Question Number: 33743

Law 4 - The Players Equipment 10/29/2019

RE: Slect High School

Boss of Riyadh , Riyadh province Saudi Arabia asks...

If a player's shoe comes off, Is it a foul?

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi,
Although you have put the category as 'High School', given that you are in Riyadh, I doubt you are referring to a game played under the US-specific NFHS Rules.

According to the IFAB's Laws of the Game, play need not be stopped for this (although a referee could decide to intervene if playing on without the shoe starts to become a safety risk). The actual wording regarding a player whose equipment becomes non-compliant during play is as follows:

''For any offence, play need not be stopped and the player:

is instructed by the referee to leave the field of play to correct the equipment

leaves when play stops, unless the equipment has already been corrected''

If you were wanting the decision for an NFHS game, the ruling is essentially the same. With the understanding that a player missing a shoe is considered to be 'illegally equipped' the following wording applies:

''An illegally equipped player shall be instructed to leave the field of play when the ball next ceases to be in play. Play shall not be stopped for an infringement of this rule except where the referee may stop play immediately where there is a dangerous situation.''

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
No it is not an offence. A player can kick the ball away or score a goal having lost his shoe yet the player must replace it before continuing.
It would be an offence if the player say continued to say dribble / play for a time without a shoe as it would be considered playing in a dangerous manner (to himself). He is allowed make a play such as kicking the ball but then he must correct his equipment by replacing the shoe.