The changes in football regulations: Offside, extra time and more!

Several changes in football regulations and in various matters of concern, announced the IFAB.

Some of these changes relate to recent events that have taken place and are now being clarified. Such as a goal being scored by a team and players from the bench or officials are on the pitch (see the example from the Argentina-France World Cup final).

There is also an amendment to the regulation on delays, as extra minutes will be counted for the delay in goal celebrations, and goalkeepers will no longer be allowed to delay a penalty or move on the line and hit the beams.

Now available for download: list of changes and clarifications to the Laws of the Game 2023/24, effective as from 1 July

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— The IFAB (@TheIFAB) March 23, 2023

Law 3 – The players

Goal scored with an extra person on the pitch (clarification about extra person(s) on the pitch when a goal is scored).

If, after a goal has been scored, the referee realizes, before play is restarted, that an additional 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 scored the goal. Play is restarted with an immediate free kick from the extra man’s position.

– An outside factor that interfered with the game, unless a goal is scored as described above in the “Extra persons on the pitch” section. The game restarts with a dropped ball.

*The referee must allow the goal if the extra person was:

– player, substitute, substituted player, sent off player or team official of the team that conceded the goal

– An external factor that did not interfere with the game.

EXPLANATION: Clarification that the referee must take action against an extra person on the field of play when a goal is scored only if the person affected the game, e.g. The Law does not expect the referee to penalize encroachment on the field of play if it does not affect play.

Law 6 – Other Match Officials

(The reserve assistant referee (RAR) is now entitled to assist the referee in the same way as the other referees on the field).

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

The referee, assistant referees, fourth official, additional assistant referees and substitute assistant referee are the “on-field” referees of the match.

The other “on-field” referees in the match assist the referee in infringements when they have a clearer view than the referee.

EXPLANATION: The use of back-up assistant referees has increased significantly and it therefore makes sense that they should be able to provide the same assistance to the referee as the other referees ‘on the pitch’.

Law 7 – The duration of the match

Delays (Goal celebrations become a separate chapter in the list of causes of time lost for which the referee takes into account).

Awarded by the referee in each half for all playing time lost in that half for:

-substitutions (pp. changes)

– goal celebrations

-Any other cause, including any significant delay in the restart (e.g. goal celebrations due to outside interference)

Explanation: Goal celebrations will hereafter be mentioned separately to emphasize that they often lead to the loss of significant time, for which the referee takes account.

Law 10 – Determination of the result of a match

2. Winning team (Modified text)

When the rules of the competition require a winning team after a tie, the only procedures allowed to determine the winning team are:

– Away goals rule

– two equal periods of extra time not exceeding 15 minutes each

– penalty kicks (penalty procedure)

A combination of the above procedures may be used.

3. Kicks from the penalty spot (penalty procedure)

The term “penalty spot kick” to be replaced by the term “penalty” (penalty penalty procedure). Clarification that warnings and cautions for team officials, as well as for players, do not carry over to penalties

Kicks from the spot of penalties Penalties (penalty procedure) are executed after the end of the match, warnings and cautions given to the players and referees of the team during the match are not transferred to kicks from the penalty spot (penalty procedure).

Procedure

-Before penalty kicks (in penalty kicks)

-During penalty kicks (on penalties)

-With the conditions explained below, both teams take five kicks

-Kicks from the penalty spot (on penalties) must not be delayed for a player leaving the field of play.

Substitutions and substitutions during penalty kicks (penalty procedure)

The change from ‘penalty spot kick’ to ‘penalty (in penalty shootout)’ will also apply to the following:

-Instructions for temporary redundancies (sin bins)

-Law 2.2 – Replacement of a defective ball

-Law 3.5 – Offenses and penalties

-Law 5.3 – Powers and duties

-Law 12.3 – Disciplinary prosecution

-Glossary

-Practical instructions for match referees

Explanation

-The term “penalty spot kick” is outdated and rarely used. Most

people refer to “penalty” or “penalty”

-Clarification that warnings and caveats for group managers, as well as for

players, not transferred to penalties (in penalties)

Law 11 – Offside

2. Offside offense (Clarification of the guidelines for the distinction between ‘deliberate play’ and ‘deflection’ as described in circular 26 – July 2022)

A player in an offside position who receives the ball from an opponent who deliberately played* the ball, including deliberate handball (s. hand), 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 ability to:

-Passing the ball to a teammate.

-getting possession of the ball.

-removing the ball (e.g. by kicking or heading)

If the pass, attempt to gain possession or clearance from 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 indications that a player has had control of the ball and can therefore be considered to have ‘deliberately played’ the ball:

-The ball traveled a distance and the player had a clear view

-The ball wasn’t moving fast

-The direction of the ball was not unexpected

-The player had time to coordinate their body movement ie it was not an instinctive stretch or jump or movement that achieved limited contact/control

-A ball moving on the ground is easier to play than a ball in the air

Illustration: The additional wording clarifies the guidelines for distinguishing between “deliberate play” and “deflection” based on the expectation that a player who is clearly in an offside position should not step into the side in all cases when the opponent moves and touches the ball. This wording was published in IFAB Circular 26 (July 2022).

Law 12 – Fouls and misconduct

3. Disciplinary action (Clarification that if the referee indicates a penalty for an offense involving a player of the defending team marking an opponent for the ball (excluding holding, pulling, pushing, not being able to play the ball, etc. ), the same penalty should be imposed on the player for an attempt to play the ball, i.e. if the attack stops or interferes with a promising attack – no caution (no yellow card). DOGSO offense – caution (yellow card))

Precautions for unsportsmanlike conduct

There are different circumstances in which a player must be cautioned for unsportsmanlike conduct, including if a player:

-handles the ball to interfere or stop a promising attack.

-commits any other offense that interferes with or stops a promising attack, unless the referee awards a penalty for an offense that was an attempt to play the ball.

-denies an opponent an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by committing an offense that was an attempt to play the ball or a challenge for the ball and the referee awards a penalty.

Denying an opponent an obvious scoring opportunity (DOGSO)

When a player commits a foul against an opponent inside his own penalty area which denies the opponent an obvious scoring opportunity and the referee awards a penalty, the offender is cautioned if the foul was

Try to play the ball or challenge for the ball. in all other cases (e.g.

Explanation: It is not always clear whether an action was an attempt to play the ball or a challenge to the ball (or both). The same principle should apply to challenging the ball as trying to play the ball. When the referee awards a penalty for a DOGSO infringement, the offending player is only sent off if the infringement was committed without being able to play the ball.

Law 12 – Fouls and misconduct

3. Disciplinary proceedings (Supplementary text)

Team officials

In the event that an offense 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 in the technical area will receive the sanction.

Explanation: Clarification that the senior team official can only be penalized for a foul committed by an “unknown foul” located in/from the technical area, i.e. this does not apply to a foul committed by an “unknown player”.

Law 14 – The Penalty

Procedure (Clarification that the goalkeeper must not behave in a manner that shows no respect for the game and the opponent, i.e. by unfairly distracting the player)

The defending goalkeeper must remain on the goal line, facing the kicker, between the goal posts, without touching the goal posts, goal post or net, until the ball is kicked. The goalkeeper must not behave in a way that unfairly distracts the player, e.g. delay the kick or touch the goal posts, crossbars or nets.

Explanation: Clarification that the goalkeeper must not behave in a manner that does not show respect for the game and the opponent, i.e. by unfairly distracting the player.

Video Assistant Referee (VAR) protocol

3. Practices (Amended text)

The use of VAR during a match involves the following practical arrangements:

– The VAR watches the match in the Video Room (VOR) with the help of one or more Assistant VARs (AVARs) and Replay Operator (RO).

-Depending on the number of camera angles (and other considerations) present, there may be more than one AVAR and one or more repetition operators (ROs).

Explanation: The modified wording reflects the VAR system, which does not include a replay operator.