Laws of the Game (association football)

Laws of the Game (association football)

The current Laws of the Game (LOTG) consist of seventeen individual laws, each law containing several rules and directions:[1]

Law 1: The Field of Play

Law 2: The Ball

Law 3: The Players

Law 4: The Players' Equipment

Law 5: The Referee

Law 6: The Other Match Officials

Law 7: The Duration of the Match

Law 8: The start and restart of play

Law 9: Ball in and out of play

Law 10: The Method of Scoring

Law 11: Offside

Law 12: Fouls and Misconduct

Law 13: Free kicks (direct and indirect)

Law 14: The Penalty Kick

Law 15: The Throw-in

Law 16: The Goal Kick

Law 17: The Corner Kick

Presentation and interpretation  EDIT

In 1997, a major revision dropped whole paragraphs and clarified many sections to simplify and strengthen the principles. These laws are written in English Common Law style and are meant to be guidelines and goals of principle that are then clarified through practice, tradition, and enforcement by the referees.

The actual law book has long contained 50 pages more of material, organized in numerous sections, that contain many diagrams but did not fit with the main 17 laws. In 2007, many of these additional sections along with much of the material from the FIFA Questions and Answers (Q&A), were restructured and put into a new "Additional Instructions and Guidelines for the Referee" section. This section is organized under the same 17 law points, consists of concise paragraphs and phrases like the laws themselves, and adds much clarifying material that had been only available from national organizations and word of mouth among referees. The entire 2015/2016 edition is 144 pages.

Referees are expected to use their judgement and common sense in applying the laws; this is colloquially known as "Law 18".[2]

Jurisdiction and change management EDIT

The laws are administered by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). They meet at least once a year to debate and decide any changes to the text as it exists at that time. The meeting in winter generally leads to an update to the laws on 1 July of each year that take effect immediately. The laws govern all international matches and national matches of member organizations.[3] A minimum of six of the eight seat IFAB board needs to vote to accept a rule change. Four seats are held by FIFA to represent their 200+ member Nations, with the other four going to each of the British associations (the FA representing England, the SFA representing Scotland, FAW representing Wales and the IFA representing Northern Ireland), meaning that no change can be made without FIFA's approval, but FIFA cannot change the Laws without the approval of at least two of the British governing bodies.[3]