Question:
I am curious about the kickoff in EPL and other leagues.
Fifa rules say the winner of the coin toss has to decide the side and
the looser has kickoff.
Now it looks like in EPL the winner can decide if he wants to choose
the side or take kickoff.
How is it possible that EPL rules differ to Fifa rules?
And do you know how this is handled in foreign leagues?
USSF answer (February 20, 2012):
Law 8 is clear on who takes the kick-off and we cannot imagine that the EPL has received permission to do it wrong.
Procedure
Before a kick-off at the start of the match or extra time
* a coin is tossed and the team that wins the toss decides which goal it will attack in the first half of the match.
* the other team takes the kick-off to start the match.
* the team that wins the toss takes the kick-off to start the second half of the match.
* in the second half of the match, the teams change ends and attack the opposite goals.
We are not aware of any countries that do such a thing.
