Harrow Referees' Association

Our October meeting will be held on Thursday 22nd at 8 p.m. at Harrow Borough FC and will be an Evening with Daryl Ann, Middlesex FA RDO.

[Harrow Referees' Association @HarrowReferee]

All referees are welcome to attend our meetings. Just book your seat by emailing [email protected]

[The IFAB @TheIFAB]

LAW CHANGES 2026/27

The goalkeeper delays a goal kick at the end of the match: ignores the ball passed by a ball girl, goes for another ball, and slowly walks to the goal area. The goalkeeper has been cautioned (yellow card) in the first half.

What action does the referee take?

➡️ https://t.co/C6nSoJnTwD
➡️ https://t.co/yBawmOfi9M

Download the official Laws of the Game app:
➡️ https://t.co/BwKFiVR2lV
➡️ https://t.co/jkJetKFdns

[The IFAB @TheIFAB]

If the #referee applies an advantage for a red card offence (including a second yellow card) and the offending player then challenges an opponent or interferes with play, the referee will:
➡️ stop play
➡️ send off the player
➡️ restart play with:
– an indirect free kick (e.g. if the player clears the ball or gains possession without committing a foul) or
– a direct free kick/penalty kick if the interference was a more serious offence (e.g. a careless or reckless tackle)

Find out more: https://t.co/sIr77TcuGP

Download the official app: https://t.co/qdaCeW8Hab

[The IFAB @TheIFAB]

The #referee should NOT play the advantage following sending-off (red card, RC) offences, particularly those involving:
➡️ serious foul play
➡️ violent conduct
➡️ a second cautionable (yellow card, YC) offence

unless the non-offending team has a clear opportunity to score.

ADVANTAGE LEADING TO A GOAL

If the referee plays the advantage following an offence and, as a result, a goal is scored by the attacking team:
➡️ the player who committed the DOGSO offence is NOT cautioned or sent off
➡️ a card may be shown for the physical severity of the offence, e.g. a YC for a reckless challenge and RC for serious foul play

Find out more: https://t.co/sIr77TcuGP

[The IFAB @TheIFAB]

LAW CHANGES 2026/27

A defender (Team A) deliberately touches the ball with their hand/arm outside the penalty area to stop a pass towards an attacker (Team B). The handball offence denies the attacker an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, however, after that, another Team B player gains possession of the ball, runs one-on-one towards the goal and scores.

What is the correct decision?

➡️ https://t.co/sIr77TcuGP

Download the official Laws of the Game app:
➡️ https://t.co/BwKFiVQuwn
➡️ https://t.co/jkJetKEFxU

[The IFAB @TheIFAB]

LAW CHANGES 2026/27

A player who is to be substituted refuses to leave the field of play at the nearest point on the boundary line.

What is the correct procedure?

➡️ https://t.co/3cVmb8UViG
➡️ https://t.co/eOYoucEDDZ

Download the official app: https://t.co/ByGqgP9PHh

[The IFAB @TheIFAB]

LAW CHANGES 2026/27

A player (Team A) committed a reckless challenge against an opponent (Team B) outside the penalty area. As a result, both players are injured and need attention.

What is the correct decision?

➡️ https://t.co/UzoJVOQPgb
➡️ https://t.co/7qMhkdxoLB
➡️ https://t.co/WU4n7MfpTL

Download the official Laws of the Game app:
➡️ https://t.co/BwKFiVQuwn
➡️ https://t.co/jkJetKEFxU

[The IFAB @TheIFAB]

LAW CHANGES 2026/27

A defending player uses their hand(s)/arm(s) in an attempt to prevent the ball from going into the goal.

What is the referee’s decision if the ball then enters the goal?

➡️ https://t.co/Z9j31FNGfy

Download the official app: https://t.co/ByGqgPanwP

[The IFAB @TheIFAB]

LAW CHANGES 2026/27

A few minutes before the end of the second half, Team A, which is leading by one goal, is awarded a throw-in. A Team A player slowly walks to the touchline, picks up the ball, and excessively delays taking the throw-in.

What action does the #referee take?

➡️ https://t.co/2u2JTDy5xS
➡️ https://t.co/yBawmOeKke

Download the official Laws of the Game app:
➡️ https://t.co/BwKFiVQuwn
➡️ https://t.co/jkJetKEFxU

[The IFAB @TheIFAB]

It is often misunderstood that any foul or handball offence committed by a goalkeeper outside their penalty area is punished with a card.

According to the Laws of the Game, the goalkeeper:
➡️ cannot handle the ball once they leave their penalty area
➡️ is subject to the same disciplinary sanction as an outfield player if they commit a cautionable (yellow card) or sending-off offence (red card)

[The IFAB @TheIFAB]

A handball offence committed by the goalkeeper outside their penalty area is a direct free kick offence, however, it does not warrant a card in itself.

Illegal use of the hand/arm outside the goalkeeper’s penalty area is treated like any other offence (e.g. a foul) and requires a disciplinary sanction when it:
➡️ stops a promising attack (SPA) – yellow card
➡️ denies an opponent or the opposing team an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO) – red card

The fact that the goalkeeper committed the offence outside their penalty area does not automatically mean that it is a SPA or DOGSO offence. Each situation must be judged by the #referee depending on the exact circumstances.

[The IFAB @TheIFAB]

LAW CHANGES 2026/27

While taking a penalty kick, a player kicks the ball with their right foot in such a way that the ball clearly moves, accidentally touches the player’s left foot and then enters the goal from the kick.

What is the correct decision?

https://t.co/ho5TvIPWpx

Download the official Laws of the Game app:
➡️ https://t.co/BwKFiVR2lV
➡️ https://t.co/jkJetKFdns

[The IFAB @TheIFAB]

LAW CHANGES 2026/27

When the substitution board is being shown, the player being substituted is on the far side of the field of play, close to the touchline. After the #referee signals for the substitution to take place, the player walks slowly towards the substitute who is at the halfway line.

What is the correct procedure?

➡️ https://t.co/Vje4E0Ok3X
➡️ https://t.co/qy2p03XDJ8
➡️ https://t.co/UGhks0InUe

Download the official Laws of the Game app:
➡️ https://t.co/BwKFiVQuwn
➡️ https://t.co/jkJetKEFxU

[The IFAB @TheIFAB]

LAW CHANGES 2026/27

A player of Team A kicks the ball towards a team-mate. The ball moves quickly on the ground and is heading out for a throw-in when it deflects off an assistant referee who is standing on the touchline. As a result, the ball remains on the field of play and is then controlled by another Team A player who starts a promising attack.

What is the correct decision?

➡️ https://t.co/XzNZcMIKV1
➡️ https://t.co/kTm2ycjuTx

Download the official Laws of the Game app:
➡️ https://t.co/BwKFiVR2lV
➡️ https://t.co/jkJetKFdns

[The IFAB @TheIFAB]

LAW CHANGES 2026/27

The #referee stops play and awards a free kick for a careless tackle. As the offence was committed close to the touchline, the fouled player, who is injured, voluntarily leaves the field of play during a stoppage to avoid delaying the restart of play by their team.

What is the correct procedure?

➡️ https://t.co/WU4n7MfpTL
➡️ https://t.co/7qMhkdxoLB

Download the official Laws of the Game app:
➡️ https://t.co/BwKFiVQuwn
➡️ https://t.co/jkJetKEFxU

[The IFAB @TheIFAB]

If the player being substituted has not left the field of play within the required ten seconds:
➡️ they must still leave as quickly as possible, usually by the nearest boundary
➡️ play restarts
➡️ the substitute may enter the field of play only with the referee’s permission during the first stoppage after one minute has elapsed following the restart

https://t.co/Vje4E0Ok3X

If a goalkeeper who is being substituted exceeds the ten-second limit, the substitute goalkeeper’s entry is not delayed (as Law 3 requires each team to have a goalkeeper) but the goalkeeper being substituted is cautioned (yellow card) for delaying the restart of play.

[The IFAB @TheIFAB]

Where the entry of a substitute is delayed because the player being substituted exceeded the ten-second limit, the substitution procedure is considered to be completed when the player being substituted leaves the field of play. From that moment:
➡️ the player becomes a ‘substituted player’
➡️ the substitution cannot be cancelled nor a different substitute used, as the administrative part of the substitution is completed
➡️ the substitute is considered a ‘player’, even if their entry onto the field of play is delayed because the substituted player took too long leaving

[The IFAB @TheIFAB]

When a player is on the ground injured while play continues and this is clearly affecting the play/players, the #referee is advised to stop play before another player (of either team) puts the ball out of play. The injured player must then leave the field of play for/after treatment and may only re-enter one minute after play has restarted.

If a team-mate puts the ball out of play to stop the game, the injured player should be required to leave the field of play for one minute.

If an opponent puts the ball out of play to stop the game and the player immediately stands up, the referee may:
➡️ decide that the injured player is not required to leave the field of play for one minute. This is to prevent a player deliberately putting the ball out of play so their opponents play with one player less for a minute
➡️ require the injured player to leave the field of play for one minute if the referee judges that the player (or their team-mates) were deliberately trying to get play stopped unfairly

Find out more:
➡️ https://t.co/7qMhkdxoLB
➡️ https://t.co/WU4n7MfpTL

[The IFAB @TheIFAB]

LAW CHANGES 2026/27

The #referee notices that a player is wearing small earrings during a match.

What is the correct procedure?

➡️ https://t.co/IwGsgHwxsJ

Download the official Laws of the Game app:
➡️ https://t.co/3P9d7LeIJd
➡️ https://t.co/AAObofMy5p

[The IFAB @TheIFAB]

LAW CHANGES 2026/27

The #referee stops play, awards a free kick for a foul against a Team A player, and delays the restart of play to allow the injured player to be assessed by the medical staff on the field of play.

Is the player required to leave the field if they are able to continue after the initial assessment/treatment?

➡️ https://t.co/7qMhkdxWB9
➡️ https://t.co/WU4n7MfXJj

Download the official Laws of the Game app:
➡️ https://t.co/BwKFiVR2lV
➡️ https://t.co/jkJetKFdns

[The IFAB @TheIFAB]

LAW CHANGES 2026/27

A player takes a throw-in from the wrong position and throws the ball onto the field of play.

What should the #referee do if the opposing team gains possession of the ball?

➡️ https://t.co/7qMhkdxWB9
➡️ https://t.co/9yyvtWwXKT

Download the official app:
➡️ https://t.co/BwKFiVR2lV
➡️ https://t.co/jkJetKFdns