Law 12: Fouls and Misconduct

Published: Apr 5, 2021 Revised: Mar 3, 2025

Players

Law 12 of FIFA’s Laws of the Game (LOTG) cover the enforcement of the game’s rules by the referee. These rules are designed to keep the game fair and safe. This gives the referee a lot of power to regulate the flow of the game while keeping the players safe, so this is actually a very important responsibility.

For coaches, players, and parents, knowing the Laws of the Game will make you a better teacher, contestant, and spectator.

Summary of Age-Specific Rules

There are no goalkeepers for ages 4-6.
There are no throw-ins for ages 4-6. Play is restarted with a “kick-in” instead.
There are no indirect free kicks for ages 4-6. Such offenses restart play with a direct free kick instead.
The concept of goalkeepers and throw-ins (i.e., the use of the hands), and direct free kicks are introduced starting with the 7-8 age group.
There are no yellow or red cards for ages 4-8.
There is no off-the-side penalty for ages 4-8.

Enforcement Categories

Law 12 also covers fouls and misconduct for players, coaches, and team officials. These rules are broken down into four enforcement categories:

Indirect Free Kick
Direct Free Kick (or Penalty Kick, if the offense occurs in the offender’s own penalty area)
Yellow Card (may require an indirect or direct free kick)
Red Card (usually requires a direct free kick or a penalty kick)

If the infraction is particularly serious, cautioning a player or sending a player off (ejecting them from the game) may be warranted. This is what the yellow and red cards are for.

Coaches and Team Officials

Special rules and actions are applied to the coaches and team officials.