Law 4 – The Players’ Equipment

1. Safety

A player must not use or wear any equipment or other item that is dangerous.

All items of jewellery (necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings, leather bands, rubber bands, etc.) are forbidden and must be removed. Using tape to cover jewellery is not permitted.

The players and substitutes must be inspected before the start of the match. If a player is wearing or using unauthorised/dangerous equipment or jewellery on the pitch, the referees must order the player to:

• remove the item;
• leave the pitch at the next stoppage if the player is unable or unwilling to comply.

A player who refuses to comply or wears the item again must be cautioned.

2. Compulsory equipment

The compulsory equipment of a player comprises the following separate items:

• A shirt with sleeves
• Shorts
• Socks – tape or any material applied or worn externally must be the same colour as the part of the sock that it is applied to or covers
• Shinguards – these must be made of a suitable material and be of an appropriate size to provide reasonable protection and be covered by the socks. Players are responsible for the size and suitability of their shinguards
• Footwear

The team captain must wear the armband issued or authorised by the relevant competition organiser, or a single-coloured armband that may also have the word “captain” or the letter “C” or a translation thereof, which should also be a single colour (see also “Modifications to the Futsal Laws”).

A player whose footwear or shinguard is lost accidentally must replace it as soon as possible and no later than when the ball next goes out of play; if, before doing so, the player scores a goal or is involved in the scoring of a goal by playing the ball in the build-up, the goal is awarded.

3. Colours

• The two teams must wear colours that distinguish them from each other as well as from the match officials.
• Each goalkeeper must wear colours that are distinguishable from those of the other players and the match officials.
• If the two goalkeepers’ shirts are the same colour and neither has another shirt to change into, the referees allow the match to be played.

Undershirts must be a single colour which is the same as the main colour of the shirt sleeve or comprise a pattern/colours which exactly replicate(s) the shirt sleeve.

Undershorts/tights must be the same colour as the main colour of the shorts or the lowest part of the shorts – players of the same team must wear the same colour.

Competition rules may obligate the occupants of the technical area, other than the substitutes, to wear clothing that is a different colour to the clothing worn by the players and match officials.

4. Other equipment

Non-dangerous protective equipment – for example, gloves, headgear, facemasks and knee and arm protectors made of soft, lightweight padded material – is permitted, as are sports spectacles. Goalkeepers may wear trousers.

Bibs

A bib must be worn over the shirt to identify the substitutes. The bib should be a different colour to both teams’ shirts and the opposing team’s bibs.

Head covers

Where head covers are worn, they must:

• be black or the same main colour as the shirt (provided that the players of the same team wear the same colour);
• be in keeping with the professional appearance of the player’s equipment;
• not be attached to the shirt;
• not be dangerous to the player wearing it or any other player (e.g. due to an opening/closing mechanism around the neck);
• not have any parts extending out from the surface (protruding elements).

Knee and arm protectors

Where knee and arm protectors are worn, they must be the same colour as the main colour of the shirt sleeve (arm protectors) or the shorts/trousers (knee protectors), and cannot protrude excessively.

When it is not possible to match these colours, black or white protectors may be used with shirt sleeves/shorts (or trousers, where applicable) of any colour. When protectors that do not match the shirt sleeves/shorts (or trousers) are used, all such protectors must be the same colour (black or white).

Electronic communication

Players (including substitutes and sent-off players) are not permitted to wear or use any form of electronic or communication equipment (except where electronic performance and tracking systems are allowed).

The use of electronic or communication equipment by team officials is permitted where it directly relates to player welfare or safety or for tactical/coaching reasons but only small, mobile, handheld equipment (e.g. microphones, headphones/earpieces, mobile/smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, laptops) may be used.

A team official who uses unauthorised equipment or who behaves in an inappropriate manner as a result of the use of electronic or communication equipment will be dismissed from the technical area.

Electronic performance and tracking systems (EPTS)

Where wearable technology (WT) as part of EPTS is used in matches played in an official competition organised under the auspices of FIFA, confederations or national football associations, the competition organiser must ensure that the technology attached to the players’ equipment is not dangerous and meets the requirements for wearable EPTS under the FIFA Quality Programme for EPTS.

Where EPTS are provided by the match or competition organiser during matches played in an official competition, it is the responsibility of that match or competition organiser to ensure that the information and data transmitted from the EPTS to the technical area are reliable and accurate.

The FIFA Quality Programme for EPTS supports competition organisers with the approval process for reliable and accurate EPTS.

5. Slogans, statements, images and advertising

Equipment must not bear any political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images. Players must not reveal undergarments that show political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images, or advertising other than the manufacturer’s logo. For any offence, the player and/or the team will be sanctioned by the competition organiser, national football association or FIFA.

Principles

Law 4 applies to all equipment (including clothing) worn by players and substitutes; its principles also apply to all team officials in the technical area.

• The following are (usually) permitted:
  • The player’s number, name, team crest/logo, initiative slogans/emblems promoting the game of futsal, respect and integrity as well as any advertising permitted by competition rules or national FA, confederation or FIFA regulations
  • The facts of a match: teams, date, competition/event, venue
• Permitted slogans, statements or images should be confined to the shirt front and/or armband.
• In some cases, the slogan, statement or image might only appear on the captain’s armband.

Interpreting the Law

When interpreting whether a slogan, statement or image is permissible, note should be taken of Law 12 (Fouls and Misconduct), which requires the referees to take action against a player who is guilty of:

• using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or action(s);
• acting in a provocative, derisory or inflammatory way.

Any slogan, statement or image which falls into any of these categories is not permitted.

Whilst “religious” and “personal” are relatively easily defined, “political” is less clear but slogans, statements or images related to the following are not permitted:

• Any person, living or dead (unless part of the official competition name)
• Any local, regional, national or international political party/organisation/group, etc.
• Any local, regional or national government or any of its departments, offices or functions
• Any organisation which is discriminatory
• Any organisation whose aims/actions are likely to offend a notable number of people
• Any specific political act/event

When commemorating a significant national or international event, the sensibilities of the opposing team (including its supporters) and the general public should be carefully considered.

Competition rules may contain further restrictions/limitations, particularly in relation to the size, number and position of permitted slogans, statements and images. It is recommended that disputes relating to slogans, statements or images be resolved prior to a match/competition taking place.

6. Offences and sanctions

For any offence not involving dangerous equipment, play need not be stopped and the player:

• is instructed by the referees to leave the pitch to correct the equipment;
• leaves when play stops, unless the equipment has already been corrected.

A player who leaves the pitch to correct or change equipment must:

• have the equipment checked by a match official before being allowed to re-enter;
• only re-enter with permission from one of the referees.

In such a case, a player who re-enters the pitch without permission must be cautioned and, if play is stopped to issue the caution, an indirect free kick is awarded. However, if there was interference, a direct free kick is awarded from the position of the interference (or a penalty kick if the interference was in the penalty area), and a foul is accumulated, except when a penalty kick is awarded.

7. Numbering of the players

The competition rules must stipulate the policy regarding the numbering of the players, which is normally from 1 to 15, with number 1 reserved for a goalkeeper.

The organiser must bear in mind that it is very difficult and inappropriate for referees to make the signal of numbers greater than 15.

The number of each player must be visible on their back and be distinguishable from the main colour of the shirt. The competition rules must determine the size of the numbers and whether they are mandatory as well as their presence/size on other items of the players’ basic equipment.