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- Soccer Referee Questions on Soccer Rules
WELCOME to AskTheRef.com, a Soccer Law/Rules Question & Answer site!
Operating since October 11, 1999, that is 25 years as an independent, FREE, public service site. Dedicated to personally answering your questions regarding any Professional or Grassroots, FIFA, College, High school, or Youth soccer game situation. To ask a question simply click on Ask the Ref in the menu bar, post your question!
Please understand, we are comprised of strictly volunteers, thus lack the time required to review or alter the hundreds of thousands of previous questions & answers. The LOTG /RULES are constantly being tweaked, reevaluated and rewritten each year, often rendering previous answers as incorrect, partially true and/or portions no longer applicable! Our answers can only coincide within the changing LOTG/RULES time/frame of the date a question was asked! We feel it is essential you review & read the latest version of the always changing Laws/Rules of the Game.
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Soccer Rules of the Game - NCAA.org
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 You Call It!
After two years and many request - You Call It is back! Now it's your turn to test your knowledge in a scenario created by our panel of referees. If your answer is spot on we will publish it on our site! Good luck click here!
Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 8/27/2025Petr of Prague, Czech Republic Czech Republic asks...I'm sorry, but I won't let you go just yet. :-) I studied the older Refereeing Assistance Programme 2014-2 (DOGSO/SPA, video B6).
In the 'Reasons' section it says this:
'A defender illegally prevents an attacker who would likely get possession of the ball. However, the offender would be still in the position to challenge the attacker in fair manner, even if the offence had not been committed. An obvious goal-scoring opportunity is therefore not denied. A direct free kick should be awarded and the defender cautioned for unsporting behaviour.'
My hypothetical situation: A10 runs to the goal alone. B5 runs after him, catches up with him, at first they are shoulder to shoulder. Then he overtakes the attacker a l...
Read The Full Q & A Law 13 - Free Kicks 8/26/2025RE: rec Under 19 rob deconinck of tampa, fl usa asks...I am still confused exactly what "is less than 10 yds. from the ball intercepts it means.
Does intercept mean it is kicked towards me without moving towards it? I read a response here that appears to say once the ball is put into play the defender can move towards it. ...
Read The Full Q & A Mechanics 8/25/2025Petr of Prague, Czech Republic Czech Republic asks...I also found this Swedish one. It works in the Czech Republic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8y3oRqYCiI
(time 0:35)
1. The referee let it play. VAR called him probably because of DOGSO. The referee disagreed with VAR after watching the video. Probably it wasn't a foul. Personally, it seems to me that it didn't even have to be DOGSO situation. The defender got closer to the goal than the attacker and the ball. I have a bit of a problem with this. It seems unclear to me. :-)
2. I have another question from your practice. How likely is it that kicking an opponent's leg (foot) with a football boot will not result in a yellow card? It seems to me that this is rather exceptional. Most of the time, th...
Read The Full Q & A Mechanics 8/21/2025Petr of Prague, Czech Republic Czech Republic asks...Hello
I have a potential DOGSO situation, please.
Video time 1:50 (Malm vs. Olomouc)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAXtq65Lyao
The referee is called to the video. VAR probably recommends DOGSO and a red card. The referee then decides that it is not a foul.
Q1: Do you think this is a DOGSO situation?
(In case the contact is judged as a foul.) I'm definitely not sure. The attacker is staggering there, it's not at all clear to me whether he would go straight at the goalkeeper alone. The defender actually overtakes him and at the moment of contact he is closer to the goal than the ball. :-)
Q2: Or simply if it's 1 on 1 and the defender is the last player, is it a clear D...
Read The Full Q & A Law 18 - Common Sense 8/21/2025Douglas Wix of Liverpool, Merseyside United Kingdom asks...Many thanks for informative replies. I guess as its the players choice I always wonder how the club would react to a broken leg & insurance cover etc. Thanks again & regards...
Read The Full Q & A Law 4 - The Players Equipment 8/19/2025RE: Adult Douglas Wix of Liverpool, Merseyside United Kingdom asks...I have noticed many players at all different levels of football wearing these socks that cover just around 6 inches of their legs,notably Grealish & Wirtz but many others. How is this allowed & do referees have a say in this from a safety aspect as to me it's an accident waiting to happen!
I read that Grealish washed his socks & they came out like that & now he is superstitious, although assume that's a jest. Any thoughts please? ...
Read The Full Q & A Law 3 - The Players 7/31/2025Robert of St. Johns , Canada asks...During regular time, a defensive player commits a Direct-Free-Kick foul in their penalty area. The referee blows their whistle to stop play and awards the offensive team with a penalty kick. My question is, can the offensive team make a substitution (assuming they have not used up all of their substitutions) and sub on a player so that that player can take the penalty kick (reminder this is during regular time, not during an end of time penalty shoot out situation)?...
Read The Full Q & A Law 1- The Field 7/26/2025RE: Rec Under 13 Laura of Frederick, MD USA asks...Our coach was carded for coaching down by the goal. What law explains where the coach may stand during a game? Thanks!...
Read The Full Q & A Law 3 - The Players 7/21/2025RE: Competitive Adult Kumarasan Govender of TONGAAT, KZN South Africa asks...WILL THE RULE AS APPLIED IN HOLSTEIN KIEL v Bochum still be applied in present day football?...
Read The Full Q & A Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 7/15/2025RE: competitve Other thomas horincewich of Chester, NJ United States asks...Since May 21, 2008 Memo from US soccer regarding the "Pass Back" violation, I have used the iron triangle to call illegal keeper handling. I have kept this paper in my kit with me at all times. I do not recall seeing a change in interpretation in regards to this call. However I was showed on IFAB site, a list of indirect free kicks and it did mention a deliberate pass back to the keeper. Did this change and I missed it? Because, IFAB now says "it has been deliberately kicked to the goalkeeper by a team-mate." This contradicts Alfred Kleinaitis's memo that says it is not necessary for the ball to be passed, or back, or to the keeper. What is the correct/current advice to referees on this?...
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