Question Number: 35934

High School 6/13/2025

RE: Varsity High School

David E Frankson of Oregon, WI United States asks...

Hi to everyone on staff and thank you for all the education you do defining and explaining the rules!

Issue: Does the GK need to be substituted?

In a recent NFHS soccer playoff game, the following occurred:
a) Team A scores a goal
b) AR2 signals goal scored
c) CTR stops the clock and signals goal scored
d) CTR then realizes Team B GK may be hurt and moves to the GK to evaluate
e) After 20 seconds, CTR beckons the Trainer onto the field to evaluate the injured GK
f) After 1-2 minutes, Trainer indicates GK is ok to continue play and Trainer leaves the field of play.

Q) Does the GK need to be substituted?

NFHS Rule 3-3-2.b.2 says: “If the referee stops the clock and beckons a coach or appropriate health-care professional on the field for an apparent injury to any player, the player shall leave the field.”

Thoughts: Clock was not stopped for an injury, it was stopped for a goal being scored. The potential GK injury was not observed until the clock was already stopped. However, NFHS wording does not seem to define whether the clock was stopped because of the injury or for any other reason, just that it was stopped, unless the sentence is read in total and the phrase “for an apparent injury to any player” applies to both parts of the “and” clause.

Possible Actions or Inactions in no particular order:

1) Since the clock was not stopped to assess an on-field injury, time was already stopped for another reason and whether a trainer was called onto the field is irrelevant until the whistle is blown to restart the game. As a result, the GK is allowed to stay in the game without being substituted.

2) Since the clock was stopped (meeting that singular requirement) and a trainer was beckoned onto the field for an injury assessment, it meets the requirements of the NFHS rule and the GK must be substituted before the restart of play.

One of the actions above was taken in the game, one was not. In the post-game discussion by the ref team, there was not a consensus on which course of action was correct. What is the correct action?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi David
As a referee with no experience of NFHS soccer my opinion is based on reading the relevant sections of the Rule Book.
My thought process in these matters is one of a referee butwith many years of experience and I could see how the two options that is proposed could come to be considered particularly in a goalkeeper change and all that entails
My panel colleague Referee Joe Manjone will give the defacto answer

My take on it is that the referee's decision to stop the clock and signal a coach or healthcare provider is the key trigger for the player's mandatory exit and substitution
Rule 3-3-2b(2) clarifies that an injured player must leave the field if the referee beckons a coach or appropriate health-care provider. The rules change clarifies the current rule that if an official beckons a coach or appropriate health-careprovider for any injured player, including the goalkeeper, that player must leave the field regardless of the reason the clock is stopped.
So the fact that the clock was stopped for the goal makes no difference to the reason why a goalkeeper must be substituted.

FIFA differs in that a goalkeeper does not have to leave the field of play to receive treatment which will happen on the field of play

Answer provided by Referee Joe Manjone

Hi David,

Thank you for this question.

Please note the rule does not state the clock has to be stopped for the injury. It states the referee has stopped the clock and after the clock is stopped beckons the coach onto the field. In the situation you mention, the team B goalkeeper would have to be replaced.

Please note Rule 3-3-3 Situation D on Page 21 of the NFHS 24-25 Soccer Rules Book. It is similar to your situation.

It states: "An official observes a direct free kick foul by the defense in the penalty area, blows the whistle, stops play and indicates a penalty kick. The official simultaneously indicates an injured player and issues a caution for persistent infringement to the player committing the foul. The coaches, having no players at he scorer's table, substitutes for the injured and cautioned player from the bench. Ruling: Legal, the injured and cautioned player shall be removed. The penalty kick shall be taken by a player who was on the field at the time the whistle stopped play.

Hopefully, you have had a very successful high school girls soccer season and will get to work in next week's state championship games.