the field of play by the touchline and rolls towards a coach who is standing in their technical area. The coach sees the ball coming close but makes no attempt to catch or stop it. Is the coach cautioned (yellow card) for delaying the restart of play if their team is winning at that time?
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The decision
Allowing the ball to go past the coach is judged differently from a deliberate action to delay the throw-in. There is no requirement in the Laws of the Game for the coach to stop the ball, so no disciplinary sanction can be taken if they fail to do so.
After the final whistle has been blown, a player argues with the referee on the field of play and clearly shows dissent verbally, without attempting to touch the referee. What action can be taken against the player?
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The decision
The referee has the authority to take disciplinary action until leaving the field of play. Even though the match has ended, an appropriate card may still be shown if it helps manage the situation or calm the player. Verbal dissent is punished with a caution (yellow card), unless the words are offensive, insulting, or abusive (red card). Regardless of whether the card is shown or not, the referee must report the offence to the appropriate authorities.
A midfielder (Team A) passes the ball with their foot to a defender (Team A), who fails to play the ball while under pressure from an attacker (Team B). The ball then enters Team A’s penalty area and is picked up by the goalkeeper (Team A). What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee allows play to continue. The goalkeeper is permitted to handle the ball because it was not deliberately kicked to the goalkeeper.
A player is cautioned (shown a yellow card, YC) for unsporting behaviour between the toss of a coin and the kick-off. What is the correct procedure if the same player receives another YC during a match?
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The decision
The referee has the power to show red and yellow cards from the moment they enter the field at the start of the match. Therefore, a caution (YC) issued between the coin toss and the kick-off is carried into the match, and if they receive a second YC during the match the player is sent off (shown a red card).
A player is substituted and leaves the field of play at the nearest point. While walking along the touchline towards their technical area, the substituted player notices the ball coming towards them, with an opponent chasing it. The substituted player re-enters the field and kicks the ball to stop a promising attack. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a direct free kick because the substituted player unfairly interfered with play. The offender is sent off (red card) by being shown two yellow cards, one for re-entering the field of play without the referee’s permission and another for unsporting behaviour (stopping a promising attack).
A defending player, who has already been cautioned (yellow card) earlier in the match, stops a promising attack (SPA) by pulling an opponent’s shirt and is penalised with a direct free kick. Before the referee starts the disciplinary sanction procedure, an attacking player quickly takes the free kick and passes the ball to a team-mate who scores a goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The goal is awarded because the attacking team had a clear scoring opportunity, and the referee had not yet started the disciplinary sanction procedure. Since the quick free kick restored the previously 'lost' promising attack, the defender does not receive a second caution for the SPA offence.
After the ball has gone out of play for a throw-in for Team A, an assistant coach from Team B kicks the ball away to delay the restart of play. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The assistant coach is shown a red card and sent from the technical area and surrounds of the field of play. The referee does not award a free kick because the offence occurred while the ball was out of play. Play restarts with a throw-in for Team A.
A defender controls the ball with the foot while facing their own goal and then notices an opposing attacker approaching from behind. The defender legally shields the ball from the opponent, and neither player touches the ball until it is picked up by the goalkeeper inside their penalty area. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee allows play to continue as this was not a deliberate kick to the goalkeeper.
While the ball is in play, a player deliberately kicks the ball to their goalkeeper, who attempts unsuccessfully to kick it into play. The ball touches the goalkeeper’s foot but goes backwards towards the empty goal. The goalkeeper then chases the ball and touches it with their hands, preventing it from entering the goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
As the goalkeeper clearly attempted to kick the ball, it was not an offence when they handled the ball afterwards. The referee allows play to continue.
A defender accidentally touches the ball with the hand/arm within their penalty area and stops a promising attack (SPA). The defender does not move the hand/arm towards the ball, however, the hand/arm has made their body unnaturally bigger. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a penalty kick for a handball offence (unnatural position of the hand/arm). The defender is not cautioned (no yellow card) for the SPA offence because the handball offence was not deliberate.
A defender’s hand/arm prevents the ball from going into the goal. The defender did not deliberately handle the ball, but their hand/arm made the defender’s body unnaturally bigger. What is the correct decision if the hand/arm makes contact with the ball inside the defender’s penalty area?
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The decision
The referee awards a penalty kick for a handball offence (unnatural position of the hand/arm). The defender is cautioned (yellow card) for denying the opposing team a goal but is not sent off (no red card) because the handball offence was not deliberate.
A player commits a handball offence within their penalty area which denies an opponent an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO) and the referee awards a penalty kick. What is the correct sanction?
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The decision
When the referee awards a penalty kick for a handball DOGSO offence, the player is:
* cautioned (yellow card) for a non-deliberate handball offence
* sent off (red card) for a deliberate handball offence
A player commits an offence within their penalty area which denies an opponent an obvious goal-scoring opportunity and the referee awards a penalty kick. What is the correct sanction?
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The decision
The player is:
* cautioned (yellow card, YC) – if the offence was an attempt to play the ball or challenge for the ball, or a non-deliberate handball
* sent off (red card, RC) – in all other circumstances (e.g. deliberate handball, holding, pulling, pushing, no possibility to play the ball)
An attacker takes a shot and is then recklessly tackled by a defender. The contact occurs before the ball leaves the field of play. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a direct free kick (or penalty kick if the offence occurred inside the defender’s penalty area) and cautions the defender (yellow card). The fact that the reckless tackle occurred after the shot was taken is irrelevant because the ball was still in play at the time of the offence.
A defender takes a free kick inside their own half and kicks the ball towards their goalkeeper. The pass is weak and inaccurate, and an opposing attacker runs towards the ball. The defender chases the ball and kicks it before the attacker, preventing them from gaining possession. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The defender who took the free kick cannot touch the ball a second time until it has touched another player. The referee awards an indirect free kick to the attacker’s team and takes the appropriate disciplinary sanction:
* caution (yellow card) – if the second touch stopped a promising attack
* sending-off (red card) – if it denied an obvious goal-scoring opportunity
A goalkeeper saves a shot inside their penalty area by parrying the ball with their hands. As a result, the ball bounces a few metres away and remains on the field of play. The goalkeeper then runs towards the ball and catches it inside the penalty area before it has touched another player. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee allows play to continue. A goalkeeper is not considered to be in control of the ball with their hand(s) if the ball rebounds from the goalkeeper or the goalkeeper has made a save, so they may handle the ball a second time without committing an offence.
While a player from Team A is preparing to take a free kick, an opponent from Team B moves forward and is less than 9.15 m from the ball when the kick is taken. The pass from the kicker is not intercepted by the opponent, and the ball reaches another Team A player who gains control of it without being under pressure from any Team B players. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee applies advantage if allowing play to continue benefits Team A more than retaking the free kick. Depending on the exact circumstances, the referee may decide to caution (yellow card) or warn the offending Team B player when the ball is next out of play.
A player deliberately steps with some force on an opponent’s foot. This action is not part of a challenge for the ball, as the ball is in play on the opposite side of the field. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a direct free kick or penalty kick, depending on where the offence occurred. The offending player is:
* sent off (red card) for violent conduct if excessive force or brutality was used; or
* cautioned (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour in other cases.
An attacking player (Team A) and a defending player (Team B) run towards the ball inside the penalty area. The attacker suddenly falls to the ground and pretends to have been fouled, despite there being no contact. What is the correct decision if the attacker has already received a caution (yellow card) earlier in the match?
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The decision
An attempt to deceive the referee by simulating a foul results in a caution (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour. Since the Team A player has already been cautioned, they are shown a second yellow card, followed by a red card, and sent off. If the referee stopped play for this simulation, play restarts with an indirect free kick awarded to Team B at the location of the offence.
After the first half has ended, a player argues with the referee, verbally protesting against a referee’s decision made earlier in the match. This occurs while both the player and referee are outside the field of play, heading towards the tunnel. What is the correct procedure in this situation?
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The decision
According to Law 5, the referee has the power to show cards during the half-time interval. Therefore, the player must be cautioned (yellow card) for dissent. If the card is shown off the field of play, the referee must inform both teams and, where appropriate, ensure that an announcement is made to spectators before the second half begins.
A defender recklessly tackles an attacker. The referee applies advantage because the attacker quickly gets up and continues running with the ball. The defender then chases the attacker, pulls their shirt and thus stops a promising attack (SPA) outside the penalty area. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee stops play and awards a direct free kick from the position of the shirt-pulling offence. Since two separate cautionable offences have occurred, even though close together, the defender must receive two cautions: one for the reckless challenge and another for SPA. The defender is therefore shown two yellow cards, followed by a red card, and is sent off.
A defender deliberately handles the ball inside their penalty area while competing with an attacker for possession. At this moment, several players from both teams are inside the penalty area, meaning the handball does not deny the attacking team an obvious goal-scoring opportunity or stop a promising attack. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
Any deliberate handball by a defending team player inside their penalty area is penalised with a penalty kick. No disciplinary sanction is required as there was no DOGSO nor stopping a promising attack.
A defender approaches an attacker to block their shot on goal. While attempting to do so, the defender moves their left hand/arm towards their body to avoid handling the ball. Despite this, the ball touches the hand/arm, which is placed on the defender’s chest, and then goes out over the goal line without touching any other player (no goal is scored). What is the correct decision?
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The decision
This is not a handball offence because the defender did not deliberately handle the ball, and their left hand/arm was close to the body, not making it unnaturally bigger. Play is restarted with a corner kick.
A defender from Team A recklessly tackles an opponent near the touchline and thus stops a promising attack by Team B. The referee stops play because there is no advantage for Team B. What is the correct restart of play and disciplinary sanction?
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The decision
The referee awards a direct free kick to Team B and cautions the defender for the reckless challenge. When two offences are committed at the same time, only one yellow card is shown, as the referee punishes the more serious offence. In this case, the physical, reckless foul is more serious than the tactical offence of stopping a promising attack.
A defender takes a throw-in and throws the ball towards their own goalkeeper. An attacker chases after the ball to intercept the pass, but the goalkeeper also runs to the ball, extends their arms, and handles the ball inside the penalty area before the attacker. What is the correct decision if the ball was moving towards the goal, the attacker was likely to gain control of the ball, and the goalkeeper was nearer to their goal line than any other defending team player?
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The decision
The goalkeeper cannot handle the ball after receiving it directly from a team-mate’s throw-in. In this situation, an indirect free kick is awarded to the attacking team, but there is no disciplinary sanction so the referee does not need to judge if the goalkeeper’s handball offence stopped a promising attack or denied a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.
A defender (Team A) and an attacker (Team B) challenge for the ball without committing a foul. After the attacker gains possession/control of the ball, the defender deliberately kicks the opponent’s leg with excessive force when the ball is no longer within playing distance. What is the correct decision if the offence occurs outside the penalty area?
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The decision
The referee stops play, awards a direct free kick to Team B, and sends off the defender. The red card is for ‘violent conduct’, not ‘serious foul play’, because the offender’s action was not part of a challenge for the ball.
A defender deliberately kicks the ball to their goalkeeper who tries to control the pass (no attempt to clear the ball). After the ball rebounds from their foot/leg, the goalkeeper slips on the grass and then catches the ball inside their penalty area, ahead of an approaching opponent. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The goalkeeper cannot touch the ball with their hand/arm after it was deliberately kicked to them by a team-mate, ‘unless the goalkeeper has clearly kicked or attempted to kick the ball to release it into play’ which did not happen in this situation. Therefore, play is stopped and restarted with an indirect free kick to the attacking team. There is no disciplinary sanction for the goalkeeper.
A defender carelessly tackles an attacker outside the penalty area. What is the correct decision if this foul denies an opponent an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO)?
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The decision
The referee stops play and awards a direct free kick to the attacking team. Although the tackle was ‘only’ careless, the defender is sent off (red card, RC) because the referee punishes the more serious offence (all DOGSO offences committed outside the offender’s penalty area result in a RC). For DOGSO offences it is the tactical impact that is the determining factor not the (physical) seriousness of the offence.
A defender loses possession of the ball under pressure from an attacker (no foul) and then grabs the ball with their hand to stop a promising attack (SPA) outside their penalty area. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a direct free kick to the attacking team and cautions (yellow card) the defender for unsporting behaviour (SPA offence).
While players from both teams compete for the ball inside the penalty area, it accidentally touches an attacker’s hand/arm and then goes directly into the opponents’ goal. The attacker did not move their hand/arm towards the ball. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
Regardless of the position of the hand/arm, this is a handball offence because an attacker cannot score directly into the opponents’ goal with their hand/arm, even if accidental. The referee disallows the goal and awards a direct free kick to the defending team. The attacker is not cautioned (no yellow card) as the handball was accidental and there was no deliberate attempt to score using the hand/arm.
A defender from Team A endangers the safety of an attacker from Team B while challenging for the ball in the middle of the field. The attacker falls, but their team-mate retains possession of the ball near the touchline, with no clear opportunity to score. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The defender is guilty of ‘serious foul play’ which is a sending-off offence. In this situation, the referee stops play, awards a direct free kick to Team B and shows a red card to the offender. The referee should not apply advantage because Team B does not have a clear goal-scoring opportunity, and the attacker may be seriously injured and require medical attention.
A defender pulls an attacker’s shirt, preventing the opponent from reaching the ball and thereby denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO). The contact begins outside the defender’s penalty area and continues into the penalty area. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee applies advantage for the offence committed outside the area and awards a penalty kick for the pulling in the penalty area. The defender is sent off (red card) for DOGSO, as the offence was neither an attempt to play nor a challenge for the ball.
A player passes the ball towards an attacker who then tries to get to the ball by running around an opponent. What is the correct decision if the defender moves into the attacker’s path and unfairly blocks the attacker’s movement with their body outside the penalty area?
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The decision
The referee stops play and awards a direct free kick for impeding the attacker with contact. In addition, if the offence:
* is reckless or stops a promising attack – the defender is cautioned (yellow card)
* is using excessive force or denies the attacker an obvious goal-scoring opportunity – the defender is sent off (red card)
After the referee has awarded a direct free kick against Team A, a Team B player moves the ball a few metres away from where the foul occurred to be closer to the opponents’ goal. Before the player takes the free kick, an opponent (Team A) runs towards the ball and kicks it away. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee instructs Team B to take the free kick from the correct position. The opponent (Team A) is cautioned (yellow card) for delaying the restart of play.
A player commits a second cautionable offence in the same match, so the referee shows a second yellow card and a red card to the offender. The player does not agree with the decision and uses offensive language towards the referee. What is the correct procedure?
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The decision
The player is sent off from the field of play and its surroundings. A second red card is not shown but the subsequent (verbal) offence must be included in the post-match report. Any additional sanction/suspension resulting from the offensive language will be decided by the appropriate disciplinary body.
An attacker is fairly challenged from behind by a defender inside the defender’s penalty area. The challenge is not considered by the referee to be careless, reckless or using excessive force. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee allows play to continue because the defender did not commit a foul while challenging the opponent for the ball.
A goalkeeper leaves the penalty area and approaches an attacker who is running towards the goal. The attacker tries to kick the ball past the goalkeeper, but it rebounds off the goalkeeper’s left arm, which is close to their body. What is the correct decision if the referee judges that the arm did not make the goalkeeper’s body unnaturally bigger and the contact with the ball was accidental?
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The decision
Not every touch of a player’s hand or arm with the ball is an offence – this also applies to goalkeepers outside their penalty area. In this case, the goalkeeper did not commit a handball offence, so the referee allows play to continue and takes no disciplinary action against the goalkeeper.
After a corner kick has been taken, a defender and an attacker accidentally collide in the penalty area and fall over the goal line. Afterwards, the defender pushes the attacker while the ball is still in play. What is the correct decision if this occurs outside the field of play?
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The decision
If the nearest point to the offence on the boundary line is:
* within the defender’s penalty area, a penalty kick is awarded
* outside the penalty area, a direct free kick is awarded
Regardless of the restart decision, the defender receives the appropriate disciplinary sanction:
* a caution (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour, or
* a sending-off (red card) for violent conduct
After a goalkeeper has made a save, an attacker challenges the goalkeeper for the ball when it is on the ground, near the goalkeeper, and inside the goal area. What is the correct decision if the goalkeeper is not touching the ball with their hand(s)?
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The decision
The attacker may compete with the goalkeeper for the ball because the goalkeeper is not in control of the ball with their hand(s). If the challenge is not careless, reckless or using excessive force, the referee allows play to continue.
While the ball is in play, a goalkeeper catches the ball inside their penalty area and then releases it from their hands. As soon as the ball is on the ground, an attacker, who remained on the field of play behind the goalkeeper’s back, runs towards the ball. The goalkeeper then notices the attacker, picks the ball up with their hands inside the penalty area, and prevents the opponent from touching the ball.
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The decision
What is the correct decision if the attacker did not commit a foul while approaching the goalkeeper? The goalkeeper cannot handle the ball after releasing it and before it has touched another player, so the referee stops play and awards an indirect free kick to the attacking team. However, there is no disciplinary sanction for the goalkeeper.
A defender pulls the shirt of an attacker inside the penalty area when the ball is in play. It was not an obvious goal-scoring opportunity but it stopped a promising attack (SPA) because the attacker lost possession of the ball. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a penalty kick. The defender is cautioned (yellow card) for SPA because their offence was not an attempt to play the ball or a challenge for the ball.
A defender shields the ball from an attacker when it is within playing distance and does not use their hands or arms to hold off the opponent. The attacker tries to gain possession of the ball and holds the defender.. After the referee stops play, the defender deliberately strikes the attacker with their hand. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The defender legally shielded the ball from the opponent, so the referee awards a direct free kick to the defender’s team as the holding offence occurred before the striking offence. The attacker may be cautioned (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour if the holding was considered blatant/provocative. The defender must be sent off (red card) for violent conduct.
While a player of Team A is taking a throw-in, an opponent (Team B) remains closer than two metres from the touchline, stands in front of the thrower and interferes with the restart of play. The thrower gets irritated and deliberately throws the ball at the opponent. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
Both players receive appropriate disciplinary sanctions:
* Team B player is cautioned (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour
* Team A player is cautioned (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour (if the ball was thrown in a reckless manner) or sent off (red card) for violent conduct (if the thrower used excessive force)
As the throw-in has been taken and the opponent’s offence happened first, play is restarted with an indirect free kick to Team A from the position where the Team B player was standing.
A player denies the opposing team an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by committing a deliberate handball offence. How is play restarted? What is the sanction?
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The decision
The referee awards a direct free kick or a penalty kick if the offence was committed within the offender’s penalty area. The offending player is sent off (red card, RC) wherever the offence occurred.
A player attempts to play the ball and commits a foul within their own penalty area which denies an opponent an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. What is the referee’s decision if the advantage cannot be applied?
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The decision
The referee awards a penalty kick. The player is cautioned (yellow card, YC) because the offence was an attempt to play the ball.
During a match, before a penalty kick is taken, the defending team goalkeeper approaches the kicker and unfairly distracts them to delay the taking of the kick. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The goalkeeper is cautioned (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour (showing a lack of respect for the game/opponent) or for delaying the restart of play.
After the referee has stopped play for a serious foul challenge, there is a mass confrontation on the field between both teams. One player is punched by an opposing player but the referee cannot identify the offender. May the senior team coach receive the sanction for this offence?
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The decision
No. The senior team coach can be sanctioned only for an offence committed by an ‘unidentified offender’ who is in/from the technical area (substitute, substituted player, sent-off player or another team official). If an offence is committed by a player who cannot be identified, the incident should be reported to the appropriate authorities after the match.
A player challenges for the ball in a careless manner and commits a foul within their own penalty area which denies an opponent an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO). What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a penalty kick. The player is cautioned (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour and not sent off because the DOGSO offence was a challenge for the ball.
A defender holds an attacker inside the defender’s penalty area while the ball is in play. The contact impedes the attacker’s movement and denies the attacker an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO). What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a penalty kick and sends off (red card) the defender because their DOGSO offence was neither an attempt to play the ball nor a challenge for the ball.
Team A makes a long pass into the opponents’ half. Team B goalkeeper runs out of their penalty area, touches the ball with their feet, dribbles into the penalty area and then picks the ball up. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee allows play to continue. This action is not an offence as the goalkeeper touched the ball after it had been played by an opponent.
It would be an offence if the goalkeeper dribbles and then touches the ball with the hand/arm after:
* the ball has been deliberately kicked to the goalkeeper by a team-mate
* receiving the ball directly from a throw-in taken by a team-mate
An attacker runs with the ball towards the opponents’ goal (one-on-one situation). The goalkeeper runs out of their penalty area and then fouls the attacker when they are 20 m in front of the goal (reckless challenge for the ball). At the time of the foul, the attacker controlled the ball and was chased by two defenders who were more than 10 m away from the attacker/ball. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee stops play and awards a direct free kick to the attacking team. The goalkeeper is sent off (red card) for denying the opponent an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. The offending team must have a new goalkeeper before play is restarted (a substitute or one of the remaining players on the field of play).
A defender illegally tackles an attacker and denies the opposing team an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO). What is the correct decision if the defender’s leg makes contact with the opponent’s body outside the penalty area, but the attacker’s foot is already inside this area?
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The decision
The attacking team is awarded a direct free kick where the defender’s leg made contact with the opponent. DOGSO offences outside the penalty area are punished with a sending-off (red card), even if the foul was an attempt to play the ball or a challenge for the ball.
While challenging an opponent for the ball in the middle of the field, a player fails to touch the ball and, as a result, their high foot makes contact with the opponent’s face. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
As there is contact with the opponent, the referee awards a direct free kick and takes appropriate disciplinary action:
* caution (yellow card) if the challenge was reckless
* sending-off (red card) if the player endangered the safety of the opponent/used excessive force
The opponent can be assessed and treated on the field of play and may remain if able to continue.
After the first half has ended, a player argues with an opponent and strikes them in the face on the field of play. The referee is informed by another match official about the incident as they are leaving the field, heading to the tunnel. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
Law 5 clearly states that the referee has the power to show cards during the half-time interval. The offending player must be shown a red card for violent conduct, be prevented from taking any further part in the match, and cannot be replaced by a substitute. If the red card is not shown on the field of play, the player’s team and the opposing team should be informed and, where appropriate, an announcement made for the spectators before the start of the second half.
A defender (Team A) was slightly injured and left the field of play for treatment. While the defender is still behind the goal line, an attacker (Team B) kicks the ball past the goalkeeper (Team A) and the ball is going towards Team A’s goal. The defender re-enters the field without the referee’s permission, clears the ball in their penalty area and prevents it from entering the goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a penalty kick because the defender re-entered the field without the required permission and interfered with play inside their penalty area. Law 12 states that if this offence denies the opposing team a goal, the player is sent off (direct red card).
The fourth official indicates that five additional minutes will be played at the end of the second half and is then approached by the head coach, who expresses disagreement with the amount of time decided by the referee. What is the correct decision if the ball is in play and the coach does not leave their technical area/commit any other offence?
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The decision
The referee does not need to stop play and may warn the coach when the ball is next out of play. If the dissent was clear and/or continual, the coach should be cautioned (yellow card).
A player raises their leg above shoulder level and kicks the ball. This action does not risk injury to other players and does not prevent them from playing the ball, as it is beyond their reach. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee allows play to continue, as it is not considered playing in a dangerous manner (no offence).
A defender (Team A) competes with an attacker (Team B) for the ball near the touchline. The referee decides to allow play to continue. The head coach of Team B then angrily yells at the referee to stop play and award a free kick to Team B, although no offensive, insulting or abusive language is used. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
Unless Team A would be disadvantaged by play being stopped, the referee stops play, cautions the coach (yellow card for dissent), and restarts play with an indirect free kick on the touchline nearest to where the verbal offence occurred.
Team A defender fouls an opponent, committing their third careless tackle during the match. The referee awards a free kick to Team B, warns the defender but does not caution them. Team B player gestures for a yellow card. What action does the referee take?
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The decision
The decisions of match officials must be respected. Team B player is cautioned (yellow card) and play is restarted with the free kick to Team B where the foul occurred.
Team A kicks the ball into the opponents’ penalty area. A defender of Team B heads the ball which hits their hand/arm and then goes directly into their team’s goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a goal. The prohibition of scoring from the hand/arm only applies to attacking team players.
The head coach of Team A leaves their technical area several times (without entering the field of play) and receives a caution (yellow card). During additional time, with Team A leading by a single goal, the coach intentionally holds onto the ball to delay a throw-in by Team A. What should the referee do?
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The decision
The coach receives a second caution (yellow card) and is sent off (red card). As the offence was committed when the ball was out of play, play is restarted according to the previous decision (throw-in for Team A).
A player scores a goal at the end of the match and celebrates in front of fans of the opposing team without leaving the field of play. After that, the referee talks with other match officials who indicate an offside offence and inform the referee that the scorer made an inappropriate gesture towards the fans. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee disallows the goal, awards an indirect free kick where the offside offence occurred and takes appropriate disciplinary action against the scorer:
* caution (yellow card) – if the player acted in a provocative, derisory or inflammatory way
* sending-off (red card) – if the gesture was offensive, insulting or abusive
The ball is in play in the penalty area. The goalkeeper (Team A) attempts to kick the ball away under pressure from an attacker (Team B) who is very close and tries to block this clearance. The ball hits the attacker’s arm that is away from the body and makes it unnaturally bigger. After that, the ball goes to another Team B player who scores a goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee disallows the goal and awards a direct free kick to Team A for a handball offence.
A defender of Team A, who was treated outside the field of play, is ready to continue and re-enters the field without the required permission. What is the correct decision if Team B starts a promising attack and the player does not interfere with play/opponents?
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The decision
The referee allows play to continue. When the ball is next out of play, the player of Team A is cautioned (yellow card) for re-entering the field of play without permission and sanctioned for any further offence(s).
The goalkeeper catches a shot inside their penalty area, puts the ball on the ground, and dribbles it with the feet outside the penalty area. An opponent then sprints towards the ball, and the goalkeeper dribbles the ball back into the penalty area and picks it up. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards an indirect free kick to the attacking team because the goalkeeper cannot touch the ball with the hand/arm after releasing it from the hand(s) and before it has touched another player. As the handball offence occurred inside their penalty area, the goalkeeper is not cautioned (yellow card) for stopping a promising attack or sent off (red card) for denying the opponent an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.
Team A is awarded a free kick for a reckless tackle outside the penalty area. The referee calls over the Team B player and as they are being shown the yellow card, a Team A player takes the free kick and passes the ball to a team-mate who has a goal-scoring opportunity. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The free kick must be retaken by Team A because the referee started the disciplinary sanction procedure and distracted the players of Team B so they could not defend Team A's attack.
A defender recklessly fouls an attacker and the point of contact with the attacker's leg is on the penalty area line. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
According to Law 1 – The Field of Play, the lines belong to the areas of which they are boundaries so the foul is considered as having occurred inside the penalty area. The referee awards a penalty kick and cautions the defender (yellow card).
A substitute enters the field of play without the referee's permission and approaches an opponent. This behaviour distracts the opponent’s attention when the substitute’s team has possession. The opponent strikes the substitute in the face (ball still in play). What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The substitute is cautioned (yellow card) for entering the field without permission and the opponent is sent off (red card) for violent conduct. As the substitute’s offence occurred first, play restarts with a direct free kick to the opposing team from the position of the substitute’s interference.
An attacker and a defender challenge for the ball inside the penalty area. The attacker is faster and plays the ball first, whereas the defender misses it, carelessly steps on the opponent’s foot and stops a promising attack. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a penalty kick. The defender is not cautioned (no yellow card) because the offence which stopped a promising attack occurred inside the defender’s penalty area and was a challenge for the ball.
A defender pushes an attacker who is in the penalty area and in front of the empty goal. The attacker loses balance, falls down and accidentally touches the ball with the hand. Immediately after that, the attacker manages to kick the ball and scores a goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a penalty kick and sends off the defender (red card for a DOGSO offence). The referee cannot apply the advantage and award the goal because the player scored in the opponents’ goal immediately after the ball had touched their hand/arm.
A defender trips an attacker in a reckless manner outside the penalty area. What is the correct decision if this foul denies an opponent an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO)?
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The decision
The referee stops play and awards a direct free kick to the attacking team. In terms of disciplinary sanction, the referee punishes the more serious offence, so it is a red card for the DOGSO offence, not a yellow card for the reckless foul.
Team A is awarded a direct free kick close to the opponents’ penalty area. The referee clearly informs the attacking player(s) to wait for the whistle before restarting play and approaches Team B players to ensure they respect the required distance from the ball. At the same time, Team A player takes a free kick before the referee gives a signal to do so. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The free kick must be retaken and the player who took the kick is cautioned (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour.
An attacker runs with the ball into the opponents’ penalty area (one-on-one situation). A defender catches up with the attacker but has no possibility to play the ball so the defender pushes the opponent to deny an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO). What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a penalty kick. The defender is sent off (red card) for DOGSO because the offence was not an attempt to play the ball or a challenge for the ball.
A defender and an attacker challenge physically for the ball, using shoulders and upper arms which are kept close to the body (side-to-side contact, not in a careless or reckless manner or using excessive force). The ball is close to both players (they are able to touch it by stretching out their legs). What is the correct decision?
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The decision
Players may be fairly charged by opponents if the ball is within playing distance and they do not use more force/energy than is necessary. There is no foul, so the referee allows play to continue.
A defender pulls an attacker’s shirt to stop a promising attack (SPA). The referee applies the advantage as the attacker gets free of the opponent and runs with the ball into the penalty area. After that, the same defender catches up with the attacker, challenges for the ball in a reckless manner and fouls the attacker (no DOGSO offence). What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a penalty kick and cautions (yellow card, YC) the defender for the reckless challenge. There is no YC for the SPA offence because, by playing the advantage, the promising attack was continued/restored.
A defender takes a free kick and passes the ball to the goalkeeper. The goalkeeper touches the ball with the foot outside their penalty area and notices that an attacker is running quickly towards the ball, so the goalkeeper dribbles into the penalty area and then picks the ball up. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards an indirect free kick to the attacking team at the point where the goalkeeper handled the ball. As the handball offence occurred inside their penalty area, the goalkeeper cannot be cautioned (yellow card) for stopping a promising attack or sent off (red card) for denying the opponent an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.
While competing with an opponent for the ball, a player falls to the ground in the middle of the field, pretends to have been fouled and grabs the ball with their hand. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The player is guilty of two offences (simulation and deliberately handling the ball when it is in play). As the offences occur so close together, the referee can award a direct free kick for the handball offence and caution (yellow card) the player for unsporting behaviour (an attempt to deceive the referee).
A defender challenges an attacker for the ball and raises the leg above head level. The defender kicks the ball and their foot narrowly misses the attacker’s head/face but there is no contact with the opponent. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee stops play and awards the attacker’s team an indirect free kick (as there was no contact with the attacker). The defender is:
* cautioned (yellow card) if the challenge was reckless or stopped a promising attack
* sent off (red card) if the defender endangered the safety of the opponent/used excessive force or denied an obvious goal-scoring opportunity
The referee stops play because a player (Team A) lies on the ground and is seriously injured. While the player is being assessed by a doctor, Team B is allowed to make a substitution. After it is completed and before play has restarted, the referee is informed by a match official that the injury is a result of a red card offence committed by the substituted player of Team B. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
As the red card offence occurred before the substitution, the player is sent off and the substitution is cancelled. The injured player can remain on the field of play for/after treatment. If the offence occurred when the ball was in play, play restarts with a direct free kick to Team A (or a penalty kick if it occurred in Team B's penalty area).
An attacker attempts to win a position with a defender, clearly holds the opponent and impedes their movement. The defender shields the ball, tries to get free and then strikes the attacker in the face with the elbow. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee stops play, penalises the first (holding) offence and awards a direct free kick against the attacker’s team. The sanction for the defender depends on the severity of the offence. If the defender was guilty of:
* acting in a reckless manner – caution (yellow card)
* violent conduct – sending-off (red card)
The attacker may be cautioned for unsporting behaviour if the holding was considered blatant/provocative.
A defender (Team A) starts a promising counter-attack, kicks the ball and tries to go past an attacker (Team B). The attacker moves into the defender’s path and this movement prevents the opponent from getting to the ball when it is not within playing distance of either player (no contact between the players). Subsequently, the ball goes to another Team B player. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee stops play and awards an indirect free kick to Team A for impeding the progress of the opponent without contact. The offender is cautioned (yellow card) for stopping a promising attack.
A defender deliberately kicks the ball towards a goalkeeper (a team-mate). After that, the ball makes contact with an opponent’s leg but does not change direction and finally goes to the goalkeeper who picks the ball up inside their penalty area. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee allows play to continue. If the ball touches another player (of any team) before the pass reaches the goalkeeper, they can handle the ball (regardless of the strength of the contact/touch).
A defender commits a foul challenge within their own penalty area which denies an attacker an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO) and endangers the safety of the opponent. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a penalty kick and sends off the defender. When two offences occur at the same time, the more serious offence must be punished. Therefore, it is a red card for serious foul play (not a yellow card for the DOGSO offence that was a challenge for the ball inside the penalty area).
A defender competes with an attacker for the ball and commits a reckless foul in the middle of the field. After that, the players fall to the ground and the attacker bites the defender. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee stops play and awards a direct free kick against the defender’s team because the first offence is penalised. Both players must receive the appropriate disciplinary sanction:
* the defender is cautioned (yellow card) for the reckless challenge
* the attacker is sent off (red card) for biting the opponent
A defender (Team A) pulls an attacker’s shirt (Team B) outside the penalty area which interferes with a promising attack. The attacker retains possession of the ball and the referee plays the advantage. Immediately after that, another defender (Team A) commits a careless tackle, makes contact with the attacker inside the penalty area and denies Team B an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO). What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a penalty kick. The second defender is cautioned (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour (DOGSO offence within the defender’s penalty area which was a challenge for the ball) but there is no caution (no yellow card) for the first defender as the referee played the advantage.
Under pressure from an attacking team player, a defender deliberately kicks the ball to the goalkeeper. However, because the ball will go into the goal, the goalkeeper handles the ball inside the goal area to prevent a goal. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
An indirect free kick is awarded to the attacking team which is taken from the nearest point on the goal area line which runs parallel to the goal line. In this case, there is no disciplinary sanction because the goalkeeper cannot be sent off (red card) for a handball offence in their own penalty area.
When the ball is in play, a player leaves the field without the referee’s permission and pushes a ball boy/girl in an aggressive manner. The referee stops play. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The player is sent off (red card) for violent conduct. Play is restarted with an indirect free kick to the opposing team from the point on the boundary line where the player left the field of play for the offence of leaving the field of play without permission.
When the ball is in play, a player leaves the field without the referee’s permission and strikes a spectator. The referee stops play. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The player is sent off (red card) for violent conduct. Play is restarted with an indirect free kick to the opposing team from the point on the boundary line where the player left the field of play for the offence of leaving the field of play without permission.
A substitute was cautioned (yellow card) in the first half for delaying the restart of play by the opposing team. In the second half, the substitute replaces a team-mate and enters the field of play after receiving a signal from the referee. Ten minutes later, this (new) player handles the ball to stop a promising attack. What action does the referee take?
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The decision
The referee shows a yellow card and then a red card because the same person receives two cautions in the same match – one as a substitute and one as a player. The offender is sent off and must leave the vicinity of the field of play and the technical area.
A player was cautioned (yellow card) for a reckless challenge in the first half and substituted during the half-time interval. In the second half, the same (substituted) player leaves the technical area, approaches the assistant referee and shows dissent from the offside decision. What action does the referee take?
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The decision
The referee shows a yellow card and then a red card because the same person receives two cautions in the same match – one as a player and one as a substituted player. The offender is sent off and must leave the vicinity of the field of play and the technical area.
A player prepares to take a corner kick at the end of the second half. Suddenly, before the ball is in play, a spectator enters the field and kicks the ball. After that, the player loses their self-control and strikes the spectator in the face. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee must have the spectator removed. The player is sent off for violent conduct (red card). Play is started with the (original) corner kick.
While the ball is in play, a player re-enters the field of play without the referee’s permission, kicks the ball away and thus stops a promising attack. The ball leaves the field over the touchline. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee stops play and takes appropriate disciplinary action. The player receives a caution (yellow card) for each offence (entering without the referee’s permission and stopping a promising attack) and therefore is sent off (red card). Play is restarted with a direct free kick for the opposing team from the place where the player kicked the ball.
A substitute enters the video operation room (VOR) during a match. The referee is informed about this incident when play next stops. What is the correct procedure?
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The decision
The substitute is sent off (red card), must leave the technical area and may not be replaced. The number of substitutions the team is permitted to make is not reduced.
After the ball has left the field of play, a substitute (Team A) kicks the ball away to delay the throw-in by the opponents (Team B). The substitute has already been cautioned for another offence. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee shows the substitute a second yellow card and a red card. The substitute is sent off, must leave the technical area and may not be replaced. The number of substitutions the team is permitted to make is not reduced. Play is restarted according to the previous decision (the throw-in for Team B).
Before the team lists have been submitted, a player spits at an opponent in the pre-match warm-up on the field of play. If it is noticed by the match officials, what is the correct procedure?
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The decision
The offender cannot be named on the team list or play in the match and is reported to the appropriate authority. The number of players and substitutes is not reduced. A red card is not shown as cards may not be shown until the referee enters the field of play at the start of the match.
The referee notices that a named substitute is using offensive gestures towards an opposing player on the field of play during the warm-up before the kick-off. What disciplinary action does the referee take?
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The decision
A named substitute who is sent off, may not take part in the match and may not be replaced by another substitute. The number of substitutions the team is permitted to make is not reduced.
With the ball in play, a coach enters the field of play to interfere with an opposing player. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
The referee will stop play (unless advantage is played), send off (red card, RC) the coach and restart play with a direct free kick from the position of the interference – if this is in the penalty area of the coach’s team a penalty kick is awarded.
The match is coming to an end and Team A is winning by one goal. In additional time, a defender (Team A) challenges an attacker (Team B) in a reckless manner. Before the referee has started the disciplinary sanction procedure, one player of Team B prepares to take a quick free kick and the offending defender also comes up and kicks the ball away. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The defender receives a caution (yellow card) for each offence (reckless challenge and delaying the restart of play) and therefore is sent off (red card). Play is restarted with a direct free kick from the position of the first offence.
A player kicks a free kick into the opponents’ penalty area. While the ball is in the air, the defending team goalkeeper jumps and attempts to punch the ball but does not touch it. As a result, the goalkeeper bumps into the attacker and knocks them down. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a penalty kick and takes appropriate disciplinary action against the goalkeeper:
* caution (yellow card) – if the offence was reckless or denied the opponent an obvious goal-scoring opportunity
* sending-off (red card) – if the goalkeeper endangered the safety of the attacker
An attacker is legally challenged by a defender close to the penalty area and the referee allows play to continue. A substituted player present in the technical area protests against this decision without entering the field and interfering with play. What action does the referee take?
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The decision
The referee does not have to stop play and may take the disciplinary sanction when the ball next goes out of play. An initial, non-exaggerated disagreement, objection or complaint is usually accepted by the referee as a natural reaction. Clear and/or continual dissent (with words, actions or gestures) is punished with a caution (yellow card).
A defender takes a direct free kick and passes the ball to a goalkeeper who slips on the grass and does not touch the ball. After that, an attacker of the opposing team runs towards the ball so the same defender kicks the ball out for a corner kick and denies the opponent an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO). What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards an indirect free kick to the attacking team because the defender cannot touch the ball a second time after a restart until it has touched another player. The free kick will be taken:
* from the place where the offence occurred – if the second touch occurred outside the goal area
* from the nearest point on the goal area line which runs parallel to the goal line – if the second touch occurred in the goal area
The defender is sent off (red card) for a DOGSO offence.
A defender kicks the ball to a goalkeeper (a team-mate). After the ball has been kicked, an attacker of the opposing team also chases after the ball so the goalkeeper runs out of the penalty area and deliberately touches the ball with their hand. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee stops play and awards a direct free kick. If the referee decides that the handball offence:
* stopped a promising attack – the goalkeeper is cautioned (yellow card)
* denied the opposing team an obvious goal-scoring opportunity – the goalkeeper is sent off (red card)
The referee has awarded a penalty kick to Team A. A coach of Team B does not agree with this decision, enters the field of play and approaches the referee in an aggressive manner. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The coach is sent off (red card) and must leave the field of play and its immediate surrounds, including the technical area.
A defender (Team A) challenges an attacker (Team B) for the ball outside the penalty area and steps on the opponent’s foot in a careless manner. After that, the attacker falls to the ground, grabs their knee and pretends to have been seriously injured. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a direct free kick to Team B because the attacker was fouled. At the same time, this player held the wrong part of the body, exaggerated the seriousness of the foul and feigned injury so the referee should also caution the attacker for simulation (yellow card).
A defending team player tries to kick the ball out. The ball accidentally hits the arm of an attacking team player (the arm has made their body unnaturally bigger). After that, the ball goes to another attacker who scores a goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
It is a handball offence because the arm made the attacker's body unnaturally bigger. The referee disallows the goal and awards a direct free kick to the defending team.
A defender (Team A) commits a foul that endangers the safety of an attacker (Team B). The referee immediately stops play and sends off the defender (red card). At the same time, as the foul was committed close to the technical area, a substitute (Team B) enters the field of play and is held back by team-mates to avoid confrontation with the offender. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
If the substitute does not commit any other offence, the substitute must be cautioned (yellow card) for entering the field without the referee’s permission. Play is restarted with a free kick to Team B for the initial offence (foul).
A player of Team A prepares to take a corner kick. At the same time, one of their team-mates challenges for position with a defender (Team B) and is pushed by the opponent before the ball has been touched by the kicker. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The defender can be warned, cautioned (yellow card) or sent off (red card), depending on the severity of the push. Play is restarted with the (original) corner kick because a penalty kick cannot be awarded as the ball was not in play at the time of the offence.
A defender deliberately passes the ball to a goalkeeper (a team-mate). After the ball has been kicked, an attacker of the opposing team also runs towards the ball so the goalkeeper goes to the ground and catches the ball in their own penalty area. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee stops play and awards an indirect free kick to the attacking team. There is no disciplinary sanction for the goalkeeper.
An attacking player runs with the ball towards the opponents’ goal. A defending player first pushes the attacker (outside the penalty area) and then deliberately trips the opponent and this (second) contact is inside the penalty area. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee applies advantage for the push and awards a penalty kick for the tripping offence which occurred inside the penalty area. If the tripping offence stopped a promising attack or denied the attacker an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, the defender receives the appropriate disciplinary sanction.
When a corner kick is taken, a defending team player is closer than 9.15 m from the corner arc and interferes with the player who is taking the kick. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The corner kick is retaken, unless the referee plays advantage (if such an opportunity arises). The defending team player is cautioned (yellow card) for failing to respect the required distance.
An attacking team player kicks the ball towards the opponents’ goal. A defending team player heads the ball in their own penalty area and the ball accidentally hits the arm of the attacker. Immediately after that, the ball goes to another attacker who scores a goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
Accidental handball by a team-mate immediately before a goal is scored is not an offence. The referee awards the goal provided that the arm has not made the body unnaturally bigger.
The referee has awarded a free kick to Team A. While the kicker feints to kick the ball, an opposing player moves closer than the required distance (9.15 m) and interferes with the kick before the ball is in play. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
Feinting to take a free kick to confuse opponents is permitted. The opposing player is cautioned (yellow card) for failing to respect the required distance.
A player of Team A slowly prepares to take a throw-in. A coach of Team B gets annoyed, leaves the confines of their technical area and ignores a request from a fourth official to step back (without committing any other offences). What actions does the referee take?
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The decision
The player is cautioned (yellow card) if the referee considers their behaviour to be delaying the restart of play. The coach is warned, however, repeated or blatant offences should result in a caution (yellow card) or sending-off (red card). Play is restarted according to the previous decision (throw-in for Team A).
An attacking player chases a long ball that is going towards the opponents’ penalty area. The goalkeeper catches the ball when their feet are inside the penalty area but the hands and the ball are outside. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The goalkeeper committed a handball offence because the point of contact between the hands and the ball was outside the penalty area (the position of the goalkeeper’s feet is irrelevant). The referee stops play and awards a direct free kick to the attacking team. The goalkeeper is sent off (red card) if the offence denied an obvious goal-scoring opportunity; if it stopped a promising attack, the goalkeeper is cautioned (yellow card).
A defensive midfielder moves into the attacker’s path to block their way when the ball is not within playing distance of either player (no contact is made). After that, the attacker tries to win a position and pushes the midfielder in a reckless manner. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee stops play and awards an indirect free kick against the midfielder’s team for impeding the progress of an opponent without contact. This offence is penalised because it occurred before the attacker's offence. Nevertheless, the attacker is cautioned (yellow card) for the reckless push.
While the ball is in play, in the middle of the field, a defender starts a fight with an attacker and strikes the opposing player in the defender’s penalty area. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
If the first offence was by the defender in their penalty area and the ball was in play, it is a penalty kick – it does not matter where the ball was when the offence occurred as long as it was in play. The defender is sent off (red card) for violent conduct.
When the ball is in play, a player leaves the field of play without the referee's permission and attempts to strike an opposing coach. The referee stops play. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The player is sent off (red card) for violent conduct. Play is restarted with a direct free kick to the opposing team from the point on the boundary line nearest to where the offence occurred.
At a goal kick the goalkeeper ‘flicks’ the ball up and a team-mate heads/chests the ball back for the goalkeeper to catch. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
The 'initiator' of this attempt to circumvent the Law is cautioned (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour. Play is restarted with an indirect free kick to the opposing team as outlined in Law 13.2 (depending on where the ball was ‘flicked’ up).
An attacking player accidentally touches the ball with their hand/arm and then passes the ball to the team-mate who immediately has a clear goal-scoring opportunity. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
Accidental handball by a team-mate creating a goal-scoring opportunity is not a handball offence (unless it was deliberate or the hand/arm has made the body unnaturally bigger) so the referee will allow play to continue.
The ball touches the hand of an attacking player. He/she does not gain control of the ball, however, his/her team-mate immediately gains possession of the ball and scores a goal. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
Accidental handball by a team-mate of the scorer is not a handball offence (unless it was deliberate or the hand/arm has made the body unnaturally bigger) so the referee will award the goal.
A player (Team A) touches an opposing player (Team B) in an offensive way before a free kick is taken (ball out of play). What is the correct decision?
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The decision
This behaviour is inappropriate – the Team A player is sent off (red card) for an ‘offensive, insulting or abusive action’. Play is restarted according to the previous decision (free kick).
At a free kick the goalkeeper 'flicks' the ball up and a team-mate heads/chests the ball back for the goalkeeper to catch in their own penalty area. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
The 'initiator' of this attempt to circumvent the Law is cautioned (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour. Play is restarted with an indirect free kick to the opposing team as outlined in Law 13.2 (depending on where the ball was ‘flicked’ up).
An attacker accidentally touches the ball with their hand/arm (it has not made their body unnaturally bigger) and then passes the ball to a team-mate who immediately passes the ball back to the attacker who scores. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
This is not a handball offence. The referee will award the goal.
A defending player kicks the ball which then accidentally touches their arm inside the penalty area. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
It is not a handball offence as the contact is a consequence of the player deliberately playing the ball with another part of the body (against himself/herself). The referee will allow play to continue.
An attacking player kicks the ball and it touches an arm of a defending player who is close. The arm was kept close to the side of the body and the player moved their arm into the body to avoid contact with the ball. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
It is not a handball offence. The referee will allow play to continue.
An attacking player receives a long pass, accidentally touches the ball with their hand/arm and immediately scores a goal. The hand/arm has not made their body unnaturally bigger. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
It is a handball offence. The referee will award a direct free kick to the defending team as Law 12 does not allow a goal to be scored immediately after contact with the hand/arm of the scorer (even if accidental) regardless of the position of the hand/arm.
An attacker (Team A) attempts to pass the ball. A defender (Team B) makes a slide tackle to block the pass. The ball touches the right arm which is clearly extended away from the body and is not supporting the body. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
It is a handball offence. A player is considered to have made their body unnaturally bigger when the position of their arm is not a consequence of, or justifiable by, the player’s body movement for that specific situation. The referee will award a direct free kick (or penalty kick) to Team A.
Team A takes a corner kick and Team B goalkeeper catches the ball within their penalty area. After that, before releasing the ball, the goalkeeper deliberately touches Team A player’s head with their hand and pushes the opponent. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
The referee stops play and awards a penalty kick to Team A. The goalkeeper is sent off (red card) for violent conduct. Before the penalty kick is taken, Team B must either:
* decide which of the remaining players on the field of play will become a new goalkeeper and change their equipment accordingly
* substitute one of the remaining players with a substitute goalkeeper (if they have not already used the maximum number of permitted substitutes)
The referee awards a direct free kick for Team A and shows a yellow card to a player of Team B. A coach of Team B does not agree with these decisions and claps in a sarcastic way. What disciplinary action does the referee take?
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The decision
The coach is cautioned (yellow card) because their action shows a clear lack of respect for the match official.
A defender (Team A) commits a reckless tackle against an attacker (Team B) outside the penalty area. The referee stops play, awards a free kick and calls the defender for a caution. Before the yellow card is shown, an attacker takes a quick free kick and Team B has a clear goal-scoring opportunity. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee stops play because the disciplinary procedure had started and 'distracted' the offender who is unfairly out of position and unable to take part in the game. After the caution is issued, play restarts with the original free kick for Team B.
A defender (Team A) pulls an attacker’s shirt (Team B) outside the penalty area which stops a promising attack. The attacker retains possession of the ball and the referee plays the advantage. Immediately after that, another defender (Team A) commits a careless tackle, makes contact with the attacker inside the penalty area and denies Team B an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO). What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a penalty kick. The second defender is cautioned (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour (DOGSO offence within the defender’s penalty area which was an attempt to play the ball) but there is no caution (no yellow card) for the first defender as the referee played the advantage.
The referee stops play and awards a penalty kick because an attacker falls down in the opponents’ penalty area and the referee thinks the attacker was fouled by a defender. The referee undertakes an on-field review and the replay footage clearly shows that the attacker pretends to have been fouled – the defender did not touch the attacker . What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
The penalty kick is cancelled and an indirect free kick is awarded to the defending team. The attacker is cautioned (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour (simulation).
The referee has awarded a throw-in for Team A. The opposing coach (Team B) holds the ball and delays the restart of play. Team A player, who is already off the field to take the throw-in, snatches the ball from the coach’s hands and uses excessive force to push the coach. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
Both the coach (Team B) and the player (Team A) must be sent off (red card). As the offences were committed when the ball was out of play, play will be restarted according to the previous decision (throw-in for Team A).
An attacking team player deliberately touches the ball with their hand to retain possession of the ball and continue a promising attack in the opponents’ half of the field. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee stops play and awards a direct free kick to the opposing team for a handball offence. The player may be cautioned (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour but it is not mandatory.
A player takes a throw-in and throws the ball towards a goalkeeper (a team-mate). The goalkeeper clearly attempts to kick the ball but fails to release it into play. After that, the ball accidentally touches the goalkeeper’s hand inside their penalty area. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee allows play to continue. When the goalkeeper clearly tries to kick the ball into play, this shows no intention to handle the ball, so if the ‘clearance’ attempt is unsuccessful, the goalkeeper can handle the ball.
A defender is fairly challenged by an attacker outside the defender’s penalty area. Suddenly, the defender slips on the grass, falls down and accidentally touches the ball with their hand. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee allows play to continue as the contact with the ball was the result of the player's natural movement as part of that playing situation.
A defender tries to kick the ball out. The ball hits the arm of another defender who is standing close in their penalty area and does not expect the ball to come from a team-mate. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee allows play to continue. It is not a handball offence – the defender is not considered to have made their body unnaturally bigger (whether or not the arm was close to the body or already extended).
While the ball is in play, a substitute (Team A) throws a water bottle at an opposing player (Team B) who is on the field of play. The opponent reacts and avoids the object. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a direct free kick (or a penalty kick) to Team B where the water bottle would have struck the player. The thrown object does not need to make contact with the opponent for the substitute to be penalised. The referee takes the appropriate disciplinary action:
* reckless – caution the substitute for unsporting behaviour (yellow card)
* using excessive force – send off the substitute for violent conduct (red card)
A player was cautioned (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour in the first half. During the second half, the same player commits a reckless challenge. The referee stops play, awards a direct free kick and the offending player shows dissent. What disciplinary action does the referee take?
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The decision
The player is shown a yellow card for the reckless challenge offence, then a red card and is sent off. The subsequent cautionable offence (dissent) should be included in the disciplinary report but a yellow card is not shown.
Team A player takes a throw-in and throws the ball towards the opponents’ penalty area. The ball is going directly into the goal and Team B player (not a goalkeeper) handles the ball and prevents it from entering the goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a penalty kick and cautions (yellow card) Team B player for unsporting behaviour. The offender cannot be sent off (red card) for denying a goal because a goal cannot be scored directly from a throw-in (if the player had not touched the ball and the ball had entered the goal, the goal kick would have been awarded).
Team A player moves with the ball close to the touchline and the ball briefly goes out of play. The assistant referee indicates that the whole of the ball has left the field and that Team B is entitled to take a throw-in. Team A player approaches the assistant referee and shows dissent from this decision. What does the referee do?
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The decision
Team A player must be cautioned. Public protest or disagreement (verbal and/or physical) with a decision is punishable by a yellow card regardless of whether it is directed at the referee, assistant referee or any other match official. Play is restarted according to the previous decision (throw-in for Team B).
A goalkeeper (Team A) leaves the penalty area and approaches an attacker (Team B) who is running one-on-one towards the goal. The attacker tries to lob the ball over the opponent so the goalkeeper catches the ball outside their penalty area to prevent a goal from being scored. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a direct free kick to Team B. The goalkeeper is sent off (red card) if the referee judges that the handball offence denied the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.
An attacker (Team A) jumps to score a goal with the head, being four metres away from the empty goal. Just before that, a defender (Team B) tries to play the ball, raises their leg to the head level and kicks the ball away. The defender does not touch the opponent, however, this action prevents the attacker from playing the ball for fear of injury. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The defender played in a dangerous manner and the referee awards an indirect free kick. If the referee decides that this offence denied the attacker an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, the defender is sent off (red card).
The referee has stopped play and awarded a free kick for Team A. After that, a substitute from Team B enters the field of play without the referee’s permission and protests at the referee's decision. What action does the referee take?
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The decision
The substitute receives a caution (yellow card) for each offence (entering without the referee’s permission and showing dissent) and therefore is sent off (red card). As the offences were committed when the ball was out of play, play is restarted according to the previous decision (free kick for Team A).
While the ball is in play, a defender (Team A) and an attacker (Team B) fight with each other in Team A’s penalty area. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
Both players must be sent off (red card) for violent conduct. If the referee decides that:
* Team A player committed the offence first – penalty kick for Team B
* Team B player committed the offence first – direct free kick for Team A
* the two players committed the offences at the same time – penalty kick for Team B because Team A player committed the more serious offence in terms of the restart
A player (Team A) passes the ball back to a team-mate who does not touch it. As a result, the ball goes to Team A's goalkeeper who picks up the ball in their own penalty area, being under pressure from an attacker (Team B). What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee allows play to continue. The goalkeeper was allowed to handle the ball because it was not a deliberate kick to the goalkeeper as the ball was not originally intended to go to the goalkeeper.
An attacker (Team A) runs with the ball into the opponents’ penalty area. A defender (Team B) challenges the attacker and gains possession of the ball without committing any offence. After that, the defender tries to shield the ball (which is within playing distance), extends their arms and strikes the attacker on the face with the elbow. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a penalty kick to Team A. The sanction depends on the severity of the offence. If the defender:
* was guilty of acting in a reckless manner – caution (yellow card)
* was guilty of violent conduct – sending-off (red card)
The referee has awarded a throw-in for Team A. Before taking the throw-in, Team A player (who is already off the field of play) argues with an assistant coach (Team B) who has left the technical area and provoked the thrower. The player attempts to strike the assistant coach. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
The player is sent off (red card) for violent conduct. The assistant coach is sent off for deliberately leaving the technical area to act in a provocative manner. As the offences were committed when the ball was out of play, play will be restarted according to the previous decision (throw-in for Team A).
The goalkeeper (Team A) leaves their penalty area because two attacking players (Team B) are running towards the goalkeeper’s goal. One attacking player tries to pass the ball to a team-mate who is not in an offside position. The goalkeeper deliberately touches the ball with their hand/arm and intercepts the pass. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a direct free kick to Team B. The goalkeeper is sent off (red card) if the referee judges that the handball denied the opposing team an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.
After the referee has stopped play and awarded a free kick to Team A, an opponent (Team B player) picks the ball up and holds to prevent the free kick being taken. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
Team B player must be cautioned (yellow card) for delaying the restart of play. Play is restarted according to the previous decision (free kick).
A defender (Team A) pulls an opposing attacker’s shirt (Team B) and stops a promising attack 30 metres from the goal, close to the touchline. The referee stops play. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a direct free kick to Team B. The defender is cautioned (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour.
A defending team player deliberately handles the ball within their own penalty area to prevent a goal being scored. After that, the ball does not enter the goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a penalty kick. The defending team player is sent off (red card).
A player falls to the ground in the middle of the field and pretends to have been fouled (simulation). The ball remains on the field and the referee stops play. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The player is cautioned (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour and an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team.
An attacker (Team A) kicks the ball when it is between Team B goalkeeper’s hand and the ground (inside Team B’s goal area). What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The goalkeeper is considered to be in control of the ball so cannot be challenged. The referee awards a direct free kick to Team B to be taken from anywhere in the goal area. Any disciplinary sanction will depend whether the challenge was careless (no sanction/warning), reckless (caution/yellow card) or using excessive force (sending-off/red card).
A player (Team A) enters the field of play without the required referee’s permission, interferes with play or an opponent in Team’s A penalty area and denies the opposing team an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. How is play restarted? What is the sanction?
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The decision
A penalty kick will be awarded and the player sent off (red card, RC).
A defender (Team A) starts holding an attacker (Team B) inside the penalty area and continues holding when the attacker tries to get free and leaves the penalty area. The attacker falls to the ground outside the penalty area. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee awards a penalty kick for the holding offence inside the penalty area.
A defender (Team A) denies an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO) by a challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent (Team B) outside the penalty area. The referee allows play to continue as the ball goes to another Team B player who gains the possession, takes a shot and scores a goal. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The goal is awarded. Although the referee played advantage there were two offences: DOGSO and 'serious foul play'. The offending player (Team A) is sent off (red card) because the referee must punish the more serious offence (serious foul play) and for this offence playing advantage does not change the disciplinary sanction.
When the ball is in play, a player (Team A) who is already off the field of play (having been treated for an injury) strikes the opposing coach (Team B). The referee stops play. What is the sanction? How is play restarted?
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The decision
A player is sent off (red card) for violent conduct. Play is restarted with a direct free kick to Team B on the boundary line nearest to where the offence occurred.
The referee stops play and cautions a player who committed a reckless challenge. The offending player shows dissent from this decision. What action does the referee take?
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The decision
The player receives a second caution (yellow card) and is sent off (red card). Play restarts with a direct free kick to the opposing team from the place where the reckless challenge was committed (dissent occurred when the ball was not in play and does not change the restart).
A player enters the field of play without the required permission and then commits a reckless tackle. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The player receives a caution (yellow card, YC) for each offence (entering without the referee’s permission and the reckless tackle) and therefore is sent off (red card, RC). Where two separate YC offences are committed, even in close proximity, they should result in two YCs. Play is restarted with a direct free kick (or penalty kick).
Before the corner kick is taken (ball out of play), the referee notices that a defending team player spits at an opponent. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
A defending team player is sent off (red card). Play is restarted according to the previous decision (corner kick) because free kicks and penalty kicks can only be awarded for offences committed when the ball is in play.
When the ball is in play, a substitute attempts to strike an assistant referee outside the field of play. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
Play is stopped by the referee and restarted with a direct free kick to the opposing team on the boundary line nearest to where the offence occurred. The substitute is sent off (red card) for violent conduct.
An attacker (Team A) takes a shot on goal. A goalkeeper (Team B) catches the ball and then places it on the ground. After that, the attacker runs towards the ball and the goalkeeper picks it up. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
An indirect free kick is awarded to Team A if a goalkeeper, inside their penalty area, touches the ball with the hand/arm after releasing it and before it has touched another player. There is no disciplinary sanction.
An attacking player in an offside position receives the ball, moves into the penalty area and falls to the ground (pretends to have been fouled). The assistant referee raises the flag and indicates offside. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
The referee stops play and awards an indirect free kick to the defending team where the offside offence occurred. The act of 'simulation' is unsporting behaviour and must be punished with a caution (yellow card) regardless of whether it is successful or not, or if play is stopped for another reason.
A player (Team A) commits a second cautionable (yellow card) offence in the same match which is a reckless challenge. The referee applies advantage because Team B has a clear opportunity to score a goal, however, the offending player (Team A) becomes involved in play and interferes with an opponent from Team B. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee stops play, shows the player (Team A) a second yellow card and a red card. Play is restarted with an indirect free kick to Team B where the player (Team A) became involved in play/interfered with an opponent.
Before a corner kick is taken, a defending team player holds an opponent and impedes his/her movement inside the penalty area. What is the correct decision?
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The decision
The referee must warn any player holding an opponent before the ball is in play and caution the offending player (yellow card) if the holding continues. A penalty kick cannot be awarded because the ball is not in play.
When the ball is in play, a player (Team A) strikes an opposing substitute (Team B) outside the field of play. The referee stops play and sends off the player for violent conduct. How will play be restarted?
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The decision
Play is restarted with a direct free kick to Team B on the boundary line nearest to where the offence occurred (or a penalty kick if this is within the offender’s penalty area).
A substitute kicks one of the additional balls onto the field of play. This interference stops a promising attack as the additional ball hits the match ball and the opposing team loses possession. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
Play is stopped and restarted with a direct free kick (or a penalty kick) where the additional ball struck the match ball. The substitute is cautioned (yellow card).
The referee awards a free kick for a foul challenge but does not decide to caution (yellow card, YC) or send off (red card, RC) the offending player. An assistant coach of the opposing team excessively gestures for a card. What disciplinary action should the referee take?
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The decision
The assistant coach is cautioned and shown the yellow card.
A goalkeeper catches the ball in their penalty area after his/her team-mate blocked a shot from an opponent. Is this penalised with an indirect free kick to the opposing team?
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The decision
No, the referee allows play to continue because the ball was not deliberately kicked to the goalkeeper by a team-mate.
A goalkeeper touches the ball with the hand/arm inside their penalty area after receiving the ball directly from a throw-in taken by a team-mate. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
The goalkeeper is not permitted to handle the ball – an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team but there is no disciplinary sanction.
Two players from different teams commit an offence at the same time: a player from Team A challenges for the ball in a reckless manner; a player from Team B strikes an opponent with excessive force. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
Both players must receive the appropriate disciplinary sanction:
* caution (yellow card) for a reckless challenge
* sending-off (red card) for violent conduct
Play is restarted with a direct free kick for Team A because the player from Team B committed the more serious offence.
During the match, while the ball is in play, a coach leaves their team’s technical area a number of times but does not enter the field of play nor the opposing team's technical area. What disciplinary action might the referee take?
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The decision
The coach is:
* warned for occasionally leaving the technical area without committing another offence
* cautioned (yellow card) for clearly/persistently not respecting the confines of the technical area
* sent off (red card) for deliberately leaving the technical area to show dissent towards a match official or act in a provocative manner
A player (Team A) stopped a promising attacking by a reckless challenge. The opponents (Team B) retain possession of the ball and the referee plays the advantage. What disciplinary action does the referee take against the offender?
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The decision
The player (Team A) must be cautioned (yellow card, YC) when play next stops. The Laws state that the referee punishes the more serious offence when more than one offence occurs at the same time. Thus, if a promising attack is stopped (SPA) by a reckless challenge then the YC is for the reckless challenge and not SPA.
During the match, while the ball is in play, a coach enters the technical area of the opposing team. The referee stops play. What is the sanction? How is play restarted?
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The decision
If the coach enters the opposing technical area:
* in an aggressive or confrontational manner – the coach is sent off (red card)
* in a non-confrontational manner – the coach is cautioned (yellow card).
Play is restarted with a dropped ball.
A player touches the ball with their shoulder. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
This is not a handball offence. For the purposes of determining handball offences, the boundary between the shoulder and the arm is defined as the bottom of the armpit.
A defending team player holds an attacking team player inside the penalty area when the ball is in play. Is it penalised by the referee?
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The decision
According to the definition in the Glossary, a holding offence occurs only when a player’s contact with an opponent’s body or equipment impedes the opponent’s movement.
A goalkeeper takes a goal kick. After the ball is in play, the goalkeeper handles the ball inside their penalty area (before it touches another player) and denies the opposing team an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. What is the referee’s decision if the advantage cannot be aplied?
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The decision
An indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team. If the goalkeeper deliberately plays the ball a second time at a restart and denies an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, the goalkeeper must be sent off (red card, RC) even if the touch is with the hand/arm.
A player entered the field of play without a permission and stopped a promising attack by kicking the ball (but not committing a foul). What is the referee's decision?
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The decision
Play is restarted with a direct free kick where the interference occurred. The player receives two cautions (yellow cards) – one for illegally entering the field of play and the second for stopping a promising attack – and then is sent off (red card).
An attacker takes a shot on goal when a goalkeeper is drinking water from a bottle. The goalkeeper gets back into position and uses the bottle to parry the ball and save the shot on the goal line. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
It is a penalty kick and the goalkeeper is sent off (red card, RC) for denying the opposing team a goal.
How can an offence be violent conduct if no contact is made?
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The decision
In Law 12 ‘attempts to kick’ and ‘attempts to strike’ are offences – so attempted offences should be punished. Just because a player avoids an opponent’s punch or violent kick it does not mean that the offence is any less serious. Attempted violence must be punished as a sending-off (red card, RC) offence.
A player takes his shirt off to celebrate a goal and is cautioned (yellow card, YC). After the VAR review, the referee disallows the goal. Will the YC be cancelled?
A substitute throws an object onto the field of play and it interferes with play, an opponent or match official. How is play restarted?
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The decision
Play is restarted with a direct free kick (or penalty kick) where the object interfered with play or struck or would have struck the opponent, match official or the ball. The substitute should be cautioned (yellow card, YC) or sent off (red card, RC) depending on the severity of the offence.
The referee awards a penalty kick. The VAR review shows that an attacking player was guilty of simulation (pretended to be fouled). What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
After the referee has reviewed the replay footage, the penalty kick is cancelled and an indirect free kick is awarded to the defending team. The attacking player who was guilty of simulation must be cautioned (yellow card, YC) for unsporting behaviour.
A goalkeeper is in control of the ball which is between his/her hand and the ground. Is another player allowed to play the ball at this moment?
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The decision
Yes, but only a team-mate. A goalkeeper cannot be challenged by an opponent when in control of the ball with the hand(s). The sanction depends on whether the challenge is careless, reckless or excessive force.
A player throws the ball at an opponent. What is the disciplinary sanction?
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The decision
If the action was reckless the referee will caution the offender for unsporting behaviour (yellow card, YC). If the player used excessive force the referee will send off the offender for violent conduct (red card, RC).
A player, standing in own penalty area, uses offensive language against an opponent. What is the sanction? How is play restarted and why?
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The decision
The offender will be sent off (RC). The referee will award an indirect free kick to the opposing team where the offence occurred (i.e. where the offender was standing). All verbal offences are penalised with an indirect free kick.
A player receives a caution (yellow card, YC) for simulation in the opponents’ penalty area. The incident is then reviewed by the referee and the VAR review clearly shows that the player was fouled. What is the referee’s decision?
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The decision
If the referee decides that it was not a simulation, the YC is cancelled and the penalty kick is awarded; if appropriate, the defender who committed the foul is shown the YC or RC.
A player attempts to use brutality against an opposing player when not challenging for the ball but he/she does not touch the opponent. What is the sanction?
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The decision
A player is guilty of violent conduct and will be sent off (red card, RC) even if the attempt is unsuccessful. Contact is not a requirement for the offence to be penalised and the player sanctioned.
A coach delays the restart of play. What disciplinary action may the referee take?
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The decision
The coach is cautioned (yellow card, YC) for delaying the restart of play by their own team. The coach is sent off (red card, RC) for delaying the restart of play by the opposing team e.g. holding onto the ball, kicking the ball away, obstructing the movement of a player.
One of the team officials deliberately throws a bottle onto the field of play. What is the referee’s decision if the offender cannot be identified?
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The decision
Deliberately throwing or kicking an object onto the field of play is punished with a sending-off (red card, RC). The senior coach (usually the main coach) present in the technical area will receive the sanction – as the person responsible for other team officials.
An attacking player (Team A) attempts to block the goalkeeper (Team B) when he/she is kicking the ball from his/her hands. What is the referee’s decision? What is the sanction?
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The decision
The attacking player is penalised with an indirect free kick for preventing the goalkeeper from releasing or attempting to release the ball into play. This is not a mandatory cautionable (yellow card, YC) offence.
The goalkeeper is holding the ball in the outstretched open hand and an opposing player attempts to kick the ball. What are the restart and the sanction?
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The decision
A goalkeeper cannot be challenged by an opponent when in control of the ball with the hand(s). Play restarts with an indirect free kick (no contact) or a direct free kick (contact) – the offence is a caution (yellow card, YC) if it stops a promising attack or the challenge is reckless.
While the ball is in play the referee sees two players of the same team fighting with each other inside the field of play. What are the sanction and the restart?
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The decision
Both players must be sent off (red card, RC) for violent conduct. Physical offences against a team-mate inside the field of play are penalised by a direct free kick or a penalty kick (if committed within the offenders’ penalty area).
A player commits a cautionable (yellow card, YC) offence but the referee allows play to continue. After that, the same player commits a second YC offence. What is the referee's decision?
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The decision
The player will be shown a yellow card, then the second yellow card and – as a result – the red card and sent off unless the first offence was 'interfering with or stopping a promising attack' in which case this offence does not receive a yellow card (as the advantage effectively restored the promising attack).
A player (Team A) has committed a second cautionable (yellow card, YC) offence in the same match. May the referee allow a quick free kick to be taken by Team B? When should the referee caution (YC) and send off (red card, RC) the offender?
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The decision
The referee may only allow a quick free kick if it creates a very good chance to score and the disciplinary procedure has not been started. The player is given the second YC and the RC the next time play stops unless he/she gets involved with play in which case the referee stops play at once, issues the second YC, sends the player off and restarts with an indirect free kick. However, if the second offence was stopping a promising attack the yellow card is no longer applicable (as the quick free kick has effectively 'restored' the 'lost' promising attack).