Question Number: 35279

Law 3 - The Players 12/12/2023

RE: High School High School

Peter of Stockton, CA USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 31927

I understand that Rule 3 was changed to say that when a goal is scored with an extra player on the field then the goal can be allowed to stand if the extra player did not interfere with play. My question is, how do we know which is the extra player? At professional games there is a clear record of who should be on the field, but at High School and lower levels we have unlimited substitutions and there is no record kept.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Peter,
USA high school has a subjective set of rules that closely follow the FIFA/IFAB LOTG but are not an exact match as they have a diffrent view point on safety and youth concerns.
This non interference aspect is in a general sense, encroaching more than actually participation in ongoing play. Over eager fans, player, coaches, parents can occasional invade the pitch trying to see better. If there is some actual interference on the FOP more than just the AR not being able to see down the touchline, it is a DFK offence in favour of the other if created by any of the teams crew allowed within their technical area if we stop play but if they are not participating and if a goal is scored it can be overlooked of it did not affect play If play was stopped for their presence it is a DFK from their location and they would be cautioned or warned

Unlimited substitutions certainly can create a, (oops too many out on the FOP) by accident as much as anyone would on purpose. FIFA LOTG do state no team should benefit with a goal, for, if they infringe on the LOTG, prior.

If one team has too many players that you as the CR were UNAWARE of prior to the goal and ONLY if sure there were 12 players when the goal WAS scored but CAN NOT be certain who of the 12 players interfered you disallow the goal and award a free kick out. A slight discrepancy of which type between the two organizations. Goal kick if high school which is offside exempt! DFK if FIFA! You and your ARs /4th will have to make a best guess or ask them to pick a dude to caution as that is what should occur .

As you make a case for we might not know who should NOT have been there in cases of a lousy substitution , keep in mind as referee, it is our job to ensure substitutions go smoothly by following good standards of protocol. Not to say a player/sub could have sneaked on, but most often bad substitution procedures create such problems. It is why I very much dislike the mandatory aspect of the caution given it is likely partially our own fault

Subs should be at the midline BEFORE any stoppage! This indicates to the referee and the crew the teams' WANT to sub rather than screaming sub at every stoppage . I should note once they are there ready to sub, if waved on but they refuse to enter and become players technically they could be cautioned for delaying the restart of play! It is WHY substitutes should NOT go to the midline until ready to go on as a player.
The ONLY deviation from that is in case of injury where you could sub directly in off the bench technical area.
While substitutions can occur with the referees permission in non possession circumstances or if the opposition instigates on theirs. Subs should be ONLY waved in by the CR or designated AR/4th ONLY when the player they are to replace has COMPLELETELY exited the FOP. I get them to raise a hand as they step out to identify they can now be replaced.
Cheers
Merry Christmas

Answer provided by Referee Joe Manjone

Coach Peter,
High School Rule 3 does not have the change you are referring to. Please see Situation and Ruling Rule 3.1.1. Situation B on page 19 of the 2023-24 NFHS Rules Book: "The referee observes that Team A has 12 players in the game (a) before the game is restarted following a goal by A2 or (b) after the game has been restarted following a goal by A2. Ruling: In (a), the goal is disallowed and the game is started with a goal kick by Team B. However, in (b), the goal would stand ( Rule 5-1-2). COMMENT: In both instances, the appropriate player would be removed and cautioned. The game is resumed according to how it was interrupted."

You are correct. It is difficult in high school games to determine the player who should receive the caution. In most states, high school players do have to report to the scorer prior to be beckoned into the game, so the scorer can be of assistance in determining which player should be cautioned. However, in some states as is the case here in Alabama, the substitute stands official area near the mid-field line and is beckoned in by the referee. At the time of the substitutes entering the field, the referees and/or assistant referees should count the players to make certain each teams does not have more than 11 players on the field. If a team is found to have more than 11 players (often after a complaint by the opposing team coach or captain) after a goal, the officials may have to meet and determine the player who is to be cautioned.

I see there is winter high school soccer played in the Stockton area. I hope your team has a successful season.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Peter
IFAB / FIFA are at one on this except with the restart.

A goal cannot be scored with a team that has an extra player. So the goal is disallowed and the game restarts with a direct.free kick or a goal kick in NFHS. The extra player is cautioned when removed.

The change to FIFA Law 3 was a clarification on encroachment that the referee should take action against an extra person on the field of play when a goal is scored only if the person affected the play, e.g. the Law does not expect the referee to penalise encroachment onto the field of play if it does not impact the play.

In essence that means is that if say a substitute or technical staff had wandered on to the field yet took no active part in the play then, while they might be technically on the field, that is not interfering. That is the intention of the law amendment given that subs, technical staff can now commit on field offences including penalty awards. Having 12 players playing will always be interfering.
A substitution gone wrong with a team having 12 players will result in any goal scored by that team being disallowed.
Now unfortunately if the extra player situation is only identified after play has restarted the goal has to stand yet the matter is reported to the competition organisers who may decide to take action on the result such as a replay, forfeit or whatever.
The extra player is cautioned and removed from the field. How that extra player is identified may prove difficult in rolling substitution games and only good record keeping can help that process.
In rolling substitutions it is always a good idea to ensure either a cross over of the players as they enter / leave or clear observation that a player has left elsewhere and perhaps a quick count taken.

As to identification of the extra player the referee has to opine who is that player in the absence of good record keeping or info. In the absence of a clear record the player that is removed by the coach is the player that receives the card. As a player has been carded it deals with the situation adequately in my opinion.

I observed a game a few seasons ago where there was regular substitutions of two players yet one of the players decided to leave at the other touchline. Now I was unsure what happened and for whatever reason the substituted player did not fully leave on the opposite side from the technical area and stayed on. Not sure if he thought, as there was a second substitution at the time, that there was a change of plan with a team mate leaving or if he was being unsporting.
Anyway the trail AR spotted it and brought it to the attention of the referee after play restarted. The extra player was cautioned and a free kick was awarded from that location. Had a goal been scored by his team it would have been disallowed.