FARPost takes a look at the new football laws and clarifications which come into effect on Monday, 1 July following the approval by the International Football Association Board [IFAB].
The IFAB held its 138th Annual General Meeting in Scotland in March this year.
During the AGM the IFAB approved several changes to and clarifications relating to substitutes, player equipment, fouls, misconduct and penalty kicks.
A decision was also made to extend FIFA’s trial where the referee publicly announces the final decisions after a video assistant referee (VAR) review. An initial 12-month trial run, taken in January last year, was tested at the FIFA Club World Cup and men’s Under-20 World Cup.
WHAT ARE THE LAW CHANGES IN FOOTBALL THAT COME INTO EFFECT ON MONDAY, 1 JULY?
CAPTAIN ARMBAND: It is now a must that each team must have a team captain who is wearing a single colour captain’s armband at all times.
“The team captain must wear the armband issued or authorised by the relevant competition organiser, or a single-coloured armband that may also have the word ‘captain’ or the letter ‘C’ or a translation thereof, which should also be a single colour.”
FOULS AND MISCONDUCT: Handball offences that are not deliberate, and for which penalties are awarded, are to be treated in the same way as other fouls.
“Non-deliberate handball offences are usually the result of a player attempting to play fairly. So when a penalty kick is awarded for such offences, the same philosophy should apply as for offences [fouls] which are an attempt to play the ball or a challenge for the ball,” they explained.
“Deliberate handball remains a red-card offence when a penalty kick is awarded, as it is similar to holding, pulling, pushing, no possibility to play the ball.”
MORE CLARIFICATIONS BY THE INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION BOARD
PENALITY KICK: Part of the ball must touch or overhang the centre of the penalty mark, and encroachment by outfield players will be penalised only if it has an impact.
“Clarification regarding the ball position for a penalty kick, as there can be disputes and/or delays, especially when the penalty mark is not a ‘spot’. Part of the ball must touch or overhang the centre of the penalty mark (just as the ball must be inside the corner area, including overhanging the corner arc, at a corner kick). As with other positional matters, if ground conditions dictate a slight change, this is a decision for the referee.”
COMPULSORY EQUIPMENT: Players are responsible for the size and suitability of their shinguards, which remain a compulsory part of their equipment.
CONCUSSION SUBSTITUTIONS: Competitions now have the option to use additional permanent concussion substitutions.
“The use of a concussion substitute operates in conjunction with other protocols and procedures,” said IFAB.
“For example, where competitions allow the restart of play to be delayed for an on-field assessment by the team’s medical personnel of up to three minutes or longer for a serious injury.”
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