How can the Laws be modified when I referee youth or grassroots matches?

IFAB Laws 2026/27 ("Notes and modifications"): for youth, veterans, disability and grassroots football, national associations such as SAFA may modify:

• the size of the field, the ball and the goals
• the length of the two (equal) halves
• the number of players
• the use of return substitutes
• the use of temporary dismissals (sin bins) for some or all cautions
• the captain's armband requirements

SAFA (or the competition) decides the age limits and which lowest-level competitions count as "grassroots". These options must be in the competition rules before you use them.

Sin bins, where adopted: show the yellow card and point with both arms to the dismissal area. The period is the same for every offence, 10-15% of playing time (for example 10 minutes in a 90-minute match), and starts when play restarts.

SAFA's grassroots recommendations (ages 6-12):

• refereeing must be educational
• no offside in 4v4 and 5v5; in 7v7 and 9v9, offside applies only inside lines 8 m and 13 m from the goal line
• in 7v7 and 9v9, "informative" refereeing from off the pitch, without a whistle