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Law
 The Players

1. Number of players
A match is played by two teams, each with a maximum of eleven players;
one must be the goalkeeper. A match may not start or continue if either team
has fewer than seven players.

If a team has fewer than seven players because one or more players has
deliberately left the field of play, the referee is not obliged to stop play and
the advantage may be played, but the match must not resume after the ball has
gone out of play if a team does not have the minimum number of seven players.

If the competition rules state that all players and substitutes must be named
before kick-off and a team starts a match with fewer than eleven players,
only the players and substitutes named on the team list may take part in the
match upon their arrival.

2. Number of substitutions
Official competitions
The number of substitutes, up to a maximum of five, which may be used in
any match played in an official competition will be determined by FIFA,
the confederation or the national football association. For men’s and women’s
competitions involving the 1st teams of clubs in the top division or senior ‘A’
international teams where competition rules permit a maximum of five
substitutes to be used, each team:

• has a maximum of three substitution opportunities*

• may additionally make substitutions at half-time

*Where both teams make a substitution at the same time, this will count as a
used substitution opportunity for both teams. Multiple substitutions (and
requests) by a team during the same stoppage in play count as one used
substitution opportunity.

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 Extra time

• If a team has not used the maximum number of substitutes and/or

substitution opportunities, any unused substitutes and substitution
opportunities may be used in extra time
• Where competition rules permit teams to use one additional substitute in
extra time, each team will have one additional substitution opportunity
• Substitutions may also be made in the period between full-time and the start
of extra time, and at half-time in extra time – these do not count as used
substitution opportunities

The competition rules must state:

• how many substitutes may be named, from three to a maximum of fifteen

• whether one additional substitute may be used when a match goes into extra
time (whether or not the team has already used the full number of permitted
substitutes)

Other matches
In senior ‘A’ international team matches, a maximum of fifteen substitutes may
be named of which a maximum of six may be used.

In all other matches, a greater number of substitutes may be used provided

that:

• the teams reach agreement on a maximum number

• the referee is informed before the match

If the referee is not informed, or if no agreement is reached before the match,

each team is allowed a maximum of six substitutes.

Return substitutions
The use of return substitutions is only permitted in youth, veterans, disability
and grassroots football, subject to the agreement of the national football
association, confederation or FIFA.

3. Substitution procedure
The names of the substitutes must be given to the referee before the start of the
match. Any substitute not named by this time may not take part in the match.

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 To replace a player with a substitute, the following must be observed:

• the referee must be informed before any substitution is made

• the player being substituted:

• receives the referee’s permission to leave the field of play, unless already
off the field, and must leave by the nearest point on the boundary line
unless the referee indicates that the player may leave directly and
immediately at the halfway line or another point (e.g. for safety/security
or injury)
• must go immediately to the technical area or dressing room and takes no
further part in the match, except where return substitutions are permitted

• if a player who is to be substituted refuses to leave, play continues

The substitute only enters:

• during a stoppage in play

• at the halfway line
• after the player being replaced has left
• after receiving a signal from the referee

The substitution is completed when a substitute enters the field of play;

from that moment, the replaced player becomes a substituted player and
the substitute becomes a player and can take any restart.

All substituted players and substitutes are subject to the referee’s authority,
whether they play or not.

4. Changing the goalkeeper

Any of the players may change places with the goalkeeper if:

• the referee is informed before the change is made

• the change is made during a stoppage in play

5. Offences and sanctions

If a named substitute starts a match instead of a named player and the
referee is not informed of this change:

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 • the referee allows the named substitute to continue playing
• no disciplinary action may be taken against the named substitute
• the named player can become a named substitute
• the number of substitutions is not reduced
• the referee reports the incident to the appropriate authorities

If a substitution is made during the half-time interval or before extra time,

the procedure must be completed before the match restarts. If the referee is
not informed, the named substitute may continue to play, no disciplinary
action is taken and the matter is reported to the appropriate authorities.

If a player changes places with the goalkeeper without the referee’s

permission, the referee:

• allows play to continue

• cautions both players when the ball is next out of play but not if the change
occurred during half-time (including half-time of extra time) or the period
between the end of the match and the start of extra time and/or penalties
(penalty shoot-out)

For any other offences:

• the players are cautioned

• play is restarted with an indirect free kick, from the position of the ball when
play was stopped

6. Players and substitutes sent off

A player who is sent off:

• before submission of the team list cannot be named on the team list in
any capacity
• after being named on the team list and before kick-off may be replaced by a
named substitute, who cannot be replaced; the number of substitutions the
team can make is not reduced
• after the kick-off cannot be replaced

A named substitute who is sent off before or after the kick-off may not be
replaced.

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7. Extra persons on the field of play
The coach and other officials named on the team list (with the exception of
players or substitutes) are team officials. Anyone not named on the team list as
a player, substitute or team official is an outside agent.

If a team official, substitute, substituted or sent-off player or outside agent

enters the field of play, the referee must:

• only stop play if there is interference with play

• have the person removed when play stops
• take appropriate disciplinary action

If play is stopped and the interference was by:

• a team official, substitute, substituted or sent-off player, play restarts with a

direct free kick or penalty kick
• an outside agent, play restarts with a dropped ball

If a ball is going into the goal and the interference does not prevent a defending
player playing the ball, the goal is awarded if the ball enters the goal (even if
contact was made with the ball) unless the interference was by the attacking
team.

8. Player outside the field of play

If a player who requires the referee’s permission to re-enter the field of play
re-enters without the referee’s permission, the referee must:

• stop play (not immediately if the player does not interfere with play
or a match official or if the advantage can be applied)
• caution the player for entering the field of play without permission

If the referee stops play, it must be restarted:

• with a direct free kick from the position of the interference

• with an indirect free kick from the position of the ball when play was
stopped if there was no interference

A player who crosses a boundary line as part of a playing movement does

not commit an offence.

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9. Goal scored with an extra person on the field of play
If, after a goal is scored, the referee realises, before play restarts, that an extra
person was on the field of play when the goal was scored, and that person
interfered with play:

• the referee must disallow the goal if the extra person was:

• a player, substitute, substituted player, sent-off player or team official of

the team that scored the goal; play is restarted with a direct free kick from
the position of the extra person
• an outside agent who interfered with play unless a goal results as outlined
above in ‘Extra persons on the field of play’; play is restarted with a
dropped ball

• the referee must allow the goal if the extra person was:

• a player, substitute, substituted player, sent-off player or team official of

the team that conceded the goal
• an outside agent who did not interfere with play

In all cases, the referee must have the extra person removed from the field
of play.

If, after a goal is scored and play has restarted, the referee realises an extra
person was on the field of play when the goal was scored, the goal cannot be
disallowed. If the extra person is still on the field the referee must:

• stop play
• have the extra person removed
• restart with a dropped ball or free kick as appropriate

The referee must report the incident to the appropriate authorities.

10. Team captain

The team captain has no special status or privileges but has a degree of
responsibility for the behaviour of the team.

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