AYSO Guidance

•       The referee should be particularly inclined towards allowing play to continue as much as possible, especially at younger ages.

•       For example: The referee should allow play to continue in cases of “bad” throw-ins, free kicks being taken from a spot a few yards from where it should be taken, or the ball moving on free kicks, except where it provides a significant advantage to a team. 

•        The game should always remain safe, fair, and fun.   

Referees can now show coaches yellow and red cards

•       Cards are shown to communicate the level of unacceptable behavior.

•       Specific examples of conduct that would result in a warning, caution, or sending-off are included in Law 12 - see following slides.

•       If the offender cannot be identified, the senior coach who is in the technical area at the time will receive the sanction. 

The following offences should usually result in a warning; repeated or blatant offences should result in a caution or sending-off:

•       Entering the field of play in a respectful/non-confrontational manner

•       Failing to cooperate with a match official e.g. Ignoring an instruction/request from an assistant referee or the fourth official

•       Minor/low-level disagreement (by word or action) with a decision

•       Occasionally leaving the confines of the technical area without committing  another offence

Caution offences include (but are not limited to):

•       Clearly/persistently not respecting the confines of their team’s technical area

•       Delaying the restart of play by their team

•       Deliberately entering the technical area of the opposing team (non-confrontational)

•       Dissent by word or action including:

•       Throwing/kicking drinks bottles or other objects

•       Gestures which show a clear lack of respect for the match official(s) e.g. Sarcastic clapping

•       Excessively/persistently gesturing for a red or yellow card

•       Gesturing or acting in a provocative or inflammatory manner

•       Persistent unacceptable behavior (including repeated warning offences)

•       Showing a lack of respect for the game

•       Excessively showing the TV signal for a VAR ‘review’ 

•       Delaying the restart of play by the opposing team e.g. Holding onto the ball, kicking the ball away, obstructing the movement of a player

•       Deliberately leaving the technical area to:

•       Show dissent towards, or remonstrate with, a match official

•       Act in a provocative or inflammatory manner

•       Enter the opposing technical area in an aggressive or confrontational manner

•       Deliberately throwing/kicking an object onto the field of play

Sending-off offences include (but are not limited to):

•       Delaying the restart of play by the opposing team e.g. Holding onto the ball, kicking the ball away, obstructing the movement of a player

•       Deliberately leaving the technical area to:

•       Show dissent towards, or remonstrate with, a match official

•       Act in a provocative or inflammatory manner

•       Enter the opposing technical area in an aggressive or confrontational manner

•       Deliberately throwing/kicking an object onto the field of play

•       Entering the field of play to:

•       Confront a match official (including at half-time and full-time)

•       Interfere with play, an opposing player or a match official

•       Physical or aggressive behavior (including spitting or biting) towards an opposing player, substitute, team official, match official, spectator or any other person (e.g. Ball boy/girl, security or competition official etc.)

•       Receiving a second caution in the same match

•       Using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures

•       Violent conduct

•       Referees can stop, suspend, or abandon a match for outside interference, such as from spectators.

•       Coaches are responsible for the behavior of their sidelines.

•       Referees should ask coaches to help stop inappropriate behavior.

•       Coaches must not be cautioned or sent-off because of behavior of a parent or spectator.

The ball is now dropped to only one player of the team that last touched the ball

•       Exception: The ball is always dropped for the goalkeeper in their own penalty area if, when play was stopped:

•       the ball is in their own penalty area or 

•       the ball was last touched (by either team) in their own penalty area

•       All other players, from bothteams, must be 4.5 yards away from where the ball is dropped.

The ball is now considered out of play when it touches the referee in certain circumstances.

•       Play is stopped when the ball touches the referee (or assistant referee standing on the field of play) and:

•       a (either) team starts a promising attack or

•       the ball goes directly into the goal or

•       the team in possession changes

•       The restart for all of these instances is a dropped ball

Direct free kick – Handling the ball

Major change to the interpretation of a handball offense

The re-wording largely follows the following principles: 

•       A goal being scored by a hand/arm (even if accidental) cannot be allowed. 

•       If a player gains possession/control of the ball from their hand/arm and gain a major advantage e.g. score or create a goal-scoring opportunity, a handball offense has occurred.

•       Players who have the hand/arm in an unnatural position put themselves at risk of being guilty of a handball offense.

•       It is often unavoidable to prevent contact with the hand/arm if the ball comes off the player’s body, or off another player (of either team) who is close by.

Always a handling offense

•       Deliberate handball

•       Gains possession and

•       Scores a goal or

•       Creates a goal-scoring opportunity

•       Scores directly with the hand/arm, even if accidental

Usually a handling offense

•       The hand/arm has made a player’s body bigger

•       The hand/arm is above the shoulder

Usually Not a handling offense

•       The ball comes off a player’s own body or nearby opponent and touches the hand/arm

•       The hand/arm is close to the body

•       A player falls and the ball touches the hand/arm

Indirect free kick

A goalkeeper can now use their hand/arm in their own penalty area after a deliberate kick or throw-in from a team-mate under certain conditions

•       If the goalkeeper has kicked or clearly attempted to kick the ball to release it into play, the goalkeeper may then touch the ball with the hand/arm

•       This Law change is intended to allow goalkeepers to pick up the ball after they have made a genuinekicking mistake.  

•       It is still an offense to touch the ball with the hand/arm from a team-mate’s throw-in, or when a team-mate has deliberately kicked the ball to the goalkeeper. 

•       Referees should be more lenient at younger age groups as far as what is and is not an attempt to release the ball into play. 

•       Referees should be alert to situations (especially in older divisions) where goalkeepers pretend to kick the ball and “accidentally” make a mistake. 

Disciplinary action - Celebration of a goal

A caution for excessive celebration is still given even if the goal is disallowed

•       If a goal is scored and the celebration is excessive or provocative, a yellow card must be shown, even if the goal is disallowed for offside, a foul, or any other reason. 

On a free kick taken by the defending team inside its penalty area, the ball is now in play when it is kicked and clearly moves 

•       The ball no longer has to leave the penalty area.

•       Attackers must remain outside the penalty area and at least 10 yards away until the ball is in play. 

In a defensive wall of three or more players, attackers must be at least 1 yard away from the wall until the ball is in play

•       If an attacking player is closer than 1 yard to the wall when the kick is taken, an indirect free kick is given to the defending team. 

Changes in penalty kick procedure

•       The goalposts, crossbar, and goal net must not be moving.

•       The goalkeeper must not touch the goalposts, crossbar, or goal net until the ball has been kicked. 

•       The goalkeeper must have at least part of one foot touching or in line with the goal line when the ball is kicked. 

•       One step forward is now permitted, as long as one foot remains on or in line with the goal line. 

•       If the goalkeeper jumps or dives and both feet are off the ground, at least one foot must be in line with the goal line. 

•       Referees should include these directions to the goalkeeper prior to the kick being taken. 

•       This should be addressed with assistant referees in any pregame meeting. 
    

ON GOAL KICKS 

The ball is now in play when it is kicked and clearly moves

•       There is no longer a requirement for it to exit the penalty area.

•       Opponents must remain outside the penalty area.

•       Players of the team taking the goal kick may be inside the penalty area, and can play the ball once it has been put into play. 

•       If, when a goal kick is taken, opponents are inside the penalty area because they did not have time to leave, play continues. 

•       If those opponents challenge for the ball before the ball is in play, the goal kick is retaken. 

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AYSO Guidance: Impact at 10U with the Build-out Line

•       The goal kick procedure for 10U is exactly the same for any other age division: The ball is in play when it is kicked and clearly moves.

•       Procedure:

•       Opponents must stay behind the build-out line until the ball is put into play.

•       Opponents can cross the build-out line when the ball is kicked and clearly moves.  

•       Play continues as usual.

•       Referees should specifically mention when opponents can cross the build-out line: “Don’t cross until the ball is kicked.”