1. Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct
F I F A
Please !
F A I R
Fouls
P L A Y
Fouls

2. MAJOR (PENAL) FOULS Law 12 says:
A direct free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any of the following seven offenses in a manner considered by the referee to be careless, reckless or using excessive force:

3. DEFINITIONS:
Careless:
Player shows lack of attention or consideration toward opponent when challenging for the ball.

4. DEFINITIONS:
Reckless:
When a player acts with disregard to the danger to, or consequences for, an opponent

5. DEFINITIONS:
Excessive Force:
When a player exceeds the necessary use of force and endangers the safety of an opponent

6. MAJOR (PENAL) FOULS
Kicks or attempts to kick an opponent
Trips or attempts to trip an opponent
Jumps at an opponent
Strikes or attempts to strike an opponent
Charges dangerously an opponent

7. MAJOR (PENAL) FOULS 6. Pushes an opponent
7. Tackles or challenges an opponent to gain possession of the ball, making contact with the opponent before touching the ball

8. Kicking or attempting to kick an opponent
MAJOR (PENAL) FOULS
Kicking or attempting to kick an opponent

9. Kicking or attempting to kick an opponent
MAJOR (PENAL) FOULS
Kicking or attempting to kick an opponent

10. Kicking or attempting to kick an opponent
MAJOR (PENAL) FOULS
Kicking or attempting to kick an opponent

11. MAJOR (PENAL) FOULS Kicking or attempting to kick an opponent
Foul tackle from behind - may be kicking or tripping

12. MAJOR (PENAL) FOULS Kicking or attempting to kick an opponent
“Over the ball” tackle - may be kicking and serious foul play

13. MAJOR (PENAL) FOULS Kicking or attempting to kick an opponent
“Over the ball” tackle - may be kicking and serious foul play

14. MAJOR (PENAL) FOULS Kicking or attempting to kick an opponent
“Over the ball” tackle - may be kicking and serious foul play

15. MAJOR (PENAL) FOULS
Tripping or attempting to trip an opponent

16. Not a Foul! MAJOR (PENAL) FOULS
Tackler makes contact with ball first, player trips over ball or legs near ground
Not a Foul!

17. Jumping at (into) an opponent
MAJOR (PENAL) FOULS
Jumping at (into) an opponent

18. (carelessly, recklessly or using excessive force)
MAJOR (PENAL) FOULS
Charging an opponent
(carelessly, recklessly or using excessive force)

19. Fair charge? MAJOR (PENAL) FOULS
At least one foot of opponent on ground
“Shoulder to shoulder”
Ball within playing distance

20. What types of charges are NEVER fair?
MAJOR (PENAL) FOULS
What types of charges
are NEVER fair?
From behind
In the air
“Off the ball”

21. MAJOR (PENAL) FOULS
Strikes or attempts to strike an opponent

22. MAJOR (PENAL) FOULS
Pushes an opponent

23. MAJOR (PENAL) FOULS
Tackles an opponent to gain possession of the ball, making contact with the opponent before touching the ball

24. MAJOR (PENAL) FOULS
A direct free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any of the following three offenses:
Holds an opponent
Impedes an opponent with contact
Spits at an opponent
Handles the ball deliberately (except for the goalkeeper within his/her own penalty area)

25. MAJOR (PENAL) FOULS
Holds an opponent

26. MAJOR (PENAL) FOULS
Holds an opponent

27. MAJOR (PENAL) FOULS
Is This Holding?

28. Is This Foul? If So, What’s The Call
MAJOR (PENAL) FOULS
Is This Foul? If So, What’s The Call

29. Is This Foul? If So, What’s The Call
MAJOR (PENAL) FOULS
Is This Foul? If So, What’s The Call

30. Impedes an opponent with contact
MAJOR (PENAL) FOULS
Impedes an opponent with contact

31. 12.3 Contact Means Direct Free Kick
If an offence involves contact it is penalized by a direct free kick or penalty kick. Explanation Clarifies that a direct free kick must be awarded if an offence involves contact.

32. MAJOR (PENAL) FOULS
Spits at an opponent

33. Handles the ball deliberately
MAJOR (PENAL) FOULS
Handles the ball deliberately

34. Unintentional contact
MAJOR (PENAL) FOULS
Unintentional contact
not a foul
Did ball hit arm? Or
Did arm hit ball?

35. INTENT
Ball strikes player on arm - and - ball falls to player’s feet and he/she gains control
No Foul!
Reasoning…
Player did not initiate the action

36. Handling the Ball
Handling the ball involves a deliberate act of a player making contact with the ball with the hand or arm. The following must be considered: • the movement of the hand towards the ball (not the ball towards the hand) • the distance between the opponent and the ball (unexpected ball) • the position of the hand does not necessarily mean that there is an infringement • touching the ball with an object held in the hand (clothing, shinguard, etc.) is an infringement • hitting the ball with a thrown object (boot, shinguard, etc.) is an infringement

37. Handling the Ball
The goalkeeper has the same restrictions on handling the ball as any other player outside the penalty area. Inside their penalty area, the goalkeeper cannot be guilty of a handling offence incurring a direct free kick or any related sanction but can be guilty of handling offences that incur an indirect free kick.

38. Deliberate Handling – You Make The Call
How about this?
How about this?

39. Deliberate Handling – You Make The Call
How about this?
How about this?

40. Deliberate Handling – You Make The Call
How about this?
How about from this angle, what’s your call?

41. Deliberate Handling – You Make The Call
How about this?

42. Restart with a Direct Free Kick at point of infraction
MAJOR (PENAL) FOULS
Restart with a Direct Free Kick at point of infraction
Except when foul occurs by defender within the defender’s penalty area
in which case a Penalty Kick shall be awarded.

43. • an opponent - indirect or direct free kick or penalty kick
12.15 Offences against substitutes, team officials, match officials etc…
If the ball is in play and a player commits an offence inside the field of play against:
• an opponent - indirect or direct free kick or penalty kick
• a team-mate, substitute, substituted player, team official or a match official – a direct free kick or penalty kick
• any other person – a dropped ball

44. 12.15 Offences against substitutes, team officials, match officials etc…
Explanation
The punishment for an offence against another participant reflects the seriousness of such an action e.g. football sends out a weak/poor message if an offence against a match official is only an indirect free kick.

45. 12.16 Fouls off the Field of Play (see 13.3 + 14.1)
If the ball is in play and the offence occurred outside the field of play(…)
However, if a player leaves the field of play as part of play and commits an offence against another player, play is restarted with a free kick taken on the boundary line nearest to where the offence occurred; for direct free kick offences & a penalty kick is awarded if this is within the offender’s penalty area.

46. 12.16 Fouls off the Field of Play (see 13.3 + 14.1)
Explanation
Law is changed as football would expect that if 2 players leave the field as part of normal action and one fouls the other off the field, a free kick should be awarded. No one would understand if the referee gave a RC/YC and then restarted with a dropped ball (or IDFK). The FK is awarded on the touchline/goal line nearest to where the foul occurred; if this is on the goal line in the offender’s penalty area a penalty is awarded.

47. Major Fouls (11) Direct Free Kick Penalty Kick Ptooey! Spitting
Pushing
Holding
Deliberately Handling*
Striking
Charging Dangerously
Direct Free Kick
Impedes an Opponent with Contact Or
Penalty Kick
Kicking
Tackling – getting player before ball
Tripping
Jumping At
U.S. Soccer Federaqtion

48. MINOR (NON-PENAL) FOULS
Goalkeeper inside own penalty area:
Takes more than 6 seconds while controlling the ball with his/her hands before releasing it from his/her possession
Regains hand control prior to touch by another
Touches ball with hands after deliberately kicked by team-mate
Touches ball with hands after throw-in by team-mate

49. MINOR (NON-PENAL) FOULS
Takes more than 6 seconds while controlling the ball with the hands to release it from her/his possession.

50. MINOR FOULS (NON-PENAL)1
Touches the ball again with his/her hands after it has been released from his/her possession and has not touched any other player.

51. MINOR (NON-PENAL) FOULS
Touches ball with hands after it has been deliberately kicked by a teammate

52. MINOR (NON-PENAL) FOULS
Touches ball with hands if received directly from throw-in by teammate

53. MINOR (NON-PENAL) FOULS
Plays in a dangerous manner
Impedes the progress of an opponent
Prevents goalkeeper from releasing ball from his/her hands
Commits any offense, not previously mentioned in Law 12, for which play is stopped to caution or dismiss a player

54. MINOR (NON-PENAL) FOULS
Playing in a dangerous manner
(to an opponent)
Teammate doesn’t count

55. MINOR (NON-PENAL) FOULS
Playing in a dangerous manner
(an opponent)
Teammate doesn’t count

56. MINOR (NON-PENAL) FOULS
Playing in a dangerous manner
(to an opponent)
Is This Dangerous Play?

57. MINOR (NON-PENAL) FOULS
Playing in a dangerous manner (to an opponent)
Is This Dangerous Play?

58. MINOR (NON-PENAL) FOULS
Impeding the progress of
an opponent

59. MINOR (NON-PENAL) FOULS
Prevents the goalkeeper
from releasing the ball from
his/her hands

60. MINOR (NON-PENAL) FOULS
Restart with a Indirect Free Kick at point of infraction
EXCEPT…
- by defenders within their own goal area …kick taken from anywhere within goal area.
- by attackers in opponent’s goal area …move ball to out to closest point on 6 yard line.

61. TECHNICAL OFFENSES (8) By the GK:
Handling ball deliberately kicked by teammate
Handling ball from throw-in by teammate
Handling ball having previously released into play
Holding ball more than 6 seconds
All Players:
Preventing GK from releasing ball into play
Playing in a dangerous manner
Impeding an opponent
Any other infraction not previously mentioned
Indirect Free Kick

62. What are the 4 other Penal fouls?
FOULS REVIEW
Fouls can only occur …
against an opponent,
on the field of play,
while the ball is in play.
Which 7 Penal fouls must be careless, reckless or involve excessive force?
What are the 4 other Penal fouls?
What is the restart for committing a Penal foul outside the penalty area?

63. FOULS REVIEW
What if the Penal foul occurs in a team’s own penalty area?
What are the 4 technical infractions the goalkeeper can commit within his/her own penalty?
What are the other 4 technical infractions?
What is the restart for the 8 technical infractions?

64. Shouldn’t that be punished in some way?
FOULS REVIEW
What is the restart if a player punches a team-mate on the field while the ball is in play?
Indirect free kick to opponents
Shouldn’t that be punished in some way?