IFAB Laws of the Game 2025/26
17 Laws of the Game
Law 4 – The Players’ Equipment
Law 6 – The Other Match Officials
Law 7 – The Duration of the Match
Law 8 – The Start and Restart of Play
Law 9 – The Ball In and Out of Play
Law 10 – Determining the Outcome of a Match
2025/26 Law Changes Summary
Key Changes
Law 3 – Captain-only communication
Competitions may allow only the team captain to speak to the referee.
Law 12 – Goalkeeper 8-second rule
Goalkeepers may hold the ball for up to 8 seconds. A visible countdown begins at 5 seconds. If exceeded, the restart is a corner kick.
Law 8 – Dropped ball clarification
Dropped only to the team that had (or would have had) clear possession.
Law 9 – Ball touched by off-field person
Restart with an indirect free kick from the point of contact. No caution unless the interference is unsporting.
Law 14 – Penalty double touches
If a player accidentally touches the ball twice and scores, the penalty is retaken. In a shootout, it counts as a miss.
Law 11 – Offside from goalkeeper throws
Offside is now judged from the final point of contact when the goalkeeper throws the ball.
VAR protocol – Public announcements
Referees may now announce VAR decisions over the stadium PA system.
Bonus offside video for skill practice: YouTube – Offside scenarios