CHANGES IN THE LAWS OF THE GAME FOR 2016
LAW 1: FIELD OF PLAY: "CORNER ARC" NOW CALLED "CORNER AREA"
LAW 2: THE BALL: NO CHANGES
LAW 3: THE PLAYERS: A. Extra player on field interfering with play
-if referee stops play BC a non-player associated with the team interferes with play, restart is a direct free kick or penalty kick
B. Goal scored with extra player on the field
-against an opponent: no goal restart with GK, CK or DB
-own goal : valid goal
LAW 4: THE PLAYERS'
EQUIPMENT A. If shin guard is lost accidentally
- player can now continue playing
-must replace ASAP and definitely at next stoppage
B. Players who leave the field to correct equipment
- can be checked by AR
-may now reenter during play with referee permission
C. Goalkeeper caps (soft brim) are now explicitly allowed
LAW 5: THE REFEREE A. player injured due to a contact offense for which the opponent is cautioned or sent off no longer need to leave the field to be treated
B. Advantage signal may now be given with single arm
C. Referee may not change decision after signaling the end
of a half (or extra time)and leaving the field
D. Punishing more serious offense when multiple offenses occur simultaneously must now consider:
1. The sanction
2. The restart
3. The physical severity of the offense
4. The tactical result.
LAW 6: THE OTHER
MATCH OFFICIALS A. New title
B. Now describes responsibilities for ar, additional ars, reserve
ARs and fourth officials
LAW 7: DURATION OF NO CHANGE BY FIFA. CHANGE BY USSF FOR YOUTH GAMES.
MATCH
LAW 8: THE START AND
RESTART OF PLAY a. Kickoffs now may go in any direction
- ball must be kicked and clearly move for proper restart
b. No own goal from kickoff
c. Cannot score directly from a drop ball
d. Referee cannot decide who may contest for a dropped ball
e. An infringement of the LOTG committed while the ball is not in play cannot change the restart
LAW 9: BALL IN AND OUT OF PLAY NO CHANGES
LAW 10: DETERMINING THE
OUTCOME OF A MATCH NEW TITLE
A. Kicks from the mark guidance in law1o
B. Determine the goal for kicks from the mark
-coin toss
- unless other considerations
- safety, ground conditions
C. Reduce to equate now both before and during kicks from the mark
D. Kicks from mark continue if a team is reduced to less than seven players.
E. An injured goalkeeper can now be replaced by a player who was "reduced to equate"
F. Teams need not indicate the order in which players will take kicks
G. Kick has been completed when:
1. The ball stops moving
2. The ball goes out of play
3. The referee stops play for infringement
H. If an eligible player leaves the field and doesn't return in time to kick, the player's kick will be forfeited
LAW 11: OFFSIDE A. IFK now taken where the player became involved in active play, even if in his own half of the field
B. "Gaining advantage" now includes playing a rebound but also interfering with an opponent after a rebound
C. A defender who leaves the field for a tactical reason is considered to be on the goal line or touchline for offside purposes, but only until the defending team has played the ball toward the halfway line and out of their penalty area
D. If an attacking player, off the field and inside the goal commits an offside offense or a law 12 offence, the restart is now an IFK or DFK
E. The halfway line is explicitly excluded from determining whether a player is in the opponents half of the field
- if a foot, head, or body part is on or over the line but not across, it is not in the opponents half of the field
LAW 12: FOULS AND MISCONDUCTS A. Foul is now an unfair act
1. By a player
2. Against an opponent
3. When the ball is live
B. DOGSO in penalty area is to be a caution unless:
1. Offense was for holding, pulling or pushing
2. There was no attempt or ability to play the ball
3. The offense was a send off offense in and of itself
C. Now only 6 cautionable offenses due to consolidation of enter, reentering or deliberately leaving the field of play without permission of the referee
D. Now 11 DFK fouls
1. Impede an opponent with contact
E. Tackle or challenge an opponent rather than just tackle.
F. IFK for impede an opponent without contact
G. Violent conduct includes the attempt to use excessive force or brutality
H. Offense committed by a player on the field against:
1. Opponent: IFK, DFK or DB as appropriate
2. A teammate, a substitute, team official or match official:
DFK or PK
3. Any other person: DB
I. Offense committed by a player off the field:
1. Player already off the field: db where the ball was
2. Player left the field in order to commit the offense: IFK where ball was
3. Player left the field in the normal course of play, and offense committed against another player: IFK or DFK on the boundary line or PK if that spot is within the offender's penalty area and a DFK was committed
J. Offense committed by a substitute, substituted player, sent-off player or team official on field: DFK or PK (see law 3)
LAW 13: FREE KICKS A. Ball is in play when it is 'kicked and clearly moves"
1. No longer allow tap as first play on IFK.
LAW 14: PENALTY KICK a. If infringement from both teams
1. Retake PK unless one player commits a more serious offense
2. Feinting after completing run-up
-others left to ITOOTR
b. "Mandatory" caution:
1. Goalkeeper infringes law 14
2. "wrong kicker" takes kick
c. Proper PK
1. Ball is stationary
2. Ball in play when ball is kicked and clearly moved forward.
3. Ball bust move forward, but back-heeling it forward is permitted
d. PK is over when the ball stops moving or goes out of play, or the referee stops play for an infringement
LAW 15: THROW-IN A. Opponent moves closer than 2 yards : caution for USB.
-if throw-in already taken, award an IFK
LAW 16: GOAL KICK A. An opponent who was in the penalty area when the GK was taken now may not be the first to play the ball, and may not challenge for it (may not attempt to be the first to play it)
B. Ball must be stationary
C. The restart for an "own goal" from a goal kick is a corner kick
LAW 17: CORNER KICK A. Ball must be stationary
B. In play when kicked and clearly moves
C. Kicking ball directly into own goal results In CK for opponent