This clarifies the situation regarding limiting possible advertising around the field of play. It does not permit advertising on the ground within the technical area but does not forbid, for example, advertising on the perspex cover over the trainer's bench in the technical area.

Law 3 -  The Number of Players

New text for the "Other matches" Paragraph:

Reason:

This new text gives teams flexibility in the number of substitutes permitted in friendly matches but the previous controls regarding teams reaching agreement on the numbers to be permitted and on the need for the referee to be informed before the match still remain.

Law 3 - The Number of Players

New Decision 2:

Reason:

This is a simple addition, which brings the text of International F.A Board Decision 2 into line with the present text concerning the technical area.

Law 6 -  The Assistant Referees

Add the following two duties to the five existing duties of the Assistant Referees:

In the "Assistance" paragraph, the first sentence now reads:

Reason:

The duties of the assistant referee are now more clearly defined in the Laws of the Game and increase his responsibility. Assistant referees are expected to give assistance to the referee when they are in a better position to see the incident, especially for incidents inside the penalty area.

It is important to understand that the specific distance from the offence is not the main criteria. The most important consideration is that the assistant referee has a better view of an incident.

Assistant referees are also expected to indicate to the referee when the goalkeeper moves forward from his goal line at a penalty kick and the ball does not enter the goal. The nature of the signal to be given is to be determined by the officials in pre-match discussions.

At penalty kicks, assistant referees are also responsible for judging whether the ball has crossed the goal line.

Assistant referees are also instructed that, whenever necessary, they should enter the field of play to ensure that the 9.15m distance is respected for  free kicks taken near to where they are positioned.

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct

Indirect Free Kick

Modify the text of the first of the five Goalkeeper offenses to read:

Reason:

This change means that time-wasting by the goalkeeper with the ball in his hands or arms is now measured in time rather than distance. The Law no longer limits the goalkeeper to taking four steps when he has control of the ball in his hands or arms. He is allowed to carry the ball for a maximum of six seconds but may take as many steps as he wishes within this period.

Sending-off offences number 6 now states:

Reason:

A player may now be sent off if, in the opinion of the referee, he is guilty of using language or gestures which are offensive or insulting or abusive. The referee must take into account the severity of the offence.

He continues to have the authority to decide whether, in his opinion, a player’s unacceptable language or gestures are to be deemed a sending-off offence.

Kicks from the Penalty Mark:

New bullet points:

Reason:

This arrangement for kicks from the penalty mark is applied at the end of play when one team has fewer players on the field of play than the other because of expulsion or injury and all eligible substitutes have been used.

The team with more players will be permitted to reduce their number of players to equate with the other team. This is to avert the situation where, all the players in the team with fewer players have taken their kicks, their strongest kicker would be advantaged by being matched against the weakest kicker of the team with more players.

The team captain is responsible for informing the referee of the name and number of the player(s) who will not take kicks from the penalty mark.

Fourth Official

Amendments to bullet point:

Reason:

The new text increases the authority of the Fourth Official and allows him to take action in situations not concerned with actual play.