What do I do when an Under 7 to Under 11 player deliberately heads the ball?
Rule- England
- England Football
- Youth football
- Mini-soccer
- Under 7-Under 18
- Laws of the Game
- 2026/27
- Referees
Deliberate heading is an offence in all Under 7 to Under 11 matches in grassroots football (FA Rule O, the IFAB heading trial). Rule O requires match officials to make sure it's applied.
- Award an indirect free kick to the opposition at the place where the ball was deliberately headed.
- If the player deliberately headed the ball inside their own penalty area, stop play and restart with an indirect free kick to the opposition on the nearest line of the penalty area to where the offence happened.
- No card for a deliberate header, unless a player does it persistently and deliberately, which can be a caution.
- An accidental contact of the ball with the head is not an offence; the rule is about deliberate headers.
Deliberate heading is allowed in matches from Under 12 upwards. Rule O doesn't apply to Premier League, EFL, WSL or WSL2 club teams at these ages unless they opt in.
Added 21 Oct 2026