LAW 1 – THE FIELD OF PLAY
LAW 14 – THE PENALTY KICK
- Artificial turf may be used for the lines on a grass field if not dangerous
- National FAs can allow a maximum of five substitutions (except at the top level)
- National FAs can now allow return substitutions in youth, veterans and disability football
- Clearer wording for the substitution procedure
- A substitution made at half-time without informing referee is not a caution (YC) offence
- Changing the goalkeeper at half-time without informing the referee is not a caution (YC)
- Player who enters the field of play without the referee’s permission (if it is required) and interferes is punished with a direct free kick (FK)
- Team scoring a goal with an extra person on the field is punished with a direct FK
- Goalkeeper caps are not included in the list of restrictions on head covers
- Players are not permitted to wear/use any electronic or communication equipment, except electronic performance and tracking systems/EPTS); technical staff may only use communication equipment for safety/welfare issues
- All EPTS equipment must bear a minimum safety standard mark
- Important statement that decisions made by match officials must always be respected
- National FAs can allow temporary dismissals (sin bins) for some/all cautions (YC) in youth, veterans, disability and grassroots football (Guidelines for both systems will be published)
- A medical official guilty of a dismissible offence may stay/treat players if no other medical person is available for the team
- A short drinks break is permitted at half-time of extra time
- Kicker can stand in the opponents’ half at the kick-off
- Extra time must be two equal periods, maximum 15 minutes each
- Corrected wording for goalkeeper who is unable to continue
- Excluded player may replace a goalkeeper even if team has used all its permitted substitutes
- Kicker may not play the ball a second time
- A goalkeeper who offends and the penalty has to be retaken must be cautioned (YC)
- If the kicker offends the kick is forfeited (recorded as ‘missed’)
- If the goalkeeper and kicker offend at the same time:
- retake and two cautions (YCs) if no goal is scored
- if a goal is scored the kicker is cautioned (YC) and kick recorded as ‘missed’
- An offside player can be penalised if the ball rebounds/deflects off a match official
- Addition of ‘attempts to’ to the definition of a ‘save’
- Offside guidance:
- player in offside position who impedes an opponent must be penalised
- a player in offside position who is fouled before committing an offside offence – foul penalised
- player in offside position who is fouled when already committing an offside offence – offside penalised
- Verbal offences are punished with an indirect FK
- If an advantage is played for a sending-off (RC) and the player commits another offence, that offence is penalised
- A player ‘stopping a promising attack’ in the penalty area is not cautioned (YC) if the offence was an attempt to play the ball
- Addition to list of cautions (YCs) for a ‘denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity’ (DOGSO) offence in the penalty area which was an attempt to play the ball
- Caution (YC) for goal celebration which causes safety/ security issue
- If player moves diagonally to pass the last defender/goalkeeper this can still be a DOGSO
- Clearer DOGSO wording for a penalty area offence which is an attempt to play the ball
- Entering the field of play without permission and stopping a goal or DOGSO is a sendingoff
- Off-field offence by/against a player involving opposing player/substitute/team official (or against a match official) is penalised by FK on the boundary line if the ball is in play
- Direct FK for throwing or kicking ball/object onto the field to interfere with play/someone
- Direct FK on boundary line for throwing or kicking ball/object at someone off the field
- Attacker in or entering the penalty area before a defensive FK has left the area cannot
LAW 14 – THE PENALTY KICK
- Kicker must be clearly identified
- If the goalkeeper and kicker offend at the same time:
- retake and two cautions (YCs) if no goal is scored
- if a goal is scored the kicker is cautioned (YC) and kick recorded as ‘missed’ (see Law 10)
- Goal can be awarded after outside interference if the ball still goes in the goal
- Attacker entering the penalty area cannot play or challenge for the ball until it is touched by another player