Football Review Committee (FRC) 2024/25 FAQ

Q. Can the goalkeeper take a kick out immediately after a score or wide?

A. Yes. You do not have to wait for players to be outside the 20m line or the referee’s consent.

Q. Are there any restrictions for players on either team staying inside the 40m arc?

A. No. You just need to be 13m from the ball.

Q. What happens if players are not 13m from the ball?

A. A free kick is awarded against them where the foul occurred.

Q. What happens if I interfere with the goalkeeper or the player taking a kickout?

A. It’s a 50m penalty i.e. the ball will be brought up to the halfway line.

Q. I’m on the team taking the kick out and I catch the ball inside the 40m arc, can I play on?

A. No. It’s a free kick against you from the position you received the ball.

Q. Can I intercept an opposition kick-out inside the 40m arc?

A. Yes. Play on! Provided you were 13m from the ball when it was kicked.

Q. If I tap my foot off the ball – is that considered a solo & go?

A. No. It must be a ‘toe-tap’ i.e. the ball must be released from the hand(s) to the foot and kicked back into the hand(s).

Q. Can any player take a solo & go?

A. Yes.

Q. Can I take a solo & go anywhere on the pitch?

A. There is one exception – you cannot take it inside the opposition 20m line.

Q. If I’m fouled, can I give the ball to another player on my team, so he can take a solo & go?

A. Yes. But don’t delay as a solo & go must be taken immediately you were awarded a free kick.

Q. If I’m fouled, do I need to take the solo & go from the position where the foul occurred?

A. No. You can take a solo & go up to 4m from the position where the foul occurred.

Q. Can I take a solo & go in any direction?

A. No. The solo & go must only be taken in forwards or sideways direction.

Q. What happens if I take a solo & go backwards?

A. A free kick will be awarded to the opposition where the foul occurs.

Q. What happens if I take a solo & go beyond 4m from where the foul occurred?

A. The referee will cancel the solo & go and the Referee will ask the player to take the free kick from the position of the foul from either the hands or from the ground.

Q. What happens if I delay taking a solo & go?

A. If the solo & go is not taken ‘immediately’ the referee will cancel the solo & go and free kick will have to be taken from the position of the foul from either the hands or from the ground.

Q. What does ‘immediately’ mean?

A. Immediately means after a foul, the solo & go must be taken at once and without delay.

Q. Can I take a solo and go after the ball is moved up 50m?

A. No. A solo and go can only be taken 4m from the position where the foul occurred.

Q. What happens if the goalkeeper steps outside the large rectangle to receive a pass from a teammate?

A. A free kick is awarded from where the pass was made.

Q. Can I be in the large rectangle, receive a pass from a teammate who is outside the large rectangle, and then pass it to the goalkeeper?

A. No. If you are inside the large rectangle, you can only pass it to the goalkeeper if the ball has been played by an opposing player i.e. you must be inside the large rectangle, and either catch/ intercept an opposition attempted shot, kick or fist pass, before you pass it to your goalkeeper.

Q. What happens if the goalkeeper intercepts an opposition pass outside the large rectangle?

A. He can play on as normal. He just needs to be aware that he cannot receive a return pass from a teammate until he is inside the opposition half.

Q. Can the goalkeeper while in possession, cross back into his half of the field after he receives a pass from a teammate in the opposition half of the field.

A. Yes.

Q. What happens if our full-back blocked a shot outside the 13m line but the momentum of the ball carriers it inside the large rectangle – can the goalkeeper play that ball.

A. Yes. That would not be deemed as ‘receiving the ball’ from a teammate.

Q. What happens if a high ball was kicked into our full back line and the ball broke off the hand of one of our players and dropped into the large rectangle - can the goalkeeper play that ball.

A. Yes. A breaking ball that drops into the large rectangle would not be deemed as ‘receiving the ball’ from a teammate.

Q. Can the goalkeeper position himself anywhere on the field, including for opposition kick outs?

A. Yes. The goalkeeper can position himself anywhere on the field of play.

Q. What happens if our keeper who is on our half back line receives a pass from a teammate?

A. If the goalkeeper catches a pass from a teammate inside his half of the field, a free kick is awarded to the opposition from where the pass is made.

Q. I’m the goalkeeper and I’m outside the large rectangle. The centre half back attempts a pass to our corner back, but the pass goes over the corner back’s head. I leave the large rectangle, go to the ball and start to play the ball on the ground. Is it that allowed because the pass wasn’t for me, and I didn’t pick the ball up?

A. No. Even though you did not receive a direct pass from a teammate you did receive the ball from a teammate. Since you’re outside your large rectangle and in your own half of the field, the opposition will get a free kick from where your teammate made the attempted pass.

Q. Can the goalkeeper be one of the three players we keep in our half of the field?

A. No. You need to keep 3 outfield players in each half of the pitch?

Q. Is a goalkeeper not an outfield player when he is playing outfield?

A. No. An ‘outfield player’ is defined as “any other player other than the goalkeeper”.

Q. Can we put a forward, say our left corner forward, in a goalkeeper’s jersey and give his no.15 jersey to the goalkeeper, so that means our goalkeeper will be wearing an outfield jersey but plays in goals, so then he could receive a pass inside the large rectangle and inside our half?

A. It is a team's decision to allocate jerseys to any player. However, each team must keep 3 outfield players in the opposition half of the field when you're defending. Your goalkeeper can be in the opposition half, but there will also need to be 3 outfield players from his team. Also, the goalkeeper would need to come back for each kickout because if the goalkeeper is not taking the kick-out, he needs to stay inside the small rectangle (see Rule 2.6), and only the goalkeeper may play the ball on the ground inside the small rectangle (see Rule 1.2 (i))

Q. If my teammate or several teammates are black/red carded how will that affect the 3/3 structure?

A. If a player is ordered off the field of play, his team may adjust the number of players required inside the midfield line so they will always have a maximum 11 attacking or a maximum 11 defending players (excluding the goalkeeper). So, a team will not be disadvantaged defensively or in attack, due to the 3/3 Structure Rule, by having a player ordered off the field of play.

Q. If my foot is on the 40m arc and I score, is that allowed?

A. Yes. If it goes directly over the bar.

Q. I take a kick from outside the arc, it landed in the large rectangle and our full-forward punched it over the crossbar? Is it counted a 1 or 2pts score?

A. 1pt. A shot for 2pts must go directly over the bar i.e. it will only count as 1pt if it is flicked/palmed/punched over the crossbar by a player on either team.

Q. During an attack one of our players was fouled inside the 40m arc. Do we have the option of taking the free kick outside the 40m arc and attempt a two-point shot?

A. No, the free kick must be taken from the position of where the original foul was committed, and this spot should be marked.

Q. I took a free kick out of my hands and went past the spot marked by the referee with vanishing foam. Is that okay?

A. No. The referee will cancel your free kick and throw in the ball where the foul occurred.

Q. After an Advanced Mark is taken by the attacking team and the player on that team decides to play on by immediately passing backwards to an on-coming attacking player - will the referee deem that advantage to be over?

 A. No, the play may continue (no matter which direction the player moves or passes the ball) for as long as the referee deems that there is the potential of an advantage to the attacking team.

Q. I play in the full back line. If an opposition player catches an advanced mark, can I tackle him immediately, or do I have to wait until he takes four steps? 

A. Yes – you can immediately tackle the player who catches an advanced mark.

Q. I caught an Advanced Mark just inside the 20m line. I cut inside to go for a goal and the opposition defender wrapped his hands around me. The referee blew the whistle for the foul. Do I get a free from where the fouled occurred? 

A. In this scenario is likely that you will be awarded a penalty. Rule 5.41 covers this whereby a player is awarded a penalty when “denied a goal-scoring opportunity” because an opponent deliberately pulled him down (including being ‘held up’” - this is one of the proposed amendments), or if he is deliberately tripped, or deliberately collided with for the purpose of taking him out of the attacking movement. The offending player will also receive a Black Card.

Q. An opposition player makes an Advanced Mark, and they take a shot at goal that our keeper saves – can we play on? 

A. No – the referee will deem that no advantage has accrued to the team of the player awarded the Mark and will indicate that by saying “no advantage gained” and will take the ball back to the point of the Mark.

Q. An opposition player makes an Advanced Mark, and they take a shot, and it goes wide. What happens? 

A. The referee will deem that no advantage has accrued to the team of the player awarded the Mark and will indicate that by saying “no advantage gained” and will take the ball back to the point of the Mark.

Q. An opposition player makes an Advanced Mark, and they make a pass to their teammate that I intercept. Can I play on? 

A. No. The referee will deem that no advantage has accrued to the team of the player awarded the Mark and will indicate that by saying “no advantage gained” and will take the ball back to the point of the Mark.

Q. I make an Advanced Mark and take the defender on. As I do this, I take 6 steps, and the referee blows the whistle for my foul. What happens next? 

A. Since you committed a ‘technical foul’ before you had accrued an advantage, the referee will stop play and allow you to take the Mark from its original position.

Q. I make an Advanced Mark and take the defender on. As I do this I charge at the defender, knocking him over. The referee blows the whistle for my foul. Can I go back and take a kick from original position of the Mark? 

A. No. You committed an ‘aggressive foul’ so the referee will award a free kick to the opposition, and apply any relevant disciplinary action associated with your foul.

Q. If I make an Advanced Mark can I play the ball backwards outside the 40m, to create an opportunity for a 2pt shot? 

A. In theory - yes. In practice, unlikely that a referee will allow the advantage to continue in that scenario.

Q. If my midfielder catches a Kick Out Mark outside our 45m line, then kicks it to inside the opposition 20m line and I catch it. Can that be considered an Advanced Mark? 

A. Yes. The rules were amended to allow this scenario from a Kick Out Mark. Note an Advanced Mark cannot be taken from a free kick or sideline kick.

Q. I have the ball and am taking on the defender. He then wraps his arms around me so I cannot move forward – I assume I’ll still get a free? 

A. Yes, you’ll still get a free kick. In addition, the referee will deem this ‘Cynical Play for holding up a player” and they will receive a Black Card.

Q. I’m fouled on my 65m line and about to take a quick free-kick when an opposition player blocks me – the referee brings the ball up 50m which is inside the 40m arc. Can I bring the ball back to the arc and take a free kick for 2pts? 

A. Yes. If you are delayed taking a free kick or sideline the referee will advance the ball 50m in the direction of the goal posts up to opponents’ 13m line. If the foul was outside the arc and because of the advancement was brought inside the arc, you have the option of taking a freekick from outside the 40m arc for 2pts.

Q. If I over-carry the ball and the referee calls a foul, can I not just drop the ball and get myself into a defensive position? 

A. No. In this scenario if you don’t “hand over” the ball by giving it directly to the nearest opposition player in a prompt and respectful manner, the referee will consider that you are purposefully delay play will advance the ball 50m.

Q. What happens if my teammate fouled the ball and then kick passed it to me and I’m 30m from where foul occurred? What am I supposed to do? 

A. You need to look for the nearest opposition player and hand them the ball. If you don’t the referee will consider that you are purposely delaying play and will advance the ball 50m.

Q. I am not the team captain, or the team nominated deputy, but I don’t know why the referee gave a free against me – surely, I can ask them why did they make that decision?

A. If you do, you will concede a free kick, and the ball will be advanced 50m. The team captain, or a nominated deputy, are the only players on a team that can speak to the referee to seek clarification of a decision made by the referee and they can only do so during a break in play.

Q. My manager is always giving out to referees. In our last match we were up by a point in the last minute and one of our forwards tackled an opposition player who was in possession of the ball and gave away a free in their full back line. Our manager thought it was a terrible decision and gave the referee and linesman some abuse. The referee advanced the ball to our 13m line. The opposition player then moved the ball back to the top of the arc and score a ‘2 pointer’ to win the game. Is that allowed?

A. Yes. If a team official displays misconduct towards any Match Officials, the referee will award a free kick on the offending team’s 13m line at the centre of the scoring space or, at the option of the free taker, a free kick from the apex of the 40m arc. Where that option is availed of, two points shall be awarded for a score from such a free kick where the ball crosses the crossbar between the posts.

Q. If the referee is moving the ball up 50m, do I need to wait until they bring the ball up to take the free kick?

A. Yes, if the referee is advancing the ball up 50m, you need to wait until they re-position the ball. However, in this instance the new rule also allows you to take a solo & go or a free kick from the place where the foul occurred.

Q. If I go to get my teammate out of the Melee, is that okay? 

A. Yes, so long as you are solely engaged with trying to remove your teammate who is involved in the melee.

Q. My teammate is being push around in a melee, can I go in and try to get the opposition player to stop? 

A. No. If you are the 3rd or subsequent player into a melee, and you are not solely engaged in trying to remove your teammate, the referee will send you to the Sin Bin.

Q. Can I play on if the referee blows the whistle for the end of the half or game, or if the hooter blows? 

A. No. The game immediately ends.

Q. If I’m just about to take a shot and the hooter goes, if I scored a point would it count? 

A. No. The game ends immediately.

Q. If my team takes a shot and the ball leaves the boot/fist just before the hooter sounds, and results in a score - does the score count? 

A. Yes. If the ball is in the air after the hooter sounds, a score may be awarded. The ball must go directly over the bar/in the net i.e. it cannot be flicked on by a teammate/or opposition player.

Q. If my team has been awarded a free kick and the hooter goes, can we take the free kick? 

A. Yes. For the score to count, the ball must go directly over the bar directly i.e. it cannot be flicked on by a teammate/or opposition player.

Q. We have a penalty and the hooter sounds. The penalty is taken, the goalkeeper palms the ball, but it still hits the net. Does the goal count even though the keeper touched the ball? 

A. Yes. If a penalty has been awarded but not taken, before the hooter sounds, the penalty can be taken, and if it results in a score, including only the goalkeeper touching the ball, that score shall be awarded.