Question Number: 21693

Law 15 - Throw In 7/25/2009

RE: Rec Adult

PAUL HALPENNY of Perth, WA Australia asks...

When it is a throw in which direction does the linesman wave his flag?

Answer provided by Referee Gene Nagy

The flag is raised towards the direction the team is attacking who won the throw-in.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

The assistant referee shouldn't 'wave' his flag at all. That would signal he thought a foul had been committed . Guide to Procedures a document published by the United States Soccer Federation tells us:

Signals with flag
45 degrees
upward in the
direction of the throw-in

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

In the case of signalling direction for a throw in, or signalling a foul, both the assistant referee and the referee are to signal in the direction that the team to be granted possession is attacking.

Essentially, the officials are pointing in the direction the ball will be going after the restart, assuming it's played forwards.

For example, if the assistant is on the bottom left side of the field, and he believes the throw in should be awarded in favour of the defence, he will raise the flag in his left arm and point it up-field, in the direction the defence is attacking.