Question Number: 30390

Law 8 - Start and Restart of Play 5/7/2016

RE: Other

shaji of Shuwaikh, Kuwait asks...

Hello sir,
Game abandoned 84th minutes.Because of viewers entered the ground and flood light also gone same moment. Play was stopped for foul kick.
Organizing committee decided replay next day remaining time.(6+injury time)
The Referee how to start the game? Toss or game starting from foul kick?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Shaji
As it is a continuation of the same game the restart is the free kick from the location of the foul with teams as they were. It is as if the game just restarted again on the day of the abandonment with all cautions, dismissals, substitutions continuing to apply.
The real challenge for the game is if a player is NOT now available to return due to injury, sickness, other commitments etc. The League competition rules needs to specify or give advice on whether another player can be used, if that is to be treated as a substitution or not (provided 3 have not already been used) or for that matter can a new player / substitute be added to the team sheet.
If the two teams can return with no changes then that creates no problem which is the ideal solution. It is just the free kick restart and play continues for the 6 minutes plus added time.
In the real world that might not be so easy and the referee needs to know what the League wants to do in case that is not possible. The referee on the day needs to be able to confirm to both teams how to deal with any player who is not available and that the solution has the support of the League.
In the absence of a ruling from the League the referee would have to decide that only players on the field of play at the 84th minute can resume the game and that if a player was not now available then a substitution from the original team list on the day would have to be used provided that the team had not used its quota of subs.