The Referee

1. Authority

A referee has full authority to apply the Laws in connection with the match.

2. Decisions

The referee uses judgement within the Laws and their spirit. Decisions on facts of play, goals and the result are final and must be respected. Competitions may use technology under the VAR protocol or to assist with ball-in/out decisions, including GLT, and offside, including semi-automated technology.

A restart decision cannot be changed after play resumes, after a half ends and the referee leaves the pitch, or after abandonment. Leaving at half-time to review footage or recall the players does not prevent correcting a pre-whistle incident.

Subject to Law 12.4 and the VAR protocol, a sanction after a restart is possible only when another official identified and tried to report the offence beforehand; the original associated restart no longer applies. If the referee becomes incapacitated, other officials may supervise until the ball next goes out.

3. Powers and duties

The referee applies the Laws with the other officials, keeps time and match records, reports discipline and incidents, and supervises restarts. For simultaneous offences, punish the more serious by sanction, restart, severity and tactical effect.

Advantage may follow an offence or an incorrectly taken restart once the ball is in play. If the expected benefit does not arise immediately or within a few seconds, penalise the offence or order the retake.

Disciplinary authority begins with the pre-match pitch inspection and lasts until departure after the match, including the shoot-out. A pre-kick-off sending-off offence can prevent participation; other misconduct is reported. Cards and authorised temporary dismissals may be used from entering for kick-off until after the match, including intervals.

Warn, caution or dismiss irresponsible team officials. If the offender cannot be identified, sanction the senior coach present. A dismissed medical official may remain to provide essential treatment if no other medical person is available. Act on other officials’ advice about unseen incidents.

3. Injuries and treatment

Play may continue for a minor injury; stop for a serious injury. If injury stops play or delays its restart, the player normally leaves and cannot return until one minute after the restart, under the off-field treatment protocol. Re-entry during play is from a touchline; when the ball is out it may be from any boundary.

Exceptions to leaving for or after treatment: an injured goalkeeper; a goalkeeper and outfield player needing attention after collision; colliding teammates; severe injury; injury caused by a physical offence earning the opponent a card; or the injured player being the awarded penalty’s taker.

A bleeding player must leave and may return only on the referee’s signal once bleeding has stopped and equipment is free of blood. If medical staff or stretcher bearers are authorised to enter, the player must leave on foot or stretcher; refusal is cautioned. Show any intended card before the injured player leaves. If no other cause determines the restart and no offence caused the injury, use a dropped ball.

3. Outside interference

The referee may stop, suspend or abandon for outside interference or inadequate lighting, choosing a response appropriate to the incident’s severity. A spectator whistle that interferes produces a dropped ball.

An extra ball, object or animal requires a stoppage and dropped ball only if it interferes. Otherwise remove it as soon as practicable. A goal-bound ball may still yield a goal after interference if no defender is prevented from playing it, unless the attacking team caused the interference. Unauthorised people must not be allowed on the pitch.

4. Video assistant referee

VAR use requires the organiser to meet the implementation requirements and obtain FIFA’s written permission. Assistance concerns a clear and obvious error or serious missed incident: goal/no goal; penalty/no penalty; red card, including a clearly incorrect second caution; or mistaken identity in a caution or sending-off.

As a competition option, VAR may correct a clearly wrongly awarded corner immediately without delaying the restart. The referee remains the decision-maker, using VAR information and/or an on-field review. Except for serious missed incidents, officials must first make their own decision, including deciding not to penalise.

After play restarts, review is restricted to mistaken identity or a potential sending-off for violent conduct, spitting, biting, or extremely offensive, insulting or abusive actions.

5. Referee equipment

Required items are whistles, watches, red and yellow cards and a means of recording the match. Communication equipment and fitness/EPTS monitors may be permitted.

Organiser-supplied body cameras are permitted under the relevant guidelines when the organiser controls footage. Their microphones may not broadcast VAR communications; recordings may support disciplinary cases. Other electronic equipment, including other cameras, is prohibited for on-field officials. Safe accessories are permitted.

6. Referee signals

For a direct free kick or throw-in, the referee points in the direction of play; for a penalty, towards the penalty mark. An indirect free kick uses a raised arm. Advantage is signalled with one or both arms extended. The referee points towards the corner area for a corner, and towards the goal area for a goal kick. Cards are held up clearly. A VAR check uses a finger to the earpiece with the other arm extended; a review uses the outline of a television screen drawn with both hands. For a five-second countdown the referee raises a hand and visibly counts down.

7. Liability of officials

Under this Law, officials are not held liable for injury, property damage or other loss resulting from decisions made under the Laws or normal match procedures. Examples cover pitch or weather suitability, abandonment, equipment, spectator interference, injury treatment/removal, clothing, access near the field and other decisions within applicable football regulations.