Law 3 - The Players

Question 1

If a player is sent off before submission of the team list, can (s)he be named on the team list?

Answer 1

No, not in any capacity

Question 2

If a player is sent off after being named on the team list and before kick off, can (s)he be replaced by a named substitute?

Answer 2

Yes. But the named substitute cannot be replaced. The number of substitutions the team can make is not reduced.

Question 3

If a player is sent off after kick off, can (s)he be replaced?

Answer 3

No

Question 4

If a named substitute is sent off before or after the kick off, can they be replaced?

Answer 4

No

Question 5

What is an outside agent?

Answer 5

Anyone not listed on the team list as a player, substitute or team official.

Question 6

What must the referee do if someone other than a player enters the field of play?

Answer 6

• only stop play if it is interfered with.
• have the person removed when play stops
• take appropriate disciplinary action

Question 7

If play is stopped due to interference by a team official, substitute, substituted or sent off player, what must the referee do?

Answer 7

Restart play with a direct free kick or penalty kick.

Question 8

If play is stopped due to interference by an outside agent, what must the referee do?

Answer 8

Restart play with a dropped ball

Question 9

If a player re-enters the field of play without the referee’s permission, after leaving with the referee’s permission, what must the referee do and how must the play be restarted?

Answer 9

• stop play (if the player is not interfering then it does not have to be immediately)
• caution the player for entering without the referee’s permission
• order the player to leave the field of play.

If the referee stops play, it must be restarted:

with a direct free kick from the position of the interference
with an indirect free kick from the position of the ball when play was stopped if there was no interference

Question 10

If the referee realises, after a goal is scored and before play restarts, an extra person - an extra player, substitute, substituted, sent off player or team official was on the FoP when the goal was scored, what must the referee do and how must play be restarted?

Answer 10

Disallow the goal if it was a player, substitute, substituted, sent off player or team official that scored the goal.

If this is the case, play is restarted with a direct free kick from the position of the extra person.

The extra person must be removed from play.

Question 11

If the referee realises, after a goal is scored and before play restarts, an extra person - an outside agent, was on the FoP when the goal was scored, what must the referee do?

Answer 11

Disallow the goal if the outside agent interfered with play.

UNLESS a goal results without their interference in the defenders’ ability to play the ball.

Play is restarted with a dropped ball.

The extra person must be removed from play

Question 12

If the referee realises, after a goal is scored and after play restarts, an extra person was on the FoP when the goal was scored, what must the referee do?

Answer 12

The referee cannot disallow the goal, but must:

• stop play
• have the extra person removed
• restart with a dropped ball or free kick as appropriate.
• report the incident to the league.

Question 13

What is the fewest number of players that the match can continue with?

Answer 13

7

Question 14

If a player changes places with the goalkeeper without the referee’s permission, what must be done?

Answer 14

The referee:

• Allows play to continue
• Cautions both players when the ball is next out of play but not if the change occurred during half-time (including extra time) or the period between the end of the match and the start of extra time and/or kicks from the penalty mark.

Question 15

If competition rules state that all players and substitutes must be named before kick off, and a team starts a match with fewer than eleven players, who is allowed to take part in the game?

Answer 15

Only the players and substitutes named in the starting line up.

Question 16

What is the minimum and maximum number of substitutes that can be nominated in official competitions (and that must be stated by the competition)?

Answer 16

Competition rules must state how many substitutes may be nominated, from a minimum of 3 to a maximum of 12.

Question 17

Return substitutions are permitted only in what?

Answer 17

Youth, veteran, disability and grassroots football.

Question 18

If a named substitute starts a match instead of a named player, and the referee is not informed, what must occur?

Answer 18

• the referee allows the named substitute to continue playing
• no disciplinary sanction is taken against the named substitute
• the named player can become a named substitute
• the number of substitutions is not reduced
• the referee reports the incident to the appropriate authorities

Question 19

If a substitution is made during the half-time interval or before extra time, and the referee is not informed, what must occur?

Answer 19

The named substitute may continue to play, no disciplinary action is taken and the matter is reported to the appropriate authority.

Question 20

If a player changes places with the goalkeeper without the referee’s permission, the referee does what?

Answer 20

• Allows play to continue.
• Cautions both players when the ball is next out of play

(but not if the change occurred during half-time (including extra time) or the period between the end of the match and the start of extra time and/or kicks from the penalty mark).

Question 21

For ‘any other’ substitution offences, what disciplinary action should be taken?

Answer 21

• The players are cautioned

- Play is restarted with an indirect free kick, from the position of the ball when play was stopped.

Question 22

If play is stopped and interference was from an outside agent, when the ball is going into the goal, what must occur?

Answer 22

If the ball is going into the goal, and the interference does not prevent defending players playing the ball, the goal is awarded if the ball does enter the goal (even if the outside agent makes contact with the ball).