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 is an area of increasingly great concern, and it is essential that everyone involved in the game be treated with respect to keep it enjoyable and fair. Following their successful implementation in several countries, the ‘Only the captain’ guidelines are now included as a recommendation in the Laws, as there is widespread confidence that having only the captain approach the referee after major incidents/decisions will greatly improve interactions between the players and the referee, as well as the overall atmosphere on the field of play and the image of the game. This is vital for the game’s future, including the recruitment and retention of referees.

During 2024/25, trials were conducted to deal more effectively with goalkeepers holding the ball for too long. As a result, Law 12 has been changed so that goalkeepers will now be penalised if they hold the ball for more than eight seconds, with a corner kick being awarded to the opposition in such cases. The trials clearly demonstrated that a corner kick is an effective deterrent that is easier to manage and can be set up much more quickly than an indirect free kick in the penalty area. The eight seconds will be strictly
enforced by the referee, who will visually count down the last five seconds with the fingers of a raised hand.

As a result of another successful trial, competitions now have the option of the referee announcing and explaining the final decision after a video assistant referee (VAR) ‘review’ or lengthy VAR ‘check’.

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.