The following series of videos and clarifications briefly explain any recent updates to the Laws of the Game and/or contain helpful tips on what referees should be looking for.
Referees should be familiar with the most recent FIFA Law changes to:
Law 4 (The Player's Equipment)
Law 8 (Dropped ball procedure)
Law 9 (Ball hits the Referee)
Law 12 (Handling and Goalkeeper POssession)
Law 14 (Goalkeeper position on a PK)
Law 16 (Goal kick procedure).
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Law 1 The Field of Play
Law 2 The Ball
Law 3 The Players
Law 4 The Players Equipment
Players can wear religious jewelry in soccer under certain conditions, including:
- Referee approval
- The referee must deem the jewelry safe for the player and other participants.
- Securely taped
- The jewelry must be taped securely to the body so it doesn't pose a danger.
- Well padded
- The jewelry should be well padded.
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Religious jewelry is defined as necklaces and bracelets that are worn as part of practicing one's religious beliefs. Necklaces or earrings that express a religious connotation (crosses, angels, star of David, etc...) are not covered by this policy and may not be worn.
Children may participate in games and practices while wearing medical alert bracelets. It is important that this information remains visible. However, to ensure the bracelet does not present a danger to the player or other players it must be secured to the player with tape, a cloth wristband or something equivalent taking care to leave the information visible.
Law 5 The Referee
PROPER CENTER REFEREE SIGNALS
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Law 6 Other Match Officials
PROPER ASSISTANT REFEREE SIGNALS
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Law 7 Duration of the Match
Law 8 Start and Restart of Play
DROPPED BALL RESTARTS
If, when play was stopped, the ball was:
- inside the penalty area – the ball is dropped for the defending team goalkeeper in their penalty area
- outside the penalty area – the ball is dropped for a player of the team that has or would have gained possession if this is clear to the referee; otherwise, it is dropped for a player of the team that last touched it. The ball is dropped at its position when play was stopped
All other players (of both teams) must remain at least 4.5 yds from the ball until it is in play. The ball is in play when it touches the ground. A goal cannot be scored from a dropped ball until it touches at least two other players.
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Law 9 Ball in and Out of Play
BALL HITS A MATCH OFFICIAL
Contrary to what we've been taught in the past, IFAB has determined that the referee is no longer part of the field. Play is restarted with a dropped ball if it touches a match official and any of the following occur:
1.) A team starts a promising attack
2.) The ball goes directly into the goal or
3.) The team in possession of the ball changes
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Law 10 Determining the Outcome of a Match
Law 11 Offside (Part 1)
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Law 11 Offside (Part 2)
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Law 11 Offside (Part 3)
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Law 12 Fouls and Misconduct
CLARIFICATION ON HANDLING (New for 2025)
For the purposes of determining handball offenses, the upper boundary of the arm is in line with the bottom of the armpit.
It is an offense if a player: - deliberately touches the ball with their hand/arm, for example moving the hand/arm towards the ball
- touches the ball with their hand/arm when it has made their body unnaturally bigger. A player is considered to have made their body unnaturally bigger when the position of their hand/arm is not a consequence of, or justifiable by, the player’s body movement for that specific situation. By having their hand/arm in such a position, the player takes a risk of their hand/arm being hit by the ball and being penalized
- scores in the opponents’ goal:
- directly from their hand/arm, even if accidental, including by the goalkeeper
- immediately after the ball has touched their hand/arm, even if accidental
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New for 2026!: If a goalkeeper has control of the ball with their hand(s)/arm(s) for more than eight seconds, the referee will now award a corner kick (rather than an indirect free kick) on the side of the field closest to the goalkeeper’s position when penalized. There is no disciplinary action (RC or YC) unless the goalkeeper repeatedly commits the offence.
Law 13 Free Kicks
Law 14 Penalty Kick
GOALKEEPER POSITIONING
Goalkeepers only need to have one foot on or above the goal line when defending a penalty kick.
Law 15 Throw-In
Law 16 Goal Kick
GOAL KICK PROCEDURE
The ball does NOT need to leave the penalty area to be in play. The ball is in play when it is kicked and clearly moves. Opponents must be outside the penalty area until the ball is in play.
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Law 17 Corner Kick