What can I do if players, team officials or spectators abuse or threaten me?

On the day (Law 5, 2026/27)

• You may stop, suspend or abandon the match for offences or outside interference. If an object thrown by a spectator hits a match official, player or team official, you may let play continue, or stop, suspend or abandon the match, depending on how serious it is.
• Caution or send off players and substitutes for dissent, offensive or abusive language or gestures, and violent conduct. Team officials can be warned, cautioned or sent off from the technical area.

What the SAFA Competitions Uniform Rules say (Rule 24)

• A team commits misconduct if it fails to protect match officials against violence or any other abuse before, during or after a match.
• A team is responsible for its supporters: pitch invasions, throwing objects, violence, and insulting or assaulting match officials are all misconduct. A team is presumed guilty unless it shows the spectators were not its supporters.
• A player or official who assaults, threatens, intimidates or insults a match official commits misconduct.

Sanctions: the Disciplinary Code sets minimum bans for a direct red card for unsporting conduct towards a match official (4 matches), assault (6 months) and spitting (12 months).

Report every incident in full in your match report within 48 hours.