Law 10 – Determining the Outcome of a Match

1. Goal scored

A goal is scored when the whole of the ball passes over the goal line, between the goalposts and under the crossbar, provided that no offence has been committed by the team scoring the goal.

If the goal is moved or overturned by a defending-team player (including the goalkeeper), whether accidentally or deliberately, and the referees confirm that the ball has passed over the goal line and would have entered the goal between the normal position of the goalposts (as stipulated in Law 1), the referees award a goal. If the goal was moved or overturned deliberately, the referees caution the offending player.

If an attacking-team player, including the goalkeeper, moves or overturns the goal, the referees disallow the goal. If it was deliberate, the player must be cautioned.

If the goalkeeper throws the ball directly into the opponents’ goal, a goal clearance is awarded, except where domestic rules outlaw the throwing of the ball directly over the halfway line in youth, veterans’, disability and/or grassroots futsal. In that case, an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team, to be taken from the place where the ball crossed the halfway line.

No goal

If one of the referees signals a goal before the ball has passed wholly over the goal line (between the goalposts, as stipulated in Law 1) and immediately realises that an error has been made, play is restarted with a dropped ball.

2. Winning team

The team scoring the greater number of goals during a match is the winner. If both teams score an equal number of goals, or if no goals are scored, the match is drawn.

When the competition rules require there to be a winning team after a drawn match or home-and-away tie, the only permitted procedures to determine the winning team are:

• the away-goals rule;
• two equal periods of extra time not exceeding five minutes each. The competition rules must stipulate the duration of the two equal periods of extra time;
• penalties (penalty shoot-out).

A combination of the above procedures may be used.

3. Penalties (penalty shoot-out)

Penalties (penalty shoot-out) are taken after the match has ended and, unless otherwise stated, the relevant Futsal Laws of the Game apply.

Penalties (penalty shoot-out) are not part of the match.

A player who has been sent off during the match is not permitted to take part; warnings and cautions issued to players, substitutes and team officials during the match and before the coin toss to decide which team will take the first kick are not carried forward into penalties (penalty shoot-out).

Procedure

Before penalties (penalty shoot-out) start

• Unless there are other considerations (e.g. facility conditions, safety, camera placement, etc.) or the competition rules specify otherwise, the referee tosses a coin to decide the goal at which the kicks will be taken.
• The referee tosses a coin and the team that wins the toss decides whether to take the first or second kick.
• The positions of the team benches do not change from those in the second period, or the second period of extra time when played.
• All players and substitutes are eligible to take kicks, except those players who, when the match or extra time finishes, have withdrawn from the match injured or have been sent off.
• Each team is responsible for selecting from the eligible players and substitutes, as well as the order in which they will take the kicks. The referees do not need to be informed of the order.
• If, at the end of the match or extra time when played, and before penalties (penalty shoot-out) start, one team has a greater number of players (including substitutes) than its opponents, it may choose to keep the number of players as it is at the end of the match or reduce its number to the same number as its opponents and the referees must be informed of the name and number of each player excluded, if any. Any excluded player is not eligible to take part in the penalties (penalty shoot-out), whether as a kicker or as a goalkeeper (except as outlined below).
• A goalkeeper who is unable to continue before or during the penalties (penalty shoot-out) may be replaced by a player or substitute excluded to equalise the number of players, but the replaced goalkeeper takes no further part and may not take a kick.
• If the goalkeeper has already taken a kick, the replacement may not take a kick until the next round of kicks.

During penalties (penalty shoot-out)

• Only eligible players and substitutes, the referees and the other match officials are permitted to remain on the pitch.
• All eligible players and substitutes, except the player taking the kick and the two goalkeepers, must remain within the centre circle or either on or close behind the halfway line.
• The goalkeeper of the kicker’s team must remain on the pitch, outside the penalty area, approximately in line with but at least 5m away from the penalty mark and on the opposite side of the pitch to the benches and the second referee.
• Any eligible player or substitute may change places with the goalkeeper.
• The kick is completed when the ball stops moving or goes out of play or when the referees stop play for any offence; the kicker may not play the ball a second time.
• The referees keep a record of the kicks.
• If the goalkeeper commits an offence and, as a result, the kick is retaken, the goalkeeper is warned for the first offence; if the same player commits any subsequent offence(s), they are cautioned.
• If the kicker is penalised for an offence committed after the referees have signalled for the kick to be taken, that kick is recorded as missed and the kicker is cautioned.
• If both the goalkeeper and the kicker commit an offence at the same time, the kick is recorded as missed and the kicker is cautioned.
• If, during penalties (penalty shoot-out), one team’s number of players is reduced, the team with more players may choose to keep the number of players as it is or reduce its number to the same number as its opponents, and the referees must be informed of the name and number of each player excluded, if any. Any excluded player is not eligible to take further part in the kicks, whether as a kicker or as a goalkeeper (except as outlined above).

Subject to the conditions explained below, both teams take five kicks:

• The kicks are taken alternately by the teams.
• Each kick is taken by a different kicker, and all eligible players and substitutes must take a kick before any player or substitute can take a second kick.
• The above principle continues for any subsequent sequence of kicks but a team may change the order of kickers.
• If, before both teams have taken five kicks, one has scored more goals than the other could score, even if it were to complete its five kicks, no more kicks are taken.
• If the scores are level after both teams have taken five kicks, kicks continue until one team has scored one goal more than the other from the same number of kicks.
• Penalties (penalty shoot-out) must not be delayed for a player who leaves the pitch. The player’s kick will be forfeited (not scored) if the player does not return in time to take a kick.

Substitutions and sendings-off during penalties (penalty shoot-out)

• A player, substitute or team official may be cautioned or sent off.
• A goalkeeper who is sent off must be replaced by an eligible player or substitute.
• A player or substitute other than the goalkeeper who is unable to continue may not be replaced.
• The referees must not abandon the match if a team is reduced to fewer than three players.

4. Away goals

Competition rules may provide that, where teams play each other home and away, if the aggregate score is equal after the second match, any goals scored on the pitch of the opposing team will count double.