Question Number: 30426

League Specific 5/19/2016

RE: Adult

Bradley Makoni of Harare, Harare Zimbabwe asks...

What do FIFA rules say concerning matches abandoned due to poor lighting 75 minutes into the game when one team is leading 1:0 ?
If replay is awarded what is starting scoreline? 1:0 or 0:0
Can replay be awarded for the remaining 15 min?

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Bradley,
This is the decision of the local competition authorities, not FIFA. They may decide that enough of the match has been completed and accept 1-0 as the final scoreline. They may replay the match in full (any cards would still stand), or they may simply play out the final 15 minutes (still with the 1-0 scoreline, like the match never stopped).

I expect the local competition rules will provide an answer but it will depend on how much of the match has been played, and that can vary from one competition to another.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Bradley
The Laws of the Game state that *An abandoned match is replayed unless the competition rules or organisers determine otherwise. *
Now most competition rules allow for decisions other than a replay. the local rules can be to replay the game, to finish out the 15 minutes left, it can be to accept the result or indeed it could rule that if the abandonment was caused by a team to award the game to the opponents.