Law 3 – The Players Competitions have the option of implementing the ‘Only the captain’ guidelines ​Law 5 – The Referee   Signal to be used by referees to count down the last five seconds of the eight-second restriction on goalkeepers controlling the ball with their hand(s)/arm(s) ​Law 8 – The Start and Restart of Play – Dropped ball 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 Law changes 2025/26 • 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 ​​Law 9 – The Ball in and out of Play Indirect free kick and no disciplinary sanction when a team official, substitute, substituted or sent-off player or player who is temporarily off the field of play touches the ball as it is leaving the field of play and there is no intention to interfere unfairly ​Law 11 – Offside   When the goalkeeper throws the ball, the last point of contact should be used for the purpose of determining an offside position ​Law 12 – Fouls and Misconduct A goalkeeper who controls the ball with their hand(s)/arm(s) for more than eight seconds will be penalised, with a corner kick being awarded to the other team ​Law 16 – The Goal Kick •  Reference to other Laws detailing situations which result in a goal kick ​Law 17 – The Corner Kick •  Reference to other Laws detailing situations which result in a corner kick •  Kick to be taken from the corner area nearest to the goalkeeper’s position when penalised Video assistant referee (VAR) protocol •  Competitions have the option for the referee to make an announcement after a VAR ‘review’ or lengthy VAR ‘check’ ​ ​ ​
Law 1. The Field of Play Clarification that the goal line technology (GLT) indication that a goal has been scored can be communicated via the referee’s earpiece/headset Law 3. The Players The use of additional permanent concussion substitutions is now available to competitions Each team must have a captain who wears an identifying armband Law 4. The Players’ Equipment Clarification that players are responsible for the size and suitability of their shinguards Clarification of the requirements for the captain’s compulsory armband Reference to gloves to be included under ‘Other equipment’ Reference to tracksuit bottoms for goalkeepers to be removed from ‘Compulsory equipment’ and included under ‘Other equipment’ Law 12. Fouls and Misconduct Clarification that non-deliberate handball offences for which penalties are awarded are to be sanctioned in the same way as fouls which are an attempt to play the ball or a challenge for the ball Law 14. The Penalty Kick Clarification that part of the ball must touch or overhang the centre of the penalty mark Encroachment by players will be penalised only if it has an impact (same philosophy as goalkeeper encroachment) Guidelines for temporary dismissals (sin bins) The guidelines have been revised, including, most notably, to specify that a temporarily dismissed player can return to the field of play only during a stoppage and to simplify System B
Law 3 – The Players •  Clarification relating to extra person(s) on the field of play when a goal is scored Law 6 – The Other Match Officials •  Reserve assistant referee (RAR) now permitted to assist the referee in the same way as the other ‘on-field’ match officials Law 7 – The Duration of the Match •  ‘ Goal celebrations’ to become a separate bullet point in the list of causes of time lost for which the referee makes allowance Law 10 – Determining the Outcome of a Match •  The term ‘kicks from the penalty mark’ to be replaced by ‘penalties (penalty shoot-out)’ Updated 17 April 2023 Law changes 2023/24 •  Clarification that warnings and cautions for team officials, as well as for players, are not carried forward into penalties (penalty shoot-out) Law 11 – Offside •  Clarification of guidelines to distinguish between ‘deliberate play’ and ‘deflection’, as outlined in circular 26 (July 2022) Law 12 – Fouls and Misconduct Clarification that if the referee awards a penalty kick for an offence which involved a defending team player challenging an opponent for the ball (excluding holding, pulling, pushing, no possibility to play the ball etc.), the same sanction should be issued to the player as for an attempt to play the ball, i.e. if the offence stops or interferes with a promising attack – no caution (no yellow card); DOGSO offence – caution (yellow card)
Law 3 – The Players   The temporary amendment giving ‘top’ competitions the option of allowing teams to use up to five substitutes (with limited substitution opportunities) becomes part of Law 3 ​Competition rules may now allow a maximum of fifteen substitutes to be named Law 8 – The Start and Restart of Play   Clarification that the referee tosses the coin to determine the ‘ends’ and kick-off Law 10 – Determining the Outcome of a Match   Clarification that a team official may be cautioned or sent off during kicks from the penalty mark Law 12 – Fouls and Misconduct Law changes 2022/23   Clarification about handball offences by the goalkeeper in their own penalty area Law 12 – Fouls and Misconduct Clarification about the position of a free kick awarded when a player leaves the field of play without the referee’s permission and then commits an offence against an outside agent Law 14 – The Penalty Kick   Clarification about the position of the goalkeeper before and when a penalty kick is taken
Changes affecting more than one Law Notes on the Laws of the Game (all Laws) – metric units •  Clarification that, if there is any divergence between metric and imperial units, the metric units are authoritative Laws 4, 5, 12 and VAR protocol – non-violent inappropriate behaviour •  To allow some non-violent inappropriate behaviour to be considered ‘offensive, insulting or abusive’ and result in a sending-off, ‘action(s)/acting’ replace ‘gesture(s)/gesturing’ in the relevant descriptions Laws 1, 2 and 4 – FIFA Quality Programme  •  Information about the FIFA Quality Programme is now included after the VAR protocol – details have been removed from the Law text Law changes Individual Law changes (in Law order) : Law 1 – The Field of Play •  The goalposts and crossbar (and goals) must be the same shape The GLT signal can be sent to the video operation room (VOR) Law 6 – The Other Match Officials There is now a FIFA list of international video match officials (VMOs) Law 7 – The Duration of the Match Stoppage time relates to ‘lost’ playing time ​Law 11 – Offside Inclusion of the Law 12 definition of where the arm ends (bottom of the armpit) for the purposes of determining an offside/onside position Law 12 – Fouls and Misconduct •Handball: • Not every contact of the ball with the hand/arm is an offence • A player’s hand/arm position should be judged in relation to their body movement in that particular situation • Removal from the accidental attacking handball offence of the references to a ‘team-mate’ and ‘creating a goal-scoring opportunity’ • The offence of using a ‘trick’ to circumvent the Law against the goalkeeper handling the ball from a deliberate kick from a team-mate applies at goal kicks; the instigator is to be cautioned (YC) • A free kick/penalty kick can only be awarded for an offence against someone on the team lists or a match official VAR protocol • Written permission to use VARs is only required from FIFA • Principles have been established covering scenarios when a video match official or replay operator is unable to start or continue a match
