The IFAB

The International Football Association Board (IFAB) is the independent global body that creates, decides, and changes the official Laws of the Game for association football

  • Founded: 1886 by the four British football associations (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland).
  • FIFA joins: FIFA joined in 1913, and the group now represents global football.
  • Voting power: FIFA has 4 votes, and the four British associations have 1 vote each (8 votes total). Changing a rule needs a three-quarters majority vote (at least 6 votes), meaning FIFA and the UK associations must work together.

Cooling-Off Periods

Referee signal

    • Blow the whistle.
    • Raise both arms above the head and cross wrists.
    • Uncross arms and push them sideways at shoulder level to send players to their designated area.


Player movement

    • All players must move to and remain in their own penalty area (or another safe area chosen by the referee).
    • Failure to comply may result in a yellow card.


Meeting during suspension

    • Captains, coaches, and any approved officials meet the referee and assistants in the centre circle to:
      • Hear the reason for suspension.
      • Learn expected duration.
      • Receive instructions for resumption.


Team officials & substitutes

    • Must remain off the field in the technical area, except one person to:
      • Provide drinks to players.
      • Assess or treat injured players.


Duration & resumption

    • Referee decides the cooling-off length (weather and incident severity considered).
    • Captains recalled to centre circle when play is ready to restart.
    • A short warm-up period may be allowed before resumption.


Limits

    • Maximum two cooling-off periods per match.
    • If conditions remain unsafe after two periods, match is abandoned.
    • Referee may abandon a match without any cooling-off period if necessary.


Suspension for outside interference

First part of the signal (arms crossed above head) may be used for non-participant interference.

Players may be sent to changing rooms or tunnel area instead of penalty areas for safety.

2026 / 27 Changes to Laws of the Game

Key Points For Referees

Law 3 - The Players

  • A match may not start or continue if either team has fewer than seven players, except where this is temporary because of a temporary dismissal or where the ‘Time-limited substitution protocol’ or ‘Off-field treatment and assessment protocol’ applies; where a team is responsible, it will, in principle, forfeit the match
  • A "10-second" time limit for players leaving the field of play when substituted. If the time limit is exceeded, the substitute cannot enter until the first stoppage after one minute has elapsed.

    If the player takes longer than 10 seconds, the incoming substitute cannot enter the pitch until the first stoppage after one minute of playing time has elapsed, forcing the team to play temporarily with 10 players.

    This does not apply to U18 matches.

Law 12 – Fouls and Misconduct

  • No caution (YC) for a DOGSO offence if the advantage is played and a goal is scored

Law 14 – The Penalty Kick

  • Accidental double touches at a penalty kick
  • Removal of the automatic caution (YC) for the kicker if they and the goalkeeper offend at the same time

Law 15 – The Throw-in

  • Use of a five-second visual countdown when a player/team is delaying the taking of a throw-in. If the time limit is exceeded, the throw-in is awarded to the opposing team

Law 16 – The Goal Kick

  • Use of a five-second visual countdown when a player/team is delaying the taking of a goal kick. If the time limit is exceeded, a corner kick is awarded to the opposing team