Futsal Laws of the Game

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As White #11 intercepts the ball from Red #11, he drives directly toward the Red team's goal. In an attempt to slow him down, Red #11 challenges him from behind, causing White #11 to lose his balance while facing the Red team's goalkeeper.

FIFA Panel Decision

The key question is: who created what? It’s important to recognize that even slight contact on a player moving at full speed can disrupt their movement, interfering with their progress and resulting in a foul (committed by Red #11 on White #11 here). The referee must then decide whether the foul warrants misconduct: Stopping a Promising Attack (SPA) or Denying an Obvious Goal-Scoring Opportunity (DOGSO).

White11 is going straight to the goal which is "guarded" by the Red Team GK, therefore the DOGSO offense is reduced to only a SPA.

The restart is a direct free kick (accumulated foul) for the White team, and Red11 is cautioned for unsporting behavior - Stopping a Promising Attack.  

In this scenario:  

- At 6:11, the goalkeeper (GK) dribbles the ball from his defensive half into the opponent's half, under four second limit,

- By 6:09, he re-enters his own half while retaining ball possession,  

- At 6:03, the GK crosses back into the opponent's half, maintaining ball control, still under the four second limit,

- Finally, at 5:55, the GK ends up in his own half, where he releases the ball, before the four second limit, by passing it to a teammate.

Per the latest LOTG version (circulated via email earlier) - Interpretation and Recommendations for Law 12, p157:

"If the goalkeeper is in possession of the ball and enters the opponents’ half, the referees stop the four-second count. If the goalkeeper then returns to their own half without having lost control of the ball, the referees restart the count from zero"

FIFA Panel Decision
No infringement

As Green #3 dribbled past the Red team's goalkeeper, the GK extended his right leg, making contact with Green #3's right foot. This contact tripped Green #3, causing a loss of balance and preventing him from regaining control of the ball in a clear goal-scoring opportunity with an open goal.

FIFA Panel Decision:

The incident constitutes a tripping foul, resulting in a DFK, which in this case is a PK as it occurred inside the penalty area. The referee must assess whether the goalkeeper's action was an attempt to play or challenge for the ball, per Law XII (LOTG p. 79). Given that Green #3 had already passed the ball beyond the goalkeeper, leaving no realistic opportunity for the goalkeeper to play the ball, this is a DOGSO offense, warranting a red card and a send-off for the goalkeeper.

During an Attacking Phase of Play (APP), Blue18 received a pass from a teammate. As the Red team's goal was unguarded, Blue18 attempted to control the ball. In a defensive challenge, Red7 made a clearance attempt, but the ball deflected off Blue18's right elbow. Despite the ball striking Blue18’s arm, which was in a natural position consistent with his movement, play continued, and Blue18 subsequently scored.

FIFA Panel Decision 

The decision referred to the Practical Guidelines for Futsal Referees and Others Match Officials Chapter, in the Interpretation and Recommendation Section, p157:

If a player scores in the opponents’ goal immediately after accidentally touching the ball with their hand/arm, an indirect free kick is awarded to the opponents. However:

• If a goal is not scored and the hand/arm did not make the player’s body unnaturally bigger, play is to be continued.

• If the ball goes off the pitch over the goal line, a goal clearance is awarded to the opponents. “Immediately after” is considered independently of the distance from the place of the handball offence to the goal and/or the time from the accidental handball offence to scoring the goal. Therefore, if a player scores a goal just after the ball has touched their hand or arm, without the ball being played by any other player than the scorer, the goal must be disallowed.

If a player scores a goal after a team-mate has accidentally touched the ball with their hand/arm, including immediately thereafter, the goal is awarded.

The goal should be denied, and the restart is an IFK for the Red Team.

There is no foul in this clip.

FIFA Panel Decision: Keep playing

This clip addressed the procedure of a Direct free kick with the sixth accumulated foul (DFKSAF) in LOTG XIII, p88-90:

..... The defending GK must be at least 5m away from the ball until it has been kicked and must not behave in a way that unfairly distracts the kicker .....

...... the defending GK commits an offence: a) if the ball enters the goal, a goal is awarded; b) if the ball misses the goal or rebounds from the crossbar or goalpost(s), the kick is only retaken if the GK's offence clearly impacted on the kicker; c) if the ball is prevented from entering the goal by the GK, the kick is retaken. If the goalkeeper’s offence results in the kick being retaken, the goalkeeper is warned for the first offence in the game and cautioned for any subsequent offence(s) in the game......

FIFA Panel Decision: At the kick time, the White GK (yellow jersey) is up in the air forward of the 5m mark inside the penalty area. The goal is not scored.  Therefore, the game is stopped, and the kick is retaken.  No caution given to the GK.

Following a direct free kick for the Blue/Red team, Blue/Red #8 took a shot at the goal. While attempting to block the shot, Black #19 executed a sliding tackle. In doing so, Black #19 raised his right arm and blocked the ball with it. Besides the handball offense, the official must determine whether it occurred inside or outside the penalty area. The GK is inside his penalty area, guarding his goal.

FIFA Panel Decision: The handball offense occurred inside the penalty area, with Black #19's elbow blocking the ball. His arm was in an unnatural position, raised above his head, thereby artificially increasing his body surface area. The goalkeeper was inside the penalty area, guarding his goal. Consequently, the restart is a penalty kick for the Blue/Red team. The incident could be viewed as stopping a promising attack (SPA) since the ball was headed towards the goal. However, since a penalty kick is awarded, the SPA is not annulled, and no caution is needed.

Comment: In situations where a DFK is near the penalty area and the defensive wall is within the penalty area, the official should position himself at the top of the penalty area. This allows him to accurately determine the location of any potential free kick for the attacking team. It is not necessary to be in line with the ball.

White #7, attempting to block Red #10 from reaching for the ball, raised his arm to the level of Red #10's face. As a result, White #7's forearm made contact with Red #10's face.

FIFA Panel Decision: This constitutes a reckless challenge with the arm making contact with the opponent's face. DFK (accumulated foul) for the Red team and YC to White #7 for Unsporting Behavior - reckless challenge.

Comment: During a counter-attack, adjust your positioning to maintain the optimal angle between players.