r/Referees

I played (poorly) back in high school, some 40 years past. Still love the game and my local MLS squad. The game played today feels different from what I learned to play but that’s just rules changes. For example, for a while I was a keeper and we had 3 steps/dribbles to get rid of the ball. I was also taught goal kicks had to be taken from the side of the box the ball exited the pitch.

All that being said, even as a 50+ has been (never was?) I love the game.

I’ve debated going through the training and getting at least local grass roots qualified if not NHS. I know why I should, but I guess I’m most curious about why I shouldn’t.

Just finished a gala, and it went alright for the most part until we got to the second round of games. It was quite a lot for a new ref.

First game red Vs blue. Both fairly decent teams, both make some good tackles but none are careless enough to warrant a foul, just more physical than you'd expect. Parents on both teams convinced every contact is a foul and making their opinion known. A red player goes down after a tackle makes contact with their ankle on the follow through from kicking the ball, but still not careless, I let play carry on as it isn't a head injury and the blue team scores, the parents are not happy but the game carries on.

Red arent happy and a player commits a foul through shirt pulling and grabbing, and immediately calls the opposing player a 'fucking knobhead' for which I immediately have him subbed out, and of course his mum decides to chip on about how I'm being unfair.

The game produces a few more injuries but most are the result of normal football contact so I don't call them, means I get plenty of stick from parents including lots of flowery language.

Both teams I ref again later in the tournament against different teams and it's a similar story, with those teams going down easily and parents arguing every decision.

To top it off one of the parents comes to me at the end and says 'you really need to hang up your whistle ref, I don't usually say anything but it was absolutely shocking this time, you've ruined it for the kids'. I ignored him

On reflection, I probably should have called more fouls to keep the temperature down but I do think the coaches and parents definitely inflamed the situation.

These kids were 7...

Hey, I was just wondering if anyone here referees in Ontario? If any of you guys do, just would have a couple of questions, thinking about switching districts and need peoples opinion on it.
Thanks

do you deal with revenge fouls as if it were a regular foul or more serious?

How much leeway do you give in celebrations of goals? Especially with leaving the field or other teammates and team officials coming on to celebrate?

I card every time for shirt removal and just toss time on for celebrations. But what's your approach?

Welcome! In this megathread, Rule 1 is relaxed. Anyone (referee or not) may ask questions about real-world incidents from recent matches in soccer at all levels, anywhere in the world.

Good questions give context for the match if it's not obvious (e.g. player age, level of competitiveness, country/region), describe the incident (picture/video helps a lot), and include a clear question or prompt such as:

• Why did the referee call ...?
• Would the call have been different if ...?
• Could the player have done ... instead?
• Is the referee allowed to do ...?
• Would you have called this the same way?

This is not a platform to disparage any referees, however much you think they made the wrong call. (There are plenty of other subreddits to do that.) The mission of this megathread is to help referees, fans, coaches, and players better understand the Laws of the Game (or the relevant local rules of competition).

Since the format is asking questions of the refereeing community, please do not answer unless you are a referee. Follow-up and clarifying questions from anyone are generally fine, but answers should come only from actual referees.

Rule 1 still applies elsewhere -- we are primarily a community of and for soccer (association football) referees. If you're not a soccer/footy referee, then you are a guest and should act accordingly.

Please give feedback and other meta-level comments about this thread as a standalone reply.

You can view past weeks' megathreads here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Referees/search/?q=Ask+%2Fr%2Freferees+--+Megathread+for+Fans+%2F+Players+%2F+Coaches&sort=new&restrict_sr=on&t=all

I’m loving this guy! Did we time warp him in from 1954? Ignoring the kid climbing into the stands to kiss his girl? Marvelous.

Not stopping for the head to hand handball claim? Excellent. This has been the best refereeing in the cup finals.

[supprimé]

I hate to post about the World Cup because there’s been so many, but has anyone else noticed how casual many of the referees have been about signaling a foul and pointing in the direction of a free kick? Half the time they don’t signal at all.

Since the Croatia Portugal match I'm seeing a lot of claims flying around that "FIFA" (IFAB?) had previously released some clarification about the offside law regarding the role of hair in determining whether an offside offense has occurred.

Does anyone know where this statement can be found? When was it issued and by whom exactly? I didn't see anything when I looked in the IFAB laws.

I do not think that was worthy of a red card. Maybe a yellow card

I have been working grass roots soccer for the past few years and I had a genuine question watching last nights World Cup game, I was always taught that if a coach withholds the ball form the other team during the rest of play that it was a red card worthy offense, but it seemed to only receive a yellow card, I could totally understand form a game management point of view not wanting to give a coach a red card like that in a game like this, but after a red card just given to the US player it would seem a little hypocritical, at least why was their no VAR review of the coaches conduct? Genuinely wondering if I have this rule wrong or if I just missed something

Referees are opinionated people by nature, and this job requires a strong personality. And many decisions aren’t black and white. Particularly with the World Cup, and particularly with the vast majority of users being from teams that have progressed, it’s understandable emotions will run high.

But geez, man, I think we’re going a little far sometimes, last night’s thread about the Balogun red a case in point. Spirited debate is one thing, but condescension, absolutism, and accusations of bad faith are another. A huge part of officiating is professionalism and respect. Another huge part is education. If you think somebody is saying something that’s incorrect, it might be appropriate to reply with your own opinion, for their education and for that of everybody else—but can we not do so professionally and respectfully? That’s what this place used to be like, and it was a really delightful change from most subreddits.

And, let’s not forget that everybody doing this is constantly learning, no matter what level you’re at; recognize that other people, and you, can make mistakes.

Anyways, I’m no mod, so I can’t do jack. I stand down from my soapbox, and look forward to seeing continued discussion of what has been a lively World Cup so far.

The offside rule needs to be revisited.

When a player is ruled offside because a tiny part of their body—sometimes no more than the tip of a toe—is beyond the defender, an exciting attacking play can be wiped out over a virtually meaningless margin. A better approach would be to consider a player onside as long as any part of the attacking player remains level with any part of the defender. This would still keep the attacker within less than a body length of the defense while eliminating many of the frustrating "millimeter offside" decisions.

Another aspect of the rule that needs attention is the treatment of an "unintentional touch" by a defender. We saw an example of this in the Portugal–Croatia match tonight. The idea that a defender's touch can be considered significant in some situations but ignored in others makes little sense.

Consider this: if a Croatian defender's touch had caused the ball to cross the end line, the touch would absolutely matter in determining whether the restart was a corner kick or a goal kick. The touch would be considered consequential. Yet when that same touch results in the attacking team receiving the ball and scoring, the rules may treat it as if the touch was not meaningful because it was unintentional.

That inconsistency is difficult to justify. If a defender's touch is significant enough to determine possession when the ball goes out of play, it should also be significant when it affects the outcome of an attacking move.

The organizations responsible for the Laws of the Game should take a fresh look at these situations. Rules should be consistent, logical, and easy for players and fans to understand. Arbitrary distinctions and technicalities that negate quality attacking play do not improve the game.

After Bosnia #4 was injured, he was treated on the field of play. After VAR, the US #20 is sent off. In the match footage, play restarts at 64:30 and Bosnia #4 is seen standing off the field with 4th official. At 64:41 the CR waves him in.

According to the 26/27 LOTG:

#5 Referee > 5.3 Powers and duties > Injuries

"An injured player may not be treated on the field of play and, where an injury results in play being stopped or the restart of play being delayed, the injured player must leave the field of play and may only re-enter one minute after play has restarted;

...

The only exceptions to the requirement to leave the field of play for and/or after treatment are when:

...

- a player is injured as the result of a physical offence for which the opponent is cautioned or sent off (e.g. reckless or serious foul challenge)"

So my questions are: Was he not supposed to leave the field due to the exception? And if the officials did not apply the exception, why was he let back in lees than a minute later?

I noticed that in the game between the United States and Bosnia-Herzegovina, there was a moment where the coach for BH held onto the ball and did not release it to the US players. The referee came over and cautioned the manager. Even the announcers were saying this was a "yellow card". However, according to the LOTG, a team official who delays the restart of play by the opposing team by holding onto the ball should receive a sending-off. It is a caution if the team official delays the restart of play by their own team.

Am I reading that correctly, and do you think the officials in the game tonight got that call correct?

Whether or not Croatia no 20 touched the ball is apparently not in discussion due to the ultra precise sensor in the ball, ok. But surely, to me at least, the Portugal no 20 is trying to head the ball away and just mishits it. Does not look like a deflection to me