Practical Guidelines – Signalling

Referee and Other Match Official Signals

The referees must give the signals detailed below, bearing in mind that most of the signals need only be made by one of the referees, but one signal must be made by both referees at the same time.

The assistant referees must give the signals for a timeout and the fifth accumulated foul.

1. Signals by at least one of the referees

Kick-off/restart of play

Direct free kick/penalty kick (Option 1) (Option 2)

Kick-in (Option 1) (Option 2)

Corner kick (Option 1) (Option 2)

Goal clearance (Option 1) (Option 2)

Four-second count

(Step I) (Step II)

(Step III) (Step IV)

(Step V)

At least one of the referees must clearly show the four-second count:

• at the following restarts:
  • corner kicks;
  • kick-ins;
  • goal clearances;
  • direct or indirect free kicks (including DFKSAFs);
• when the goalkeeper controls the ball in their own half of the pitch.

Referees do not count four seconds for the following restarts:

• Kick-offs

• Penalty kicks

Fifth accumulated foul

Timeout

Advantage after Advantage after

direct-free-kick offence indirect-free-kick offence

Caution (yellow card) Sending-off (red card)

Accumulated foul: signal to be made to the timekeeper and third referee after the advantage has been applied and the ball has gone out of play

(Step I) (Step II)

(Step III: two options)

Number of player – 1 Number of player – 2

Number of player – 3 Number of player – 4

Number of player – 5 Number of player – 6

Number of player – 7 Number of player – 8

Number of player – 9 Number of player – 10

Number of player – 11 Number of player – 12

Number of player – 13 Number of player – 14

Number of player – 15

Number of player – 30 (Step I) (Step II)

Number of player – 52 (Step I) (Step II)

Number of player – 60 (Step I) (Step II)

Number of player – 84 (Step I) (Step II)

Number of player – 90 (Step I) (Step II)

Number of player – 96 (Step I) (Step II)

Number of player who scored own goal

(Step I) (Step II)

2. Signal by both referees on restarting play

Indirect free kick

(The same signal only needs to be made by one of the referees when the free kick is awarded)

3. Signals by the assistant referees

Timeout Fifth accumulated foul

Third or fourth referee signals after a goal is scored when they are monitoring the goal line of the attacking team

(Step I) (Step II)