Law changes 23/24

If, after a goal is scored, the referee realises, before play restarts, that an extra person was on the field of play when the goal was scored, and that person interfered with play:

• the referee must disallow the goal if the extra person was:

  • a player, substitute, substituted player, sent-off player or team official of the team that scored the goal; play is restarted with a direct free kick from the position of the extra person

  • an outside agent who interfered with play unless a goal results as outlined above in ‘Extra persons on the field of play’; play is restarted with a dropped ball

• the referee must allow the goal if the extra person was:

  • a player, substitute, substituted player, sent-off player or team official of the team that conceded the goal

  • an outside agent who did not interfere with play

Other match officials (two assistant referees, a fourth official, two additional assistant referees, a reserve assistant referee, a video assistant referee (VAR) and at least one assistant VAR (AVAR)) may be appointed to matches. (...)

The referee, assistant referees, fourth official, additional assistant referees and reserve assistant referee are the ‘on-field’ match officials.

(...)

With the exception of the reserve assistant referee, the The other ‘on-field’ match officials assist the referee with offences when they have a clearer view than the referee (...)

The only duty of a A reserve assistant referee is tomay replace an assistant referee, or fourth official or additional assistant referee who is unable to continue, and may also assist the referee in the same way as the other ‘on-field’ match officials.

Allowance is made by the referee in each half for all playing time lost in that half through:

• substitutions
• (…)
• goal celebrations
• any other cause, including any significant delay to a restart (e.g. goal celebrations due to interference by an outside agent).

(…)

When competition rules require a winning team after a drawn match (…), the only permitted procedures to determine the winning team are:

• away goals rule
• two equal periods of extra time not exceeding 15 minutes each
• kicks from the penalty mark penalties (penalty shoot-out)

A combination of the above procedures may be used.

Kicks from the penalty mark Penalties (penalty shoot-out) are taken after the match has ended (…); warnings and cautions issued to players and team officials during the match are not carried forward into kicks from the penalty mark penalties (penalty shoot-out).

Procedure

Before kicks from the penalty mark penalties (penalty shoot-out) start

• (…)

During kicks from the penalty mark penalties (penalty shoot-out)

• (…)

Subject to the conditions explained below, both teams take five kicks

• (...)
• Kicks from the penalty mark Penalties (penalty shoot-out) must not be delayed for a player who leaves the field of play. (…)

Substitutions and sendings-off during kicks from the penalty mark penalties (penalty shoot-out)

(…)

A player in an offside position receiving the ball from an opponent who deliberately plays played* the ball, including by deliberate handball, is not considered to have gained an advantage, unless it was a deliberate save by any opponent.

*‘Deliberate play’ (excluding deliberate handball) is when a player has control of the ball with the possibility of:

• passing the ball to a team-mate;
• gaining possession of the ball; or
• clearing the ball (e.g. by kicking or heading it)

If the pass, attempt to gain possession or clearance by the player in control of the ball is inaccurate or unsuccessful, this does not negate the fact that the player ‘deliberately played’ the ball.

The following criteria should be used, as appropriate, as indicators that a player was in control of the ball and, as a result, can be considered to have ‘deliberately played’ the ball:

• The ball travelled from distance and the player had a clear view of it
• The ball was not moving quickly
• The direction of the ball was not unexpected
• The player had time to coordinate their body movement, i.e. it was not a case of instinctive stretching or jumping, or a movement that achieved limited contact/control
• A ball moving on the ground is easier to play than a ball in the air

(…)

Cautions for unsporting behaviour

There are different circumstances when a player must be cautioned for unsporting behaviour, including if a player:

• (…)
• handles the ball to interfere with or stop a promising attack
• commits any other offence which interferes with or stops a promising attack, except where the referee awards a penalty kick for an offence which was an attempt to play the ball or a challenge for the ball
• denies an opponent an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by committing an offence which was an attempt to play the ball or a challenge for the ball and the referee awards a penalty kick

(…)

Denying a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO)

Where a player commits an offence against an opponent within their own penalty area which denies an opponent an obvious goal-scoring opportunity and the referee awards a penalty kick, the offender is cautioned if the offence was an attempt to play the ball or a challenge for the ball; in all other circumstances (e.g. holding, pulling, pushing, no possibility to play the ball etc.), the offending player must be sent off.

(…)

Team officials

Where an offence is committed by someone from the technical area (substitute, substituted player, sent-off player or team official) and the offender cannot be identified, the senior team coach present in the technical area will receive the sanction.

(…)

The defending goalkeeper must remain on the goal line, facing the kicker, between the goalposts, without touching the goalposts, crossbar or goal net, until the ball has been is kicked. The goalkeeper must not behave in a way that unfairly distracts the kicker, e.g. delay the taking of the kick or touch the goalposts, crossbar or goal net.

UThe use of VARs during a match involves the following practical arrangements:

• The VAR watches the match in the video operation room (VOR) assisted by an one or more assistant VARs (AVARs) and replay operator (RO)
• Depending on the number of camera angles (and other considerations), there may be more than one AVAR or RO and one or more replay operators (ROs)
• (…)