ABOUT THE LAWSABOUT THE LAWS

Philosophy and Spirit

Football is the greatest sport on earth. It is played on every continent, in every country and at many different levels. The fact that the Laws of the Game are the same for all football throughout the world, from the FIFA World Cup™ through to a game between young children in a remote village, is a considerable strength which must continue to be harnessed for the good of football everywhere.

Football must have Laws which keep the game fair – this is a crucial foundation of the ‘beautiful game’ and a vital feature of the spirit of the game. The best matches are those where the referee is rarely needed because the players play with respect for each other, the match officials and the Laws.

Football’s Laws are relatively simple compared to most other team sports, but as many situations are subjective and match officials are human, some decisions will inevitably be wrong or cause debate and discussion. For some people, this discussion is part of the game’s enjoyment and attraction but, whether decisions are right or wrong, the spirit of the game requires that referees’ decisions must always be respected. All those in authority, especially coaches and team captains, have a clear responsibility to the game to respect the match officials and their decisions.

The Laws cannot deal with every possible situation, so where there is no direct provision in the Laws, The IFAB expects the referee to make a decision within the spirit of the game and the Laws – this often involves asking the question, ‘what would football want/expect?’

Poor participant behaviour and intentional delays that disrupt the flow of the game remain two major concerns. Following the successful implementation of the ‘Only the captain’ guidelines, as well as the measure that penalises goalkeepers who hold the ball for more than eight seconds by awarding a corner kick to the opposition, further steps have been taken to address deliberate tempo disruption and time lost. Referees have now been given enhanced authority to combat time-wasting tactics involving throw-ins, goal kicks, injuries and substitutions.

The Laws must also contribute to the safety and welfare of players and it is The IFAB’s responsibility to react quickly and appropriately to support the game’s participants, through the Laws themselves, when the need arises.

To that end, competitions have the option of allowing the use of ‘additional permanent concussion substitutions’. This enables teams to prioritise the welfare of a player who has an actual or suspected concussion without suffering a numerical disadvantage.

Accidents inevitably occur, but the Laws aim to help make the game as safe as possible, balancing player welfare and sporting fairness. This requires referees to use the Laws to deal strongly with those players whose actions are too aggressive or dangerous. The Laws embody the unacceptability of unsafe play in their disciplinary phrases, such as ‘reckless challenge’ and ‘endangering the safety of an opponent’ or ‘using excessive force’.

To promote a greater understanding of the Laws, The IFAB has published ‘Football Rules – simplified Laws of the Game’, which have been written to make the Laws easier to understand, especially for young people, potential or newly qualified referees, adults who referee occasionally, players, coaches, spectators and the media.

Visit www.footballrules.com to access or download Football Rules, which can be sorted alphabetically or by category.

An audio version of the Laws of the Game can be accessed at: www.theifab.com.

Managing Changes

Football must remain attractive and enjoyable for players, match officials and coaches, as well as spectators, fans and administrators, regardless of age, gender, race, religion, culture, ethnicity, sexual orientation or disability.

It is also crucial to uphold the universality of the Laws to allow young players to watch matches on television and then attempt to replicate what they have seen on the field. Therefore, any changes to the Laws must benefit the game as a whole, which often requires testing or trialling the proposed modifications first.

For every proposed change, the focus is on fairness, integrity, respect, safety, the enjoyment of participants and spectators and, where appropriate, using technology to enhance the game.

The IFAB will continue to work with its advisory panels and engage in extensive consultations with stakeholders so that changes to the Laws benefit football at all levels and in every corner of the world. This should help ensure that the integrity of the game, the Laws themselves and the match officials are respected, valued and protected.

The IFAB greatly values its engagement with people worldwide and is always happy to receive suggestions or questions relating to the Laws of the Game. Please continue to send your ideas, suggestions and questions to: [email protected].

For more information on the history of the Laws of the Game and current developments, including trials, please visit our website: www.theifab.com.