Referee
- Stops the game with a whistle
- Moves to the spot of the foul if necessary to prevent possible retaliation or misconduct
- Makes eye contact with the lead assistant referee if needed for assistance with determining if a defender inside the penalty area committed the infringement
- Indicates the direction of the free kick
- Ensures that the ball is properly placed
- Allows a quick free kick, without the necessity of a separate signal, except where the kicker indicates a need to have the ten yard minimum distance requirement enforced
- Prevents the restart from occurring if a card must be shown for misconduct
- In cases where the restart is interfered with, clearly indicates that a separate signal is now required for the restart and then deals with the interference
- If the kick is indirect, gives the appropriate hand signal for the restart and holds the hand signal until the ball has been touched or played by another player or goes out of play
- Moves to the recommended position based on the location of the free kick and the known and observed free kick strategies of the kicking team
- Monitors and, if necessary, intervenes to manage problems involving defenders attempting to prevent opponents from joining the "wall: or retaliating against opponents already present in the "wall"
Click on this picture for a video about foul mechanics
Lead Assistant Referee
- Responds to eye contact by the referee requesting assistance regarding the location of the foul either by standing with the flag held clearly downward at the site (to indicate that the infringement occurred outside the penalty area)
OR
- By holding the flag straight downward in front of the body (to indicate that the infringement was committed by the defense inside its penalty area)
- Per pregame conference, assists in enforcing the required minimum distance if closer to the restart location
- Takes position to assist with offside on the free kick and monitors other player actions in accordance with the pregame conference
Referee
- Acknowledges the assistant referee's signal by stopping play, calling advantage or waving down the signal to indicate that play should continue
- If play is stopped for the foul, indicates the direction of the free kick and ensures that the free kick is taken properly
- Confers with assistant referee, if necessary, to confirm the nature of the infringement and the possibility of a prior infringement or additional misconduct (keeps field in view while moving to touch line and while conferring)
Lead Assistant Referee
- Determines that the infringement was not or could not be seen by
the referee and that, per pregame conference, the referee
would likely have stopped play for the infringement if it had been
seen - Signals with the flag raised vertically in the hand appropriate for the restart direction and, after making eye contact with the referee, gives the flag a slight wave
- If the referee stops play, signals with the flag held 45 degrees upward in the direction of the restart if the foul was committed by any player outside of the penalty area or by an attacker inside the penalty area
- Indicates the location of the restart if necessary
- If the referee does not see the signal, continues to hold the flag straight upward in accordance with the pregame conference
- Per pregame conference, assists in enforcing the required minimum distance if closer to the restart location
- Takes position to assist with offside on the free kick and monitors other player actions in accordance with the pregame conference
Referee
- Stops the game with a whistle
- Confers with assistant referee, if necessary, to confirm the nature of the infringement and the possibility of a prior infringement or additional misconduct (keeps field in view while moving to touch line and while conferring)
- Deals with the incident as appropriate
- Indicates the location and direction of the free kick
- Signals for the restart and ensures that the free kick is taken properly
Trail Assistant Referee
- Determines that the infringement was not or could not be seen by the referee and that, per pregame conference, the referee would likely have stopped play for the infringement if it had been seen
- Signals with the flag raised vertically in the hand appropriate for the restart direction and, after making eye contact with the referee, gives the flag a slight wave
- If the referee stops play, signals with the flag held 45 degrees upward in the direction of the restart if the foul was committed by any player outside of the penalty area or by an attacker inside the penalty area
- If the referee does not see the signal, continues to hold the flag straight upward in accordance with the pregame conference
- Takes position to assist with offside on the free kick and monitors other player actions in accordance with the pregame conference
Lead Assistant Referee
- Mirrors the trail assistant referee's flag signal if this is not seen by the referee and, upon making eye contact with the referee, directs the referee's attention to the lead assistant referee