FIFA Considerations – Match Situation Analysis

Fouls: Careless, Reckless, using Excessive Force/Violent Conduct

1. Does the player show a lack of attention or consideration when making the challenge?
2. Does the player act without precaution when making the challenge?
3. Does the player make fair or unfair contact with the opponent after touching the ball?
4. Does the player act with disregard for the danger to the opponent?
5. Does the player act with disregard for the consequences to the opponent?
6. Does the player have a chance to play the ball in a fair manner?
7. Does the challenge put an opponent in a dangerous situation?
8. Does the player touch the ball before making contact with the opponent?
9. Does the player exceed the necessary use of force when making the challenge?
10. Does the player use brutality against an opponent when making the challenge?
11. Does the challenge endanger the safety of the opponent?
12. What degree of speed and/or intensity does the player use when making the challenge?
13. Does the player show malice when making the challenge?
14. Does the player lunge at an opponent from the front, from the side, or from behind?
15. Which part of the body does the player use to make contact?
16. Does the player use his/her studs when making a tackle?
17. On which part of the opponent’s body is contact made?
18. In which direction do the tackler’s feet point?
19. Does the player challenge for the ball at the moment in which the contact is made?
20. Does the player charge the opponent in a fair manner?
221. Is the foul an act of violent conduct or of serious foul play?
222. Is the challenge committed in a fair manner or a careless manner?

Stopping a Promising Attack

21. What is the distance between the offense and the goal?
22. Does the player have control of the ball?
23. Can the player gain control of the ball?
24. What is the direction of play?
25. How many defenders are involved in the situation?
26. Where are the defenders located?
27. How many attackers are involved in the situation?
28. Where are the attackers located?
29. How many options to pass the ball does the player have when fouled?
30. Does the challenge stop a promising attack?
31. How much open space is there for the attacker to move?
Denying a Goal or a Goal-Scoring Opportunity
32. What is the distance between the offense and the goal?
33. Does the player have control of the ball?
34. Can the player gain control of the ball?
35. What is the direction of the play?
36. How many defenders are involved in the situation?
37. Where are the defenders located?
38. Does the offense lead to a direct free kick or an indirect free kick?
39. If no offense were to occur, would the player have an obvious opportunity to score a goal?
40. Does the player deliberately handle the ball to deny the opposing team a goal?
41. If the offense occurred inside the penalty area, was the offense an attempt to play the ball?

Handball

42. Does the hand move toward the ball or does the ball move toward the hand?
43. Is the player’s hand or arm in a “natural position” or an “unnatural position”?
44. Is the player attempting to avoid the ball striking the hand?
45. Does the player use the hand or arm to deliberately touch or block the ball?
46. Does the player prevent an opponent from gaining possession of the ball by handling it?
47. Does the player attempt to score a goal by deliberately handling the ball?
48. Does the player prevent a goal by deliberately handling the ball?
49. Does the player prevent an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball?
50. Does the player try to deceive the referee by handling the ball?

Holding

51. Does the player hold an opponent to prevent him/her from gaining possession of the ball?
52. Does the player hold an opponent to prevent him/her from taking up an advantageous position?
53. Does the player deny an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by holding an opponent?
54. Does the player hold an opponent with the hands or with the body?
55. Does the player hold an opponent for the tactical purpose of pulling the player away from the ball?
56. Does the player stop a promising attack by holding an opponent?

Simulation

61. Is there contact between the players involved?
62. Does the attacker use slight contact to try to deceive the referee?
63. Does the attacker initiate contact with the opponent?
64. Is there fair/normal contact between the players, resulting in no offense being committed?
65. Does the attacker anticipate contact with the opponent?
66. Who initiates the contact?
67. Does the player exaggerate the seriousness of the foul committed?

Confrontation

71. Are the original or initial offenders punished appropriately?
72. Are the actions of the players involved excessive with regard to physical contact?
73. Do(es) the player(s) run from some distance to become unnecessarily involved?
74. Are the assistant referees effective in helping prevent a further confrontation between the players?
75. Does the referee get “too close” to the incident and become caught up in the confrontation?
76. Does the referee remain calm when dealing with the confrontation?
77. Does the referee touch or push the players?
78. Does the referee try to separate the first players involved at the beginning of the confrontation?
79. Does the fourth official act appropriately?
80. Should any of the match officials make physical contact with players or technical area team
personnel?
223. Is at least one player from each team involved in the confrontation identified and punished
appropriately?

Management of the Restart

81. Are the referee’s management skills effective in controlling the restart of play?
82. Does the referee indicate to the kicker to wait for a signal to restart play?
83. Does the referee succeed in ensuring that the defensive wall retreats 9.15m and remains at that
distance?
84. How far away are the defensive players when the free kick is taken?
85. Does the referee take up the most advantageous position for the restart?
86. Is the ball placement acceptable?
87. Does the defender try to impede a quick restart?
88. Does the player provoke a confrontation by deliberately touching the ball after the referee has
stopped play?
89. Does the player appear to take a restart but then suddenly leave the ball so that a teammate takes it?
224. Are disciplinary sanctions correctly applied?

Advantage

91. Is there a team benefit if the referee applies the advantage?
92. Does the fouled player still have possession of the ball after the foul is committed?
93. Is there more of a benefit to applying the advantage or awarding a free kick?
94. Does the foul committed deserve a yellow card?
95. Does the foul committed deserve a red card?
96. Is the foul committed near the penalty area?
97. Does the fouled player have space to progress?
98. Are there teammates in a good position to receive the ball?
99. After the advantage is applied, should the referee return to administer a disciplinary sanction? 100. Where on the field of play does the offense occur?
225. Should the tempo/temperature of the match be considered?
226. If the player who committed the first offense had previously been cautioned, would it have been advisable to allow play to continue?
250. Is there a chance that an immediate attack will occur?

Dissent

101. Does a player show dissent by protesting verbally (by word)?
102. Does a player show dissent by protesting non-verbally (by action)?
103. Does a player act in a manner that shows a lack of respect for the game?
104. Could dissent have been avoided had the referee or assistant referee intervened more quickly?
105. Does the referee support his/her colleague following a reaction by a player to a decision made by an
assistant referee?
106. Is the correct disciplinary sanction applied (yellow or red card)?
107. Does the referee correctly differentiate between frustration and dissent?
108. Does the captain of the team show dissent by protesting?

Body Language

111. Does the referee show signs of uncertainty?
112. Does the referee’s body language show confidence or alertness?
113. Is the referee slow to react after an incident?
114. Do the referee’s actions inflame the situation?
115. Does the referee remain calm and in control?
116. Is the referee influenced into taking disciplinary action?
117. Does the referee use the whistle appropriately?
118. Does the referee use the cards appropriately?
119. Does the referee signal according to the practical guidelines for match officials?
120. Does the referee make his/her message clear to the player(s) involved?
227. Does the referee raise his/her profile appropriately in more demanding situations?
228. Should a referee remain ‘neutral’ and not make movements as though he/she were going to issue a
disciplinary sanction?

Concentration/Awareness

121. Is the referee aware of a possible conflict in allowing the game to continue?
122. Is there immediate communication between the match officials to avoid unnecessary protests or
appeals?
123. Does the referee keep his/her focus and concentration throughout the incident?
124. Is the referee in a good position to make the correct decision?
125. Is the communication process to decide who the offending player is appropriate?
126. Why is the disciplinary sanction shown to the wrong player?
127. Is the referee aware of what the Laws of the Game allow in certain situations?
128. Is the player guilty of persistently infringing the Laws of the Game?
129. Is the referee aware of the tactical play of a team to break up play or target individual opponents?
130. Does the referee protect players from potentially serious injury?

Teamwork

131. Is the assistant referee closer to the action than the referee?
132. Does the assistant referee have a better view of the incident than the referee?
133. Does the referee have a better view of the incident than the assistant referee?
134. Is the signal from the assistant referee to the referee clear?
135. Does the referee make a decision before the assistant referee signals?
136. Does the incident happen out of the view of the referee?
137. Does the assistant referee inform the referee about any misconduct?
138. Should one of the match officials have seen the incident?
139. Should the fourth official intervene if none of the other officials saw the incident?
140. Has teamwork broken down because of a lack of concentration?
229. Is the assistant referee or the additional assistant referee closer to the action than the referee?
230. Does the assistant referee or the additional assistant referee have a better view of the incident than the referee?
231. Does the assistant referee or the additional assistant referee inform the referee about any
misconduct?
232. Should the additional assistant referee intervene if none of the other officials has seen the incident?
233. Should the referee be aware of “upper body” or contact with the hand/arms if the assistant referee
is focused on the ball being in or out of play?
234. Does the referee, assistant referee, or additional assistant referee have a clear view of the incident?
235. Is the decision given by the referee or assistant referee credible, given the distance they are from the incident?

Offside

141. Is the assistant referee in a good position to judge offside?
142. Is the player in an offside position? If so, with which part of the body?
143. Does the player in an offside position interfere with play by playing or touching the ball?
144. Does the player in an offside position interfere with the goalkeeper? If so, how?
145. Does the player in an offside position interfere with an opponent? If so, how?
146. Does the player in an offside position gain an advantage by playing the ball or interfering with an
opponent?
147. Will the ball go to a player who was previously in an offside position after a rebound or a save from
an opponent?
148. Does the assistant referee adopt the “wait and see” technique?
149. Is there any other teammate in an onside position who has a chance to play the ball?
236. Does the assistant referee give the benefit to the attacking player when the defender and attacker
are in line?
237. Can the field markings help the assistant referee make a correct decision?

Additional Notes – Offside

Interfering with play

• Play
• Touch

Interfering with an opponent

• Line of vision
• Challenging

o Clear action to play
o Impacts an opponent’s ability to play o Hinders, delays, or prevents

Gaining an Advantage

• Rebounds
• Deflects

o Ballmovestowardstheplayer
o Player finds the ball coming to her/him
o Instinct reaction to play
o Not enough time to act
o Has not found her/his balance
o Ball deflects from the player

• Save
• Deliberate play by the defender

o Player moves toward the ball
o Player sees and expects the ball
o Player makes a deliberate act
o With enough time to act
o Balanced and ready to play
o The player plays the ball

• Interfering with an opponent

Miscellaneous

151. Is the foul committed inside or outside the penalty area?
152. Is the foul committed inside or outside the field of play?
153. Is the ball in play when the offense is committed?
154. Does the player enter or re-enter the field of play without permission? 155. Does the ball enter the goal?
156. Is the ball deliberately kicked to the goalkeeper by a teammate?
157. Does the goalkeeper deliberately handle the ball?
158. Does the referee need to stop play in this situation?
159. Does the player prevent the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from his/her hands? 160. Do(es) the player(s) deliberately delay the re-start?
238. Is this violent conduct or merely unsporting behavior?

Management of Penalty kicks

161. Is the kicker’s goalkeeper in the correct position during kicks from the penalty mark?
162. Do any of the attacking players fail to remain 9.15m before the kick is taken?
163. Do any of the defending players fail to remain 9.15m before the kick is taken?
164. Should the referee have the penalty kick re-taken?
165. Does the goalkeeper gain an unfair advantage by moving before the kick is taken?
166. Does the kicker play the ball a second time before it is played by another player?
167. Does the goalkeeper deliberately attempt to delay the taking of the kick by acting in an unsporting
manner?
168. Does the referee ensure that the re-taken penalty kick is carried out in accordance with the Laws of
the Game?
169. Is the penalty kick taken correctly and in accordance with the Laws of the Game?

Injuries

171. Should the referee have stopped the game earlier?
172. Are the Laws of the Game correctly applied to the injured player(s) before play is restarted?
173. Should the stretcher have been signaled for earlier?
174. Does the treatment of the injured player(s) take too long?
175. Does the player exaggerate the injury to try to get an opponent cautioned or to deceive the referee? 176. Does the fourth official check the player before allowing him/her to continue?
177. Does the referee play the correct amount of “additional time”?
178. Is the injury assessed before calling for the stretcher?

Assistant Referees

181. Does the assistant referee raise the flag in the correct hand?
182. Does the assistant referee’s flag technique confuse the referee?
183. Does the assistant referee change hands before the flag is raised?
184. Is the assistant referee’s signal correct, given the infringement that has been committed? 185. What else can the assistant referee do to get the attention of the referee?
186. Does the assistant referee’s intervention change the original decision of the referee? 187. Does the assistant referee make eye contact with the referee before signaling?
188. Does the additional assistant referee make the correct judgment?
189. Is the assistant referee or additional assistant referee positioned adequately to decide whether the ball has crossed over the goal line?

Players’ Equipment

191. Is it permissible to wear undershorts of a different color than the main color of the shorts?
192. Are players allowed to play without shin guards?
193. Should a goalkeeper wear colors that distinguish him/her from the other players and match officials? 194. Does the player wait until there is a stoppage in play before returning to the field of play?
195. Is a player allowed to continue playing with blood on his/her shirt?
196. Do the colors of the compulsory equipment distinguish the player from the opposing team?
197. Do the stockings entirely cover the shin guards?
198. Do the shin guards provide a reasonable degree of protection?
199. Is a player permitted to wear jewelry?
200. Is a player allowed to wear tape to cover jewelry?

Positioning & Movement

201. Is the referee too close to the incident?
202. Is the referee too far away from the incident to make a credible decision?
203. Is the referee’s view obscured by a player or players?
204. Does the referee create a good viewing angle in order to arrive at the correct decision? 205. Is the assistant referee in a better position than the referee?
206. Are both the referee and the assistant referee in good viewing positions?
207. Does the referee’s position give him/her a good viewing angle?
208. Does the assistant referee’s position give him/her a good viewing angle?
209. Does the referee anticipate play, and show good acceleration and speed?
210. Does the referee keep play between himself/herself and the assistant referee?
239. Is the referee’s position close enough to control the further development of the situation? 240. Is the lead assistant referee within the referee’s field of vision?
241. Does the referee have a good angle of vision?
247. Is the referee in a good position to make the correct decision?
251. Does the referee’s position interfere with play?
252. Does the referee anticipate play and adjust his/her position?

Celebration of a Goal

211. Does the celebration result in excessive time-wasting?
212. Does the player make a provocative gesture?
213. Does the goal-scorer climb onto the perimeter fence to celebrate?
214. Does the player remove his/her shirt whilst celebrating?
215. Does the player cover his/her head with his/her shirt when celebrating?
216. Does the player use a mask to cover his/her head or face?
217. Does the player leave the field of play to celebrate?
218. Does the referee act in a preventative manner and exercise common sense?
219. Does the player jump into or go amongst the spectators to celebrate?
220. Does the goal-scorer display a message on an undershirt or any other part of his/her equipment?
242. Are the goal-scorers actions excessive and do they create safety concerns for the spectators?

Delaying the re-start of play

243. Does the player prevent the goalkeeper from releasing the ball into play?
244. Does the player provoke the referee so as to deliberately receive a caution?
245. Should the referee consider if the player can hear the whistle and clearly tries to delay the restart of play?
246. Does the player delay the restart of play by deliberately kicking the ball away?