Law 12: Fouls and Misconduct

A careless challenge shows a lack of attention or precaution; it is a direct free kick with no card and no formal warning.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

Disregard for an opponent's safety makes a challenge reckless; the Law requires a caution in addition to the direct free kick.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

Using excessive force means more force than necessary is used, or the opponent's safety is endangered; the sanction is a send-off.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

A forceful two-footed lunge that endangers the opponent is excessive force: a sending-off, restarted here with a direct free kick.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

Getting a touch of the ball first does not excuse the contact; a mistimed challenge causing no danger is careless, with only the free kick.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

Kicking and attempting to kick are listed together, so a reckless swing that misses is a direct-free-kick offence and a caution.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

Speed and height that show disregard for the opponent make the first tackle reckless and cautionable; a gentle trip stays careless with no card.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

Excessive force is defined as a mandatory dismissal; winning the ball or the opponent escaping injury does not reduce it to a caution.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

Pushing is a direct-free-kick offence; its level turns on the force used, so a moderate push is careless or reckless rather than automatically excessive.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

The careless definition has three triggers: a lack of attention, a lack of consideration, or acting without precaution in the challenge.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

Charging, jumping at, kicking, pushing, striking, tackling and tripping an opponent are the seven contact actions that carry a direct free kick.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

Holding an opponent is a direct-free-kick offence in its own right; a card follows only if it also stops a promising attack or worse.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

Impeding an opponent while making contact, such as barging or backing into them, is a direct-free-kick offence, unlike impeding with no contact.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

A direct-free-kick offence by a defender inside their own penalty area, while the ball is in play, is punished with a penalty kick.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

The penalty kick applies only to a defender's offence in their own area; an attacker's push there is an ordinary direct free kick to the defence.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

Throwing an object at the ball, an opponent or a match official is a direct-free-kick offence, taken from where the object made contact.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

Making contact with the ball using a held object is grouped with throwing an object: a direct free kick from where contact occurred.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

Biting or spitting at someone is a direct-free-kick offence and, separately, a mandatory dismissal under Law 12's sending-off list.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

Charging is a direct-free-kick offence only when careless, reckless or forceful; a fair shoulder-to-shoulder challenge for a playable ball is legal.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

A direct free kick for a foul is taken from where the offence was committed, not from where the ball or the fouled player ended up.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

Deliberately playing the ball with the hand or arm, including moving it towards the ball, is always an offence whatever the arm's position.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

Law 12 gives moving the hand or arm towards the ball as an example of deliberate handball, so an outward arm movement makes the touch an offence.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

The test is justification, not height: the arm makes the body unnaturally bigger when its position is not a consequence of the player's movement.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

An arm extended sideways beyond what the slide needs makes the body unnaturally bigger, so a ball striking it is normally penalised despite the balance claim.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

Scoring in the opponents' goal directly off the hand or arm is ruled out even when accidental, and this applies to the goalkeeper as well.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

A goal scored immediately after the ball touches the scorer's own hand or arm is disallowed even if accidental; a later, separate phase is different.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

The accidental-handball goal ban applies only to the player who handled and then scores; a team-mate finishing the move keeps the goal valid.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

Thrusting a hand at the ball is deliberate handball; by a defender in their own penalty area it is a penalty kick, with a card only if it denied a goal.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

The goalkeeper's handling exemption ends at the penalty-area line; handling outside it is a direct-free-kick offence just as for an outfield player.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

A touch on the shoulder is not handball: for handball purposes the arm starts at the bottom of the armpit and runs to the fingertips.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

When the ball comes off the player's own head, body or foot straight onto their hand or arm close to the body, it is not normally penalised.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

A ball deflected onto the hand or arm from a nearby player or a very short distance, with the arm close to the body, is normally not an offence.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

A hand or arm placed between the body and the ground to support a fall is allowed; an arm stretched out to the side or upward is not.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

An arm kept close to the body has not made it unnaturally bigger, so a ball hitting it is not penalised regardless of speed or intent.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

Since 2021 an accidental handball only rules out a goal the same player scores immediately; it no longer matters that it set up a team-mate later.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

The deliberate-handball and unnaturally-bigger tests do not apply to a goalkeeper inside their own penalty area, so a high hand to make a save is fine.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

Deliberateness, not location or danger, defines this offence: a deliberate handball anywhere is a direct free kick, with a card only if it also stops an attack.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

By putting the hand or arm in a position not justified by the movement, the player accepts the risk of it being hit and being penalised, deliberate or not.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

The ball coming off the player's own foot directly onto their hand or arm is one of the listed situations that is normally not a handball offence.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

Proximity matters because a player struck by a ball from very close, with the arm near the body, could not reasonably have avoided the contact.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

Playing dangerously, with no contact made, is an indirect-free-kick offence; contact fouls such as tripping and pushing carry a direct free kick.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

A high boot near an opponent that makes them pull out of a challenge is dangerous play: an indirect free kick, since the danger came with no contact.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

Impeding an opponent with no contact when the ball is not within playing distance is an indirect-free-kick offence; shielding is legal only with the ball close.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

Preventing the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from their hands is specifically listed as an indirect-free-kick offence.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

An opponent who kicks or tries to kick the ball as the keeper lets go of it commits an indirect-free-kick offence.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

Handling a ball deliberately kicked to them by a team-mate is an indirect-free-kick offence for the goalkeeper, taken from where the handling occurred.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

The goalkeeper may handle a ball deliberately headed, chested or kneed back to them; the restriction applies only to a deliberate kick by a team-mate.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

Using a deliberate trick to pass to the goalkeeper with the head or body to beat the back-pass Law is cautioned, with an indirect free kick to the opponents.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

Once the goalkeeper releases the ball into play, they may not handle it again until another player has touched it; doing so is an indirect-free-kick offence.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

Since 2025 a goalkeeper controlling the ball with the hands for more than eight seconds concedes a corner kick, replacing the old six-second indirect free kick.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

Not retreating the required distance at a corner kick, free kick or throw-in is one of the specific offences Law 12 lists as a caution.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

Kicking or carrying the ball away, or otherwise holding up the opponents' restart, is cautioned as delaying the restart of play.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

Openly disputing a decision by word or by gesture is cautioned as dissent; it does not need to involve offensive language to be a yellow card.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

Coming onto or back onto the field of play without the referee's signal is a cautionable offence, celebrations included.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

A player may go off the pitch as part of a run, but stepping over the line on purpose with no permission is a caution.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

A pattern of fouling is cautioned as persistent offences even when no single foul is itself a yellow card; the Law sets no fixed number.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

When the attacking team wants the required distance, a defender who refuses to retreat the nine-plus metres is cautioned for failing to respect it.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

Entering the referee review area is a cautionable offence in its own right, separate from any dissent shown once the player is there.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

Making the review-screen gesture once is tolerated, but excessively or persistently demanding a review is its own cautionable offence.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

The referee's disciplinary authority applies whether the ball is in play or not, so a caution can be issued during any stoppage.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

Feigning a foul or an injury to deceive the referee is simulation, a form of unsporting behaviour and a caution.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

Unsporting behaviour is the broad caution category that gathers simulation, tactical fouls, deceptive tricks and disrespect toward the game.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

A foul that stops an opponents' promising attack is cautioned; it rises to a send-off only when it denies an obvious goalscoring opportunity.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

Holding to interfere with or stop a promising attack is cautioned; whether the attack was genuinely promising, given the covering defenders, is a judgement.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

Deliberate handball that stops a promising attack short of a goalscoring opportunity is a caution, not a dismissal.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

When a penalty is awarded for an offence that was a fair attempt to play the ball, the caution for stopping the attack is not added.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

Verbally distracting an opponent during play is unsporting behaviour: a caution, with an indirect free kick to the opponents.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

Removing the shirt, or covering the head with it, when celebrating a goal is a mandatory caution; the goal itself still stands.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

Provocative, derisory or inflammatory celebrations, and climbing the perimeter fence, are cautioned; a separate act of violence or abuse could raise it further.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

Changing places with the goalkeeper without the referee's permission and during play is unsporting behaviour; both players are cautioned when play next stops.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

Denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity by a free-kick offence, with the attacker moving toward goal and in control, is a sending-off.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

The four considerations are the distance between offence and goal, the general direction of play, the likelihood of controlling the ball, and the location and number of defenders.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

For a penalty-area offence that was an attempt to play the ball or a challenge for it, the DOGSO dismissal drops to a caution when a penalty is awarded.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

Holding, pushing or pulling with no possibility of playing the ball keeps the DOGSO send-off even when a penalty kick is also awarded.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

Deliberately handling to deny the opposing team a goal or an obvious chance is a send-off wherever it happens, the goalkeeper inside their own area aside.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

The handball DOGSO send-off explicitly excludes a goalkeeper inside their own penalty area; the back-pass offence there is only an indirect free kick.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

A second caution in the same match is followed by a red card and dismissal; the player is not replaced and the team plays short.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

Direction of play is one of the four considerations: a move angled away from goal is not an obvious goalscoring opportunity, whatever the distance.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

The likelihood of the attacker keeping or gaining control is weighed; a ball unlikely to be controlled fails one of the DOGSO tests, leaving a caution.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

The Law frames DOGSO by a free-kick offence around an opponent whose overall movement is towards the offender's goal.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

A tackle or challenge for the ball that endangers an opponent's safety or uses excessive force or brutality is serious foul play and a sending-off.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

Both involve a challenge for the ball; it rises to serious foul play once excessive force is used or the opponent's safety is endangered.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

A challenge for the ball that endangers the opponent, such as a high-speed studs-up lunge onto the leg, is serious foul play, not merely reckless.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

Violence away from a challenge for the ball, against an opponent, a team-mate, an official or anyone else, is violent conduct and a sending-off.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

An off-the-ball blow with no attempt to play the ball is violent conduct; it can be punished whether the ball is in play or out of play.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

Violent conduct applies to force used against a team-mate, a team official, a match official or a spectator, not only against an opponent.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

Biting or spitting at someone is a mandatory red card and, as a physical offence, is restarted with a direct free kick or a penalty.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

Offensive, insulting or abusive language or gestures are a sending-off offence, whoever the target is.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

Violent conduct includes an attempt to use force or brutality, so a punch that misses is a sending-off regardless of contact.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

A sent-off player is not replaced; the team plays with one fewer for the rest of the match, the goalkeeper included.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

Advantage lets play run when stopping it would benefit the offending team; it suits a foul where the fouled side keeps its attacking momentum.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

If the anticipated advantage does not develop within a few seconds, the referee brings play back and penalises the original offence.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

A caution or send-off that was warranted is still issued when the ball is next out of play, even though advantage was allowed for the offence.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

When advantage is applied to a foul that had merely stopped a promising attack, the caution for stopping the attack is not issued.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

Advantage is generally not applied to serious foul play, violent conduct or a second caution, the exception being a clear opportunity to score.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

Any physical offence against a match official is a sending-off; verbal offences against officials are treated on the same scale as against others.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

When the ball is in play and a player fouls an opponent or official off the field, play restarts with a free kick on the nearest point of the boundary line.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

If the off-field offence is a direct-free-kick offence by a defender and the nearest boundary point is within their own penalty area, a penalty kick is awarded.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied

An offence off the field against a team-mate, substitute or official of the player's own team restarts with an indirect free kick on the nearest boundary line.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · recall

Throwing an object at a person is a direct-free-kick offence; when the contact is off the field, the kick is taken on the boundary line nearest to where it occurred.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 12 · applied