Question:
A team has a player red carded in the first half. After 20 minutes of play in the second half, the referee is alerted by a coach that the offending team has 11 players on the field, clearly adding one at half time.

What is the call?

USSF answer (February 25, 2008):
While the fault certainly lies with the referee and the rest of the officiating team, who have failed in their duty to enforce the Law, something must be done about the extra player. You will find full details in the USSF publication “Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game,” which may either be downloaded or purchased in soft cover form from the US Soccer Federation website at www.ussoccer.com. Here is a brief description of what must be done in the situation you describe:

In all cases, play must be stopped and the extra person identified and removed from the field. Other than through referee error, this situation can occur only if someone enters the field illegally. In addition to the punishment and restarts listed below, the referee must include full details in the match report. Furthermore, all actions by the team with the extra player which occurred prior to the stoppage for the extra player will stand, with one exception: If the game was stopped for a goal by the team with the extra player (who was then discovered at that stoppage), that goal is not scored.

If the “extra player” is an outside agent (such as a previously expelled player or a spectator), the game is restarted with a dropped ball at the place where the ball was when play was stopped.

If the “extra player” is a substitute (and on the team’s roster if rosters are required by the rules of the competition), that substitute (or substituted player) is cautioned for unsporting behavior and the game is restarted with an indirect free kick for the opposing team from the place where the ball was when play was stopped.…

Question:
I have two similar Hypothetical questions:
1) Before a game begins, a player commits a sending-off offense and is shown the red card. Is that teams’ number of players reduced for the game?
2) Similar situation, a sending off offense, but now it occurs at half time. Is the team number reduced in this instance for the second half?

Obviously, if these occurred on the field while the ball was in play, there is a reduction in number of players. I know the referee’s authority begins upon arrival at the field of play and lasts until the referee has left the area after the match has been comleted. I’m just not sure whether punishment for a send-off type of offense extends into playing time if it occurred before the match or during half time. I believe that at other times when the ball is not in play during the match (i.e., a “dead ball”) a send-off offense would reduce the number of players, so I suspect that this is the case here also. I just need some clarification and justification within LOTG.

USSF answer (November 13, 2007):
A hypothetical question runs the risk of receiving a hypothetical answer — But not in this case.

1. No, the team’s numbers are not reduced if a player is sent off before the kick-off. Law 3 tells us: “A player who has been sent off before the kick-off may be replaced only by one of the named substitutes.”

2. Yes, if a player is sent off during the halftime period, the team must play short in the second half. If this occurs during extra time or between periods of extra time, the same guidance applies. There is no “justification” for this in the Laws, as it is clear that a dismissal while the game is in progress, i. e., from kick-off until the game has been ended, means that the team whose player is sent off must play short.

You will find further guidance in the USSF publication “Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game”:

5.2 REFEREE’S AUTHORITY
The referee’s authority begins upon arrival at the area of the field of play and continues until he or she has left the area of the field after the game has been completed. The referee’s authority extends to time when the ball is not in play, to temporary suspensions, to the half-time break, and to additional periods of play or kicks from the penalty mark required by the rules of the competition.

For a synopsis of when cards may be shown to players, substitutes, or substituted players, see Advice 5.17.

5.17 DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THE GAME
Misconduct committed by a player or a substitute prior to the start of the match, during the match, and during breaks between playing periods is subject to a formal caution or a send-off, as appropriate. Yellow and red cards, which are now mandatory indications of cautions and send-offs, may be shown only for misconduct committed by players, substitutes, or substituted players during a match. “During a match” includes:
(a) the period of time immediately prior to the start of play during which players and substitutes are physically on the field warming up, stretching, or otherwise preparing for the match;
(b) any periods in which play is temporarily stopped;
(c) half time or similar breaks in play;
(d) required overtime periods;
(e) kicks from the penalty mark if this procedure is used in case a winner must be determined.
(f) the period of time immediately following the end of play during which the players and substitutes are physically on the field but in the process of exiting.

Cautions issued prior to the start of the game or during breaks between periods are recorded and they are counted for purposes of sending a player from the field for receiving a second caution during the match. To prevent misunderstandings, the referee should inform officials of both teams before the first period of play begins of any cautions or send-offs occurring prior to the start of the match.

If a player or substitute is cautioned or dismissed for misconduct which has occurred during a break or suspension of play, the card must be shown on the field before play resumes.

If a player is dismissed before the match begins, the player may be replaced by a named substitute, but the team is not allowed to add any names to its roster and its number of permissible substitutions is not reduced.

Players or substitutes who have been sent off may not remain in the team area, but must be removed from the environs of the field. If this is not practical because of the age or condition of the player, the team officials are responsible for the behavior of the player or substitute.

There can be no “temporary expulsion” of players who have been cautioned, nor may teams be forced to substitute for a player who has been cautioned.

Postgame: Any misconduct committed by players or substitutes after the field has been cleared must be described in the game report and reported to the competition authority. The referee may display cards as long as he or she remains on the field of play after the game is over. Referees are advised to avoid remaining in the area of the field unnecessarily.

(However, see Advice 5.13.)…

Question:
This issue came up during a BU16 game recently. Blue team subs in 4 players at a stoppage of play in second half. Only 3 players come off, leaving blue with 12 players on the field. Game is restarted and within two minutes or so, a blue attacker is fouled by red team player in the penalty area. The referee blows his whistle and signals for a penalty kick. The fouled player was not one of the four players who came on the field at the previous stoppage in play.

While the players are in position to take the penalty kick, the Referee notices the extra player on the field. The Referee cautions the player who should have come off the field (not the player who improperly came onto the field) and that player leaves the field. The Referee changes the restart from a penalty kick to an indirect free kick from the goal area for the red team.

After the game, it is suggested that the proper restart should have been the penalty kick. The Referee insists at first that there is an express ATR mandating a restart by an indirect free kick. When that mandate cannot be found, the Referee insists that ATR 3.20 instructs that if a goal is scored when the team has too many players on the field, that goal should be disallowed and the game is restarted with indirect free kick from the goal area. Because a penalty kick is similar to a goal, the indirect kick was mandated by the spirit of the game, if not the laws of the game. The Referee also concedes that logically, any other restart should be changed to a indirect free kick if, during stoppage in play,

Questions: What is the proper restart when, during stoppage in play other after the scoring of a goal, it is discovered that one team has too many players on the field? Does it make any difference ifÊplay was stopped to award a penalty kick to the team with more than 11 players on the field? How important is it to identify and caution the correct player — the substitute who came onto the field to give a team a twelfth player? Whose responsibility is it to assure that too many players do not come on the field, the AR or the CR?

Answer (October 23, 2007):
The only reason for the entire problem was lack of attention to detail by the entire officiating crew, who failed completely to do their duty. In this case, it is impossible to know which player to caution and the referee and assistant referees must bear the blame for that. There are too many imponderables: The player who was already on the field at the substitution is not at fault, nor is the substitute who came on as a new player, clearly expecting that his/her teammate had left the field. The only possible solution is to remove the additional player (as determined by the referee) from the field.

The correct restart is the penalty kick. Play was stopped for the penal offense, not for the additional player on the field, who was discovered only accidentally.

The error lies entirely with the referee and the assistant referees, all of whom should have monitored the substitution process more carefully, as directed by common sense and the Advice to Referees:

3.17 MORE THAN THE CORRECT NUMBER OF PLAYERS
If, while the game is in progress, the referee finds that a team has more than the allowed number of persons on the field, play must be stopped and the extra person identified and removed from the field. Other than through referee error, this situation can occur only if someone enters the field illegally. The “extra player” can include an outside agent (such as a previously expelled player or a spectator); a player who had been given permission to leave or been ordered off by the referee for correction of a problem, but re-entered without permission; or a substitute or substituted player who enters without permission and/or during play.In all competitions, especially those that allow substituted players to return, the officials must be extremely vigilant in counting the number of players who leave and substitutes who enter to prevent problems of this nature. Similarly, players off the field temporarily who require the permission of the referee to re-enter must be monitored to ensure that they do not participate in play until this requirement and any others (e. g., inspection to confirm the correction of the equipment or bleeding problem) are met.

And some advice that every referee should now know by heart, but obviously these officials did not:

3.4 SUBSTITUTION PROCEDURE
After the player being replaced has left the field, the referee must signal permission for the substitute to enter. A substitution is not complete and the substitute may not take part in the game until he or she has entered the field of play. Referees who deviate from the formal process by which a substitute becomes a player — whether in the interest of saving time or because the steps are thought to be too complex and cumbersome — do so at their own peril and will eventually discover that the Laws of the Game specify the procedure for very good reasons. Deviations may lead to situations that the referee cannot settle within the Law.//rest snipped//

How much trouble would have been saved if the officiating team had followed this advice and done their jobs correctly?…

Question:
This happened to me & our crew in a HS playoff game: During the normal course of play, an attacker & defender, running shoulder-to-shoulder, go over the goal line, out of play, just to the right (AR’s side) of the goal. The ball is shot wide of the goal, and while still out of play, and with the ball barely on the end line, the attacker stabs at the ball with his foot, passing it back into the center of the penalty area, leading to a shot & goal.

At the time of the pass the defender was still off the field as well, and roughly even with the attacker who passed the ball. They were roughly equal in their distance from the goal line (about 1 foot or so), as they were attempting to get back onto the field. At the time the shot was taken from inside the penalty area, both of these players were about 3 feet off the field, and had stopped & turned to get back into play. Thus when the player in question played the ball they were still clearly out-of-play, but heading back towards the field.

Had the defender been back on the field, would this have constituted offside? Or is it not legal to penalize an attacker for offside who is in fact off the field of play? If a player off the field IS penalized for offside, where is the ball placed?

In the end, the Center & I (the AR dealing with this bang-bang play), ruled the goal legal. Were we correct? Fortunately, the goal had no bearing on the outcome.

Answer (October 22, 2007):
We do not and cannot give answers to questions on high school rules or games, as they do not fall under the aegis of the U. S. Soccer Federation. That said, here is what the response would be if the game had been played under the Laws of the Game. Although we can point out several indisputable principles, the answer is not conclusive; there are simply too many imponderables. Therefore, we have presented the matters that must be considered. The final decision is up to the referee on the game.

Part of your answer will be found in the USSF publication “Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game”:

3.9 LEAVING THE FIELD IN THE COURSE OF PLAY
If a player accidentally passes over one of the boundary lines of the field of play or if a player in possession of or contesting for the ball passes over the touch line or the goal line without the ball to beat an opponent, he or she is not considered to have left the field of play without the permission of the referee. This player does not need the referee’s permission to return to the field.

The rest of the answer is to be found in a combination of general principles to be found in “Advice to Referees” and “Questions and Answers”:

A defender who is momentarily off the field legally (not attempting to place a defender in an offside position) is still considered, in determining the second to last defender, as being on the perimeter line nearest to his off the field position. Although there is no specific rule or tradition governing this, the same rule could be applied to an attacker. A player who has left the field and returns to play the ball is ON the field of play, even if only his (or her) foot enters the field. In this case, the attacker was clearly on the field when he played the ball — no matter where the bulk of his body was, we MUST count him as being on the field because (a) the ball was on the field and (b) he played the ball.

According to your description of the event, the two players in question were approximately even with each other while off the field when the attacker’s teammate last played the ball. Considering only these two players (the attacker and defender off the field) plus the last defender who is on the field (let’s say it was the goalkeeper), what are the possibilities?

1. If the GK is on the goal line, this puts both the defender and the attacker off the field past the GK if we have to look at their actual physical positions. The attacker is therefore in an offside position under all circumstances (and therefore violating Law 11 when/if the attacker moves back toward the goal line and inteferes with play). No goal.

2. If the GK is on the goal line, and we are to treat the attacker as being where he physically is but the defender is considered to be on the goal line, then the attacker is past both defenders and is in an offside position. Coming “back” from an offside position to play the ball is a violation of Law 11. No goal.

3. If the GK is on the goal line and we are to treat BOTH the attacker and the defender as though they were on the goal line, then the attacker is even with both the last two defenders and is therefore NOT in an offside position. When he moves “back” to play the ball (entering the field by stretching his leg back to play the ball), he is coming from an onside position and cannot be violating Law 11. Goal counts.

4. If the GK is above the goal line, it doesn’t matter how we resolve the question of whether the attacker off the field is on the goal line or not because, under all circumstances, the attacker HAS to be in an offside position and therefore CAME FROM an offside position to interfere with play. No goal.

As you can see, only one of these possibilities produces a valid goal and that possibility requires the goalkeeper to have been on the goal line when the play started.

Thanks for providing us with a very interesting challenge.…

Question:
In a youth soccer match, a player from Team A is cautioned and leaves the field for a substitute. He immediately desires to return to the game and goes to the halfway line to await the next substitution opportunity. During subsequent play the ball crosses the touch line. Thinking that it is now a substitution opportunity for Team A, the assistant referee raises his flag to signal substitution. Prior to being beckoned by the center referee, the substitute runs onto the field. The throw-in has been awarded by the referee to Team B. Team B takes the throw-in. With the ball back in play, the center referee notices that there are now 12 men on the field. He stops play and issues a caution to the player who left the field after he stopped play rather than the substitute. Is this correct procedure?

Answer (September 14, 2007):
This is one of those problems that could be fixed easily if the officials would only pay a bit more attention to their responsibilities and communicate better with one another. In fact, because of the officials’ errors, both players should be cautioned: the player who was on the field left without the referee’s permission and the substitute who came in entered the field without the referee’s permission.

However, a grain of intelligence might force the referee to use common sense to caution neither player and simply have them resume their original places and then conduct the substitution correctly.…

Question:
I had two situations that arose recently, and I was hoping for some guidance.

1. Unreported Substitution Prior to Kick-Off
In a match in which teams are only allowed seven substitutions and must nominate their starters prior to kick-off, we had the following occur. Both teams were checked in and their starters were marked on their line-up. In around the 50th minute, a player reported to the fourth official to substitute when it was discovered he was one of the nominated starters. Further, he sought to replace a nominated substitute who had been participating in the match from the beginning. The FIFA Q&A directs us that we can allow the nominated substitute to continue after being cautioned and complying with the substitution procedure. However, what happens if a team chooses to rectify their “mistake” and place the appropriate starting player in to the match? Further, is the nominated substitute subsequently permitted to become a substitute later in the match?

Further, do you have any advice on how to avoid such a problem in the future? This was an amateur match in which players only had numbers on their backs and it would have been quite difficult to confirm that the appropriate players are on the field at kick-off.

2. Unobserved Player Keeping Opponent Onside
In a recent match played in hot weather, the goalkeeper kept a water bottle about one yard beyond the goal line. One of her teammates was taking a drink unnoticed by the AR when an attacker received the ball in an apparent offside position. The AR indicated as such and the referee stopped play. It was only at this time that the second defender was noticed by the AR. What is the appropriate restart? Further, assuming that the defender had no ill-intent to deceive the officials, should the referee consider any sort of sanction for misconduct against the thirsty player?

Answer (July 10, 2007):
1. The nominated substitute who started the game became the player as soon as the game kicked off and, if removed for a substitute (the original player who was not there at the beginning), may not re-enter the game (unless the rules of the competition specify otherwise). He or she is cautioned for unsporting behavior and shown the yellow card.

2. The appropriate restart is a dropped ball, in accordance with Law 8. If there is no reason to suspect deceit, then no punishment is required; however, the referee could decide to issue a caution for leaving the field of play without the permission of the referee.…

Question:
I know that in a number of cases that if a team has too many men on the field, the “extra” player should be carded. However, I think that this normally applies to players who entered the field without the permission of the referee. My question has to do with proper procedure if the referee fails to follow proper substitution procedures and the result is 12 men on the field. (Yes, I know that referees should always use proper procedure for subs but, at least in my area, many do not.)A. For example, assume that two players are waiting at midfield to enter the game. At the next stoppage, the referee improperly signals for them to enter the game without waiting for two players to exit. There is some confusion and only one player exits the field. Then the referee signals for play to resume without counting the number of players on the field. In this case, once it is discovered that there are twelve players on the field, should anyone be carded? (Other than perhaps the referee!)

B. Similarly, if a team accidentally sends out twelve players to begin the second half, and the referee signals for play to begin without counting the number of players on the field, should anyone be carded when it is discovered that there is an extra man on the field?

It seems to me that neither of these situations call for a card since the player did not enter the field without the permission of the referee or attempt to deceive anyone, and his/her presence on the field was essentially validated by the referee. Could you please let me know what the proper USSF procedure would be in these instances – card or no card.

USSF answer (May 22, 2007):
Referees (and assistant referees) who fail to follow the procedures laid out in the Laws of the Game, the Advice to Referees, or the rules of the competition in which they referee deserve whatever problems this lack of professionalism brings them.

In both cases you describe, the intelligent referee–who appears not to be operating in either of the situations–will simply remove the offending player(s) from the field, perhaps issuing a verbal warning not to repeat the offense.

However, we must add a caveat, as most teams and players, whether for good or bad, know precisely what they are doing, especially as the age and experience of the players increase, and a simple warning may not be enough. Particularly in Case B, the team and its coach(es) know how many players should be in the game and who they are. Most coaches will notice the discrepancy on their own and ask the referee for permission to remove the extra player. If the extra player is discovered fairly early in the half, a warning should be enough. If the infringement has continued for some time, then a caution is deserved.

On the whole the answer lies in determining exactly WHY the situation arose in the first place, leaving aside not following proper procedures–see the first paragraph! Was it a case of the substitute coming onto the field when he knew he shouldn’t or a case of the (departing) player deliberately not leaving the field when he knew he should or was it simply an error?

Finally, referees and assistant referees–they must also accept part of the blame–who fail to follow procedures and persistently allow this sort of infringement of the Laws to go on should be sentenced to some hours in penance, doing community service.…

Question:
A question has been circulating regarding the proper restart for there being 12 players on the field. The presence of the 12th Blue player is discovered after a foul which would result in a penalty kick for Blue. It cannot be determined whether this 12th player was on the field during play, or if he entered after the foul was whistled. After the 12th player is cautioned and removed from the field, is the proper restart the PK for Blue, or an indirect kick for Red? If we knew Blue 12 was on the field prior to the foul, the answer is easy – IFK. If we knew Blue 12 came on after play was stopped, the answer is easy – PK. If we don’t know when Blue 12 came on – ??

USSF answer (May 9, 2007):
Are we talking a “12th” player or an “extra player”? This becomes crucial when determining who the person is and how to punish him or her.

The first thing for the referee and ARs to do is engage in rigorous self-examination as to the reasons this particular person got on the field in the first place. This portion of the Advice applies:

3.17 MORE THAN THE CORRECT NUMBER OF PLAYERS
If, while the game is in progress, the referee finds that a team has more than the allowed number of persons on the field, play must be stopped and the extra person identified and removed from the field. Other than through referee error, this situation can occur only if someone enters the field illegally. The “extra player” can include an outside agent (such as a previously expelled player or a spectator); a player who had been given permission to leave or been ordered off by the referee for correction of a problem, but re-entered without permission; or a substitute or substituted player who enters without permission and/or during play. In all competitions, especially those that allow substituted players to return, the officials must be extremely vigilant in counting the number of players who leave and substitutes who enter to prevent problems of this nature. Similarly, players off the field temporarily who require the permission of the referee to re-enter must be monitored to ensure that they do not participate in play until this requirement and any others (e. g., inspection to confirm the correction of the equipment or bleeding problem) are met.

The second thing to do is to determine which sort of person this “player” is: player, substitute or substituted player, or outside agent (spectator or team official or player sent off earlier, etc.). If it is a player or a substitute/substituted player who entered, the referee must caution the extra “player” for entering the field of play without the referee’s permission (if a player) or unsporting behavior (if a substitute/substituted player).

The third thing to do is decide on the correct restart. This depends on the answer to the second question (who illegally entered) and on when the person entered.

If the person entered during the stoppage, then the restart stays the same regardless of who the person is and regardless of what you do to him. The basic principle here is that nothing happening during a stoppage changes the restart. In other words, the penalty kick.

If the person entered prior to the stoppage, then the restart is a dropped ball where the ball was if the person was an outside agent or an indirect free kick where the ball was if the person was a player off the field who needed the referee’s permission to re-enter, a substitute, or a substituted player. In other words, the penalty kick is canceled and, if it is an indirect free kick restart instead of a dropped ball, the restart is given to the team opposed to the player, substitute, or substituted player who illegally entered.

Unfortunately, the scenario you offered included the fact that no official knew for sure if the person who was illegally on the field entered before the stoppage or during the stoppage. Since knowing this is an important element in deciding the correct restart, all the Law can do is advise you to DECIDE based on the best evidence available plus what seems FAIR to the teams and the game. We cannot tell you anything more than this because the problem as you describe it has no solution under the Law. Referees face this sort of thing all the time and we manage to survive. Make the decision and get on with the game (and don’t obsess about it afterward, except to resolve to do better).…