FIFA, through its Congress, the FIFA Council or the Secretary General, passes various types of legal documents that have an impact on the day-to-day activities of football all over the world.
Soccer’s rule changes tend to change yearly in the summertime and tend to fly under the radar unless there is a major rule change to a rule such as handball or offside. The International Football Association Board (IFAB), FIFA’s rules committee, normally changes words that have been tweaked, unclear definitions, and removing rules that no one knew were still implemented into the modern way soccer is played today. Here are some of the laws that have changed heading into the 2023-2024 season.
“Law 3”
A goal scored with an extra player/person on the field is no longer automatically disallowed.
You may not have noticed, but during the somewhat exciting 2022 World Cup final when Argentina took a 3-2 lead during extra-time, one of their exuberant substitutes had strayed on to the field at the halfway line. According to the old law, that goal should have been disallowed, but fortunately the game’s officials turned a blind eye to the infringement. That’s prompted IFAB to change the law so that only an attacking player (sanction: direct free-kick) or an extra person (drop ball) affecting the build-up to a goal leads to it being disallowed.
“Law 6.”
The assistant reserve referee may now express an opinion.
Previously, in professional games where a reserve assistant referee was appointed, they were not allowed to assist the other designated ‘on-field’ match officials (the center ref, the two ARs, the fourth official, and the VARs). They now have the ability to do so.
“Law 7.”
Added time should take goal celebrations into account.
The words “goal celebrations” have now been expressly added to the list of reasons for added time.
“Law 10.”
Re-phrasing ‘kicks from the penalty mark’
For penalty shootouts, the term ‘kicks from the penalty mark’ has been replaced by ‘penalties (penalty shootout)’.
“Law 11.”
What constitutes ‘deliberate play’ by a defender in offside situations
Deliberate play means “a player has control of the ball with the possibility of passing the ball to a teammate, gaining possession of the ball, or clearing the ball.”
The following criteria should be used, as appropriate, as indicators that a player was in control of the ball and, as a result, can be considered to have ‘deliberately played’ the ball:
– The ball traveled from distance and the player had a clear view of it
– The ball was not moving quickly
– The direction of the ball was not unexpected
– The player had time to coordinate their body movement, i.e. it was not a case of instinctive stretching or jumping, or a movement that achieved limited contact/control
– A ball moving on the ground is easier to play than a ball in the air
“Law 12.”
Clarifying a ‘challenge for the ball’ in denying opponent of goal scoring opportunities situations
When a player attempts to play the ball in their own penalty area and fouls an opponent with a clear goalscoring opportunity, it’s a spot-kick and a yellow card (it would be red if the foul was committed outside of the penalty area). IFAB has added words to make this “an attempt to play the ball or challenge for the ball.”
“Law 12.”
Leniency for coaches who cannot control their players
If a substitute warming up behind the goal, for example, insults an opponent and the referee can’t determine who uttered the insult, then the coach — on the other side of the field – no longer takes the caution.
“Law 14.”
Goalkeepers must behave better at penalty kicks
Additional text to Law 14 states that before a penalty kick, the goalkeeper “must remain on the goal line, facing the kicker, between the goalposts, without touching the goalposts, crossbar or goal net, until the ball has been is kicked. The goalkeeper must not behave in a way that unfairly distracts the kicker, e.g. delay the taking of the kick or touch the goalposts, crossbar or goal net.”
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