This page provides access to various referee documents which can be read, printed or downloaded. The documents are provided in Adobe Acrobat (aka pdf).
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Pdf is a compressed format, so the documents are not offered in a zipped form.
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The principle document is the FIFA Laws of the Game (2009) (pdf, 1.9 mB).
The AYSO 2009 Laws of the Game is not available electronically. Here is a link to the AYSO Laws of the Game (2008) (pdf, 4.3 mB), which is the FIFA Laws modified for AYSO.
This document covers Laws 1 - 17, the 4th Official, the Referee's and Assistant Referee's signals, presents illustration of game situations, and provides additional instructions for the Referee, Assistant Referee and 4th Official.
USSF has published a document (69kB) discussing the seven actions which result in a caution.
Previous versions are available:
- 2004 (72kB)
USSF has published the 2009 7+7 memo
(
143 kB)
which lists the only reasons for cautioning and sending off.
USSF has published a short guide of misconduct to watch for in
free kick
( 68 kB) situations
As they do every year, FIFA met and made some changes to the Laws of the Game.
The changes for 2009 are:
- The concept of sin bins will not be pursued further.
- The Platini 1-4-1 Formation (one center, four assistants, one fourth official) will be tested in a professional league.
- Law 11 will clarify that "Any defending player leaving the field of play for any reason without the referee's permission shall be considered to be on his goal line or touchline for the purposes of offside until the next stoppage of play."
- The coach (behaving responsibly) is no longer required to return to the bench after giving instructions from the technical area.
- KFTPM will clarify that the player removed (reduced to equate) may not participate in the kicks.
Thanks to Dennis Wickham for this advance information. When the FIFA memoramdum is published it will be made available.
FIFA has issued a new interpretation in 2005 of the Offside law.(23 kB). This interpretation in accompanied by a Flash animation (29 kB) demonstrating the salient points.
The significant change in interpretation is that a player in an offside position, not interferring with an opponent, may not be sanctioned for an offside infraction until he touches the ball.
Double click on the previous link and your browser will show the animation. If Flash is not loaded onto your system, your browser will ask your permission to load it. You may download the animation to your local disk and then present it by opening it with your browser.
FIFA has issued a clarification (20 kB)
to the above intetpretation on 18 Aug 05.
USSF has issued a position paper (27 Kb)
supporting the FIFA clarification.
The paper seems self contradictory (the English is turbid), but the conclusion supports FIFA's position.
AYSO has published concurrance with th USSF position paper on 26 Aug. 05:
AYSO follows the directives of USSF, our National Governing body, and this is just a clarification of the way offside should have been taught in the past and should continue to be taught. The attachment (the above USSF psoition paper ed) is from Alfred Kleinaitis, USSF Manager of Referee Development and Education.
Thanks,
Joe (Eldridge ed)
USSF has published an offside PowerPoint presentation that is available for download.
"Life as we know it has not changed." -- Gil Weber
If you do not have power point, a free viewer (windows only) is available (not tried ed).
If you do not care for microsoft products, try open office. You get word and excel also. (not tried ed)
(offside used to be simple, ed)
In 1903 the FA council (England) published:
It is not a breach of Law for a player simply to be in an off-side position, but only when in that position he causes the play to be affected.
- FA council
December 14th, 1903
Thanks to Ferenc & Sandy Korompai <korompai*nospam*@MSN.COM> for the quote.
There has been a recent (April 2006) flurry of discussion on offside on the referee mail server.
Jim Gorden, a referee from many parts of the world (my last contact with him was in Maryland), has written an interesting
essay on the topic
(17 kb).
It is well worth reading and considering.
Tom Marlin (Area 11/K Referee Administrator) and Wayne Merrick (Area 11/Q Director of Assessment) made a presentation at the Tri-Section conference held in San Diego in April 06 on "Offside Interpretation -, What's New?" The presentation in zipped power point is available (60 Kb). The presentation includes a brief history of offside, a review of the offside law, and the clarifications issued by FIFA in 2005. A reference to the FIFA flash and the USSF power point presentations (described above) is made.
FIFA has published (2009) an interactive presentation on Offside. It is very good. A significant point about the Offside Position is not mentioned in the video: When is the offside position judged? At the time a teammate plays or touches the ball. There is one subtle error in the presentation: on the last picture of demonstrating interferring with play, B is in fact in an offside position. Ignore this and assume he is not in an offside position. The presentation does not end well; after the demonstration of the corner kick, the video does not end. The viewer is left with the impression that there is more to come, maybe there is???, but there isn't. Enjoy this video. You have to click on a few message boxes to have the video advance. When the FIFA web site opens click in the blue box with the text "Interactive Guide to Offside Law 11."
The United States Soccer Federation has published its latest Guide to Procedures (pdf, 1.5 Mb).
For 2009, USSF published a one page update to the Guide to Procedures.Dennis Wickham (Wickham*nospam* at SCMV*no spam*.COM) provides the following comments on the new Guide:
- AR Signals For Keeper Infringement of Law 14. Conforming to the FIFA 2008 Interpretations, the new GTP provides for the AR to signal (horizontal flag at waist) "if the goalkeeper moved illegally and thus prevented a goal from being scored." Note that although the FIFA 2007 Additional Instructions required the AR to flag the goalkeeper infringement, the USSF 2008 Additional Instructions and Guidelines (AIG) had added "[USSF Note: Assistant referees in the United States must follow the instructions given by the referee in the pregame conference.]" This note is note in the new GTP. DW Comment: Apparently, FIFA was serious about AR flagging for keeper infringement, and the GTP follows. It means for a major change in my pregame.
- AR Indicates a Penalty Kick out of the referee's sight. The new GTP retains the stop, flag, eye contact, and walk to the corner flag from the old GTP (and the FIFA 2008 Interpretation.) Gone, however, is the AIG addition: "[USSF Note: Assistant referees should indicate a penal foul by the defense inside its penalty area and out of the referee’s sight by holding the flag across the lower body.]" DW Comment: Everything old is new again.
- AR Indicates Foul Called By Referee Inside/Outside PA. The new GTP adopts from the AIG, the new signal (horizontal flag at waist) for the AR to indicate that the foul called by the referee was inside the penalty area (when referee makes eye contact requesting assistance). It also clarifies that the AR uses the flag downward at side to indicate outside the PA (the AIG provided for the AR to stand in line with the penalty area.) DW: Already in my pregame, but many are unaware of the new signal.
- AR/4th Signals For Cautions/Sendoffs. Hand over badge (caution) and rear pocket (sendoff) are now specified signals to indicate misconduct.
- AR Setting the wall. The new GTP provides that "per pre-game conference, assists in enforcing the required minimum distance if closer to the restart location." Gone is the AIG (following the old FIFA Additional Instructions) that the wall be enforced "from the position of the ball." DW: It still is possible to enforce the wall from the position of the ball. It may be quicker and safer (less risk of restart with AR out of position).
The United States Soccer Federation has published a Revised Procedure (pdf, 78 kB) concering flag signals for penalties occuring inside the penalty area.
There has been a new interpretation of the mehods a referee may use to enforce the required distance on free kicks. Read this article to find out how referees are to enforce the required distance.
The laws can be open to interpretation. USSF has published the 2009 Advice to Referees. The Document is approximately 6.3 MB in size. You need Adobe Reader 6.0 or better to view the document. Different from previous version, one can print this document and cut and past from it.
The USSF publishes memoranda and position papers on various topics of interest to referees, including:
Time Management,
43 kB,
Mass Confrontations,
52 kB,
Misconduct and Language,
53 kB and
Restarts after Striking
70 kB.
Additional papers may be found on the USSF web site. On the home page, click Laws of the Game (found in the left side menu); then click Position Papers.
AYSO has published the Rules and Regulations (2.3 Mb)
Injuries and Substitutions
AYSO has published a Guidance for Referees and Coaches. From page 59 and the Q & A section are the rules governing injured players and substitutions:
If the referee allows a coach, parent, or other responsible adult to enter the field to assess an injured player, must that player leave the field and, if so, when may the player reenter?
Law 5 requires the referee to stop the match if, in his or her opinion, a player is seriously injured. Law 5 also requires the referee to ensure that the player leaves the field of play.
The determination of what constitutes a ‘serious injury’ should take into account the player’s age. The younger the player, the quicker the referee’s whistle to stop the game. The referee should then beckon the coach to come assess the injured player.
If the referee believes the player is only slightly injured, play should be allowed to continue until the ball is out of play. In this case the injured player is not required to leave the field of play unless someone has entered to assess the injury.
As soon as it is safe to do so, the person responsible for checking the injured player’s condition must escort the player off the field of play. This allows time for determination of the player’s ability to safely continue playing.
If a goalkeeper is injured but not being substituted, he or she may be treated on the field of play and is not required to leave. Injuries involving a goalkeeper and another player and any severe injury to a player such as a concussion, broken leg, swallowed tongue, etc., may also be treated on the field of play.
Before an injured player may return to the field of play, the match must have restarted and the referee signaled permission for the player to return. If the ball is in play, entry must be from a touch line; if the ball is not in play entry may be from a goal line or a touch line.
It is important that the referee remain alert as to when the player is ready to return and give permission at the earliest opportunity so that the player’s team is returned to full strength.
Section 11 and Area K stand behind the above policy.
Various summaries for referee students are available:
- Assistant Referee Guide (52kB)
- Diagonal System of Control (78kB)
- Fouls and Misconduct (94kB)
- Mechanics of Set Plays (60kB)
- Offside (98kB)
As a student, you will be interested in any information concerning the written test. Here are sample tests. Not the real test, but similar questions, style and format.
- Intermediate (22kB)
Basic Referee Instructor Course Material
Referee Education
Region 5 has acquired vhs tapes of the World Cup 2002 showing all misconduct and all goals. Entertaining and educational. Talk with the Region 5 Referee Administrator to check out the tapes.
Area K has acquired the following training tapes/cds/dvds Talk with the Area Referee Adminstrator to check out the information.
- Painting the Gray Area. Produced by John Nielsen, former FIFA Assistant Referee. 2003. DVD. A series of vignettes showing questionable events from the prior world cup. You are tasked to decide what the call is. A great presentation for the experienced referee in a learning and disscussion environment.
- Euro 2004. Produced by John Nielsen. 2005. DVD. Clips from the Euro 2004 games showing foul vs no foul, careless vs reckless, foul vs unsproting behavior, send off examples, dangerous play and offside examples. Another good (but poorer in quality compared to Painting the Gray Area) training aid for a group discussion.
- Angle of View. Produced by Cal North. Narrated by Robert Evens, FIFA referee 1979 - 1987. CD. Runs on both Mac and PC (so i've been told. haven't tried it on a Mac). Evens argues that the angle of view that the referee has is more important than the distance from play. He supports his position with six videos and computer simulations of violent fouls. One of which was not called by either the referee or the assistant referee. It can be played from the CD, but the computer animation is jerky. Takes 230 Mb of your hard disk space. (a zipped file, at a mere 190Mb, is on the CD in case you want to keep a copy.)
- Fine Tuning the Thinking Referee. Produced by John Nielsen. 2005. DVD. Clips from various games showing offside, misconduct, fouls, keeper play, and others. Best presented in a group so that discussion of the incidents can ensue.
