Player's Guide to NFHS High School Soccer Grades 9-12 2026-27

Shin guards are required. They must meet the NOCSAE standard, with the NOCSAE seal and height range stamped on the guard.

Jewelry: not permitted, even if taped. The exceptions:

• religious medals, if taped and worn under the uniform
• medical alert bracelets or necklaces, which must be taped and may be visible

Head coverings:

• Soft padded headbands are allowed.
• Soft, yielding caps are allowed only if your state association adopts that option. If worn, they must be alike in color.
• Religious head coverings are allowed without prior state association approval. They must be secured to the head and not made of abrasive or hard material.

Casts, splints and braces:

• Hard casts or splints must be padded with closed-cell foam at least 1/2 in. thick.
• Metal ankle braces must be worn inside the socks. Non-metal braces may be worn outside.

Other items:

• A face mask must be molded to the face with no protrusions, and you need a signed medical release.
• Hearing aids are legal.
• Wearable monitoring devices are allowed if securely fastened and not a risk to anyone. They can be worn on the shoes or on the body under the uniform, but not on the arm.
• If worn, a captain's armband goes on the arm.

Under NFHS Rule 4:

• Jerseys: the home team wears dark jerseys and socks. The visiting team wears solid white jerseys and socks.
• Socks: everyone on a team wears the same color. Tape applied to a sock above the ankle must match the sock color.
• Numbers: a 6 in. number on the back of the jersey, including for goalkeepers, and a 4 in. number on the front of the jersey and/or the shorts.
• Goalkeeper: jersey must differ from all other players, but may be the same color as the opposing goalkeeper's. Socks must differ from the opponents'.
• Undergarments: visible apparel under the shorts or jersey must be a solid, like color for the whole team, and of similar length. It can differ from the uniform color.
• Jerseys don't have to be tucked in.

Re-entry: under NFHS rules, substituted players may re-enter an unlimited number of times.

Either team may substitute an unlimited number of players:

• between periods
• after a goal
• during an injury
• when the game is temporarily suspended

Either team may also substitute, if the substitute checked in before play stopped:

• on a goal kick
• during a caution: the cautioned player must leave, and their substitute may come from the bench
• during a disqualification
• when a player must leave because of an equipment problem

Throw-ins: the team in possession may substitute. The other team may substitute only if the team in possession is also substituting.

Entering: wait to be beckoned onto the field by the referee, except when subbing between periods.

Under NFHS rules, a cautioned player must leave the field.

• Your team may replace you. When a caution is given, the cautioned player's team can bring on a substitute from the bench.
• If you're not replaced, you can re-enter at your team's next legal substitution opportunity.
• A second yellow card in the same game means ejection, and you can't be replaced.

Common reasons for a caution include:

• entering or leaving the field without the referee's permission
• persistent infringement
• dissent
• delaying the restart
• encroaching on free kicks and corner kicks
• unsporting conduct, such as taunting, excessive or prolonged celebration, holding, faking an injury, simulating a foul, reckless play, illegal equipment, kicking or throwing the ball away, or stopping a promising attack
• confronting an official during an interval without permission (only captains may address officials then)
• using tobacco, alcohol or a controlled substance

Under NFHS Rule 12, a player is ejected (red card) for:

• a second caution in the same game. The player can't be replaced.
• denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO) by:
  • a deliberate handball (except the goalkeeper)
  • a direct or indirect free kick foul outside the penalty area
  • an indirect free kick foul inside the penalty area
  • a direct free kick foul inside the penalty area while not trying to play the ball, such as holding, pulling or pushing
• insulting, offensive or abusive language or gestures, including taunting
• serious foul play
• spitting or biting
• leaving the team area to enter the field during a fight
• violent conduct

Effect on your team: after an ejection during play, your team plays short for the rest of the game. If you're ejected at halftime, your team doesn't have to play short.

Any further suspension, such as missing the next game, is set by your state association.

Under NFHS rules, an injured player must leave the field if a coach or health care professional is beckoned onto the field to attend to them. This includes goalkeepers.

• A player who leaves for an injury and isn't replaced may re-enter at the next dead ball, entering from the official area after being beckoned on.
• An injury is one of the times either team may substitute, with no limit on the number of substitutes.

If the injury could be a concussion, the concussion rule applies: you can't return without clearance from an appropriate health care professional.

Under NFHS rules, a player who shows signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion must be immediately removed from the game. They can't return until cleared by an appropriate health care professional.

• In NFHS soccer, a player cleared this way may re-enter at the next dead ball, entering from the official area after being beckoned on.
• Who counts as an "appropriate health care professional" can differ by state association.

The CDC's HEADS UP guidance adds that an athlete with a suspected concussion should stay out for the rest of that day and until a health care provider clears them.

NFHS revised Rule 14 for 2026-27, so encroachment (entering the area early) on a penalty kick is penalized only if it has a clear impact on the play.

Goalkeepers: a goalkeeper who encroaches with impact gets a warning for the first offense in a game, and a caution for each one after that.

Kickers: once you've completed your approach, feinting a kick at the ball is unsporting conduct and gets a caution every time.

Yes, within limits. NFHS's 2026-27 points of emphasis say:

• Celebrating a goal is allowed as long as it isn't excessive and doesn't involve taunting.
• You can briefly leave the field to celebrate, but you must come back promptly.
• Officials should discourage rehearsed or choreographed celebrations.
• Delaying the restart, or taunting opponents or fans, is unsporting conduct and gets a yellow card. Examples include climbing a fence or taking your jersey off.

Under the NFHS lightning guidelines:

• When thunder is heard or lightning is seen, the storm is close enough to strike. Play is suspended and everyone goes to a safer place immediately.
• Safer places: a substantial building with plumbing and wiring, such as a school or gym. If none is available, a fully enclosed metal vehicle such as a hardtop car or school bus.
• Play resumes only after at least 30 minutes with no thunder or lightning. Any new thunder or lightning restarts the 30-minute count.
• If you hear thunder or see lightning, that takes priority over what a lightning app or detector says.

If a game is suspended and can't be finished, it counts as an official game once one half has been played, unless your state association sets something different.