Law Changes 2023/24

 Law Updates for 2023/24

There are some minor changes to the laws for this upcoming year.

You can read the full IFAB Summary of Law Changes but here is a break down of what we need to know as AYSO referees:

• Law 3 - New procedures regarding extra person on the field of play when a goal is scored. Basically, the extra person, if a member of the team who scored or an outside agent, must have interfered with play for the goal to be disallowed. 

If it was a player, substitute, substituted player, sent-off player or team official of the team that scored, then a DFK is awarded.  If it was an outside agent, then play restarts with a dropped ball. 

 

The goal continues to be awarded if the extra person on the field was from the team who conceded the goal or an outside agent that did not interfere with play.

• Law 10 - The term "kicks from the penalty mark" is no more. You now get to correct the coaches, parents and players that the proper term now is "penalties" (penalty shoot-out).  

Also, just a reminder - warnings and cautions for team officials and players do not carry over into penalties (penalty shoot-outs).

• Law 11 - Offside clarification in the difference between deliberate play and deflection.

‘Deliberate play’ (excluding deliberate handball) is when a player has control of the ball with the possibility of: 

• passing the ball to a team-mate; 
• gaining possession of the ball; or 
• clearing the ball (e.g. by kicking or heading it)

If the pass, attempt to gain possession or clearance by the player in control of the ball is inaccurate or unsuccessful, this does not negate the fact that the player ‘deliberately played’ 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 travelled 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 - There is a small change to when a player can be cautioned for Unsporting Behavior (USB) to include a challenge for the ball in addition to the attempt to play the ball when stopping a promising an attack or deliberately denying a goal scoring opportunity.

Also for law 12, where an offence is committed by someone from the technical area (substitute, substituted player, sent-off player or team official) and the offender cannot be identified, the senior team coach present in the technical area will receive the sanction.

• Law 14 - During penalty kicks, the goalkeeper cannot behave in a manner that fails to show respect for the game and the opponent, i.e. by unfairly distracting the kicker.

The defending goalkeeper must remain on the goal line, facing the kicker until the ball 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.

The IFAB summary includes a few more law changes than mentioned above but these are the ones that affect us at the grassroots level the most.  Have fun this next season!