Laws of the Game

Laws of the Game

Laws of the Game 2024/25 as published by IFAB.

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.

Poor participant behaviour is an area of great concern, and it is essential that everyone involved in the game be treated with respect. The IFAB has approved the following trials with the aim of improving participant behaviour, which are available to competitions that do not involve teams from the top two domestic levels or senior ‘A’ international teams:

  • cooling-off periods after incidents of confrontation
  • referees being able to establish a captain-only zone to reduce/prevent incidents of players crowding and/or mobbing them

There are also trials:

  • to deal more effectively with goalkeepers who unfairly hold the ball for too long
  • in which the referee announces and explains the final decision after a video assistant referee (VAR) ‘review’ or lengthy VAR ‘check’

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?’

WHAT WOULD FOOTBALL WANT?

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.

Following successful trials, the use of ‘additional permanent concussion substitutions’ has now been incorporated as a competition option in the Laws. This will allow teams to prioritize 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 (including those working towards a coaching qualification), spectators and the media.

Visit www.footballrules.com to access or download Football Rules, which can be sorted alphabetically or by category.

The IFAB has also produced an audio version of the Laws of the Game, which can be accessed on their website.

Official languages

The IFAB publishes the Laws of the Game in English, French, German and Spanish. If there is any divergence in the wording, the English text is authoritative.

Other languages

National FAs which translate the Laws of the Game can obtain the layout template for the 2024/25 edition of the Laws from The IFAB by contacting: info@theifab.com.

National FAs which produce a translated version of the Laws of the Game using this format are invited to send a copy to The IFAB (stating clearly on the front cover that it is that national FA’s official translation) so it can be posted on The IFAB website for use by others.

Measurement

If there is any divergence between metric and imperial units, the metric units are authoritative.

Applying the Laws

The same Laws apply in every match in every confederation, country, town and village and, apart from the modifications permitted by The IFAB (see ‘General modifications’), the Laws must not be modified or changed, except with the permission of The IFAB.

Those who are educating match officials and other participants, should emphasize that:

  • referees should apply the Laws within the ‘spirit’ of the game to help produce fair and safe matches
  • everyone must respect the match officials and their decisions, remembering and respecting that referees are human and will make mistakes

Players have a major responsibility for the image of the game and the team captain should play an important role in helping to ensure that the Laws and referees’ decisions are respected.

General Modifications

The universality of the Laws of the Game means that the game is essentially the same in every part of the world and at every level. As well as creating a ‘fair’ and safe environment in which the game is played, the Laws should also promote participation and enjoyment.

Historically, The IFAB has allowed national football associations (FAs) some flexibility to modify the ‘organizational’ Laws for specific categories of football. The IFAB strongly believes that national FAs should be able to modify some aspects of the way football is organized if it will benefit football in their own country.

How the game is played and refereed should be the same on every football field in the world, from the FIFA World Cup™ final to the smallest village. However, the needs of a country’s domestic football should determine how long the game lasts, how many people can take part and how some unfair behavior is punished.

All national FAs (and confederations and FIFA) have the option to modify all or some of the following organizational areas of the Laws of the Game for football for which they are responsible:

For all levels of the game:

  • the number of substitutions each team is permitted to use up to a maximum of five*, except in youth football, where the maximum will be determined by the national association, confederation or FIFA
  • the use of additional permanent concussion substitutions (applying The IFAB’s protocol)

*See also Law 3 for the conditions that apply to matches that go to extra time and details on the restriction on substitution opportunities.

For youth, veterans, disability and grassroots football:

  • size of the field of play
  • size, weight and material of the ball
  • width between the goalposts and height of the crossbar from the ground
  • duration of the two (equal) halves of the game (and two equal halves of extra time)
  • number of players
  • the use of return substitutes
  • the use of temporary dismissals (sin bins) for some/all cautions (YCs)
  • specific requirements for the captain’s compulsory armband

In addition, to allow national FAs further flexibility to benefit and develop their domestic football, the following changes relating to ‘categories’ of football are permitted:

  • national FAs, confederations and FIFA have the flexibility to decide the age restrictions for youth and veterans football
  • each national FA will determine which competitions at the lowest levels of football are designated as ‘grassroots’ football

The IFAB’s trials

There are times when a potential Law change needs to be tested or trialed to evaluate both the expected and unexpected impacts that it may have on the game. Confederations, national FAs and competition organizers must have permission from The IFAB to take part in any such trials.

In 2024/25, The IFAB’s trials will include:

  • The use of a captain-only zone around the referee in certain situations
  • The use of official cooling-off periods following some confrontation situations
  • A different approach to dealing with the goalkeeper holding the ball for too long
  • The referee announcing and explaining the final decision after a VAR ‘review’ or lengthy VAR ‘check’

Further details on, and the protocols for, all trials may be found at www.theifab.com (in the ‘Trials’ section).

Those wishing to apply to take part in any trial should contact The IFAB using: trials@theifab.com.

Permission for other modifications

National FAs have the option to approve different modifications for different competitions – there is no requirement to apply them universally or to apply them all. However, no other modifications are allowed without the permission of The IFAB.

National FAs are asked to inform The IFAB of their use of these modifications, and at which levels, as this information, and especially the reason(s) why the modifications are being used, may identify development ideas or strategies which The IFAB can share to assist the development of football in other national FAs.

The IFAB would also be very interested to hear about other potential modifications to the Laws of the Game which could increase participation, make football more attractive and promote its worldwide development.

Individual Law changes

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 center of the penalty mark
  • Encroachment by players will be penalized 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