The International Football Association Board (IFAB) have introduced more than 20 changes to the current laws of the game - mkdons.com is here to guide you through some of the changes.
Law 3
A player who is being substituted must leave the field at the nearest point on the boundary line, unless otherwise directed by the referee.
Law 4
Undershirts can be multi-coloured/patterned if exactly the same as the sleeve of the main shirt.
Law 5
Referee cannot change a restart decision after play has restarted but, in certain circumstances, may issue a yellow card/red card for a previous incident.
Team officials guilty of misconduct can be shown a yellow card/red card; if an offender cannot be identified, the senior coach in the technical area receives the yellow card/red card.
If a penalty kick is awarded, the team’s penalty taker can receive assessment or treatment and then stay on the field and take the kick.
Law 7
Clarification of the difference between ‘cooling’ and ‘drinks’ breaks.
Law 8
The team that wins the toss may choose to take the kick-off.
Dropped ball - ball dropped for goalkeeper (if play stopped in the penalty area) or for one player of team that last touched the ball at the location of the last touch; all other players (of both teams) must be at least 4m (4.5 yards) away.
Law 9
Dropped ball if the ball touches the referee (or other match official) and goes into the goal, possession changes or an attacking move starts.
Law 10
Goalkeeper cannot score by throwing the ball into the opponents’ goal
Law 12
Handball text re-written for greater clarity/consistency with clear guidelines for when ‘non-deliberate’ handball should (and should not) be penalised. The Law has been amended so that players cannot score where the ball goes into goal from their hand or arm – however inadvertently. Also if an attacker gains control of the ball that leads to a goal scoring chance from an accidental handball this will now be penalised.
Confirmation that an illegal handball offence by a goalkeeper in their own penalty area is not sanctioned with a yellow card/red card.
If, after a throw-in or deliberate pass from a team-mate, the goalkeeper unsuccessfully kicks or tries to kick the ball to release it into play, the goalkeeper can then handle the ball.
Referee can delay the issuing of a yellow card/red card until the next stoppage if the non-offending team takes a quick free-kick and creates a goalscoring opportunity.
The yellow card for an ‘illegal’ goal celebration remains even if the goal is disallowed
List of the warning/yellow card/red card offences for team officials
All verbal offences are punished with an in-direct free-kick
Kicking an object is punished in the same way as throwing an object
Law 13
Once an in-direct free-kick has been taken, the referee can stop showing the in-direct free-kick signal if it is clear that the goal cannot be scored directly (e.g. from most offside in-direct free-kicks)
For defending team, free-kicks in their penalty area, the ball is in play once it is kicked and clearly moves; it does not have to leave the penalty area.
When there is a defensive ‘wall’ of at least three players, all attacking team players must be at least 1m from the ‘wall’; in-direct free-kick if they encroach.
Law 14
Goalposts, crossbar and nets must not be moving when a penalty is taken and the goalkeeper must not be touching them.
Goalkeeper must have at least part of one foot on, or in line with, the goal line when a penalty kick is taken; cannot stand behind the line.
If an offence occurs after the referee signals for a penalty kick to be taken but the kick is not taken, it must then be taken after any yellow card/red card is issued.
Law 15
Opponents must be at least 2m from the point on the touchline where a throw-in is to be taken, even if the thrower is back from the line.
Law 16
At goal kicks, the ball is in play once it is kicked and clearly moves; it does not have to leave the penalty area.
