What should I do if a player might have a concussion?

Remove the player from play straight away. CDC HEADS UP guidance says an athlete with a suspected concussion stays out for the rest of that day and until cleared by a health care provider.

US Soccer's Recognize to Recover concussion guidelines also say that if a player takes a significant blow to the head, is suspected of having a concussion, or has an apparent head injury during a game, they must be removed for evaluation by a health care professional who knows how to diagnose and manage concussions.

Under the Laws of the Game:

• A severe injury, especially a head injury, is an exception to the one-minute rule, so the player can be assessed on the field.
• Competitions may choose to use additional permanent concussion substitutions:
  • A player replaced this way takes no further part in the match.
  • The substitution doesn't count against the team's normal limit.
  • Each team can make at most one per match.
  • When a team uses one, the opponents may make an additional substitution for any reason.