What do I need to know to referee a U14 (players born 2013) youth soccer match this season? The 2026-27 Law changes, pre-match checks, injuries and head injuries, restarts, misconduct and the match report.
The IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27 took effect on July 1, 2026, and US Soccer adopts each year's Law changes on July 1. The main changes for youth matches:
| Area | Change |
|---|---|
| Injured players (Law 5) | An outfield player assessed or treated on the field, or whose injury stops play, must stay off for one minute of running clock after the restart, with exceptions |
| Substitutions (Law 3) | The departing player must be off within 10 seconds. If not, the substitute can't enter until the first stoppage after one minute |
| Throw-ins (Law 15) | Unfair delay brings a five-second visible countdown. If time runs out, the throw-in goes to the opponents |
| Goal kicks (Law 16) | Same countdown. If time runs out, the opponents get a corner kick |
| Dropped ball (Law 8) | Dropped for the team that |
| Equipment (Law 4) | Non-dangerous accessories are allowed if safely and securely covered. Dangerous items must still be removed |
| DOGSO with advantage (Law 12) | If you play advantage and a goal is scored, no caution is given |
Other changes, such as VAR, body cameras and substitutes in senior international friendlies, don't affect youth play. The goalkeeper's eight-second limit, which concedes a corner kick, continues from last season.
The Laws of the Game let national associations and competitions modify these "organizational" areas for youth, veterans, disability and grassroots soccer:
For all levels, competitions can also set:
Everything else, including fouls and misconduct, offside, restarts and the new 2026-27 countdowns, is the same Law as at any level. Before the match, know your competition's halves, ball size, substitution rules, and whether sin bins are in use.
Your authority to take disciplinary action starts when you enter the field for the pre-match inspection (Law 5). Before kickoff:
A player who commits a sending-off offense before you enter the field can be stopped from taking part. Report any other misconduct from that period.
New for 2026-27 (Law 5 and the off-field treatment protocol), an outfield player must leave the field and stay off for one minute of running clock after play restarts when:
Procedure:
The player doesn't have to leave if:
Stop play. Under Law 5, you stop play for a serious injury, and a severe injury, especially a head injury (suspected concussion), is one of the exceptions where the player can be assessed and treated on the field. The one-minute off-field rule doesn't apply.
Removal:
Substitutions: if your competition has adopted additional permanent concussion substitutions:
Restart: if play was stopped for the injury and not for an offense, restart with a dropped ball.
Throw-ins (Law 15) and goal kicks (Law 16):
Goalkeeper holding the ball (Law 12):
Under Law 3 (2026-27), the player being substituted must be off the field within 10 seconds of:
This doesn't apply if leaving that quickly is impossible for safety, security or injury reasons. When there are several substitutions at one stoppage, all departing players must be off within 10 seconds of the last one being signaled.
If the player takes longer than 10 seconds:
Normally the player leaves at the nearest point on the boundary line, unless you let them leave at the halfway line or elsewhere (for safety or injury, for example). The substitute enters only during a stoppage, at the halfway line, after the departing player has left, and on your signal.
Under Law 8 (2026-27):
New for 2026-27: the Law now makes clear that the ball goes to the team that would have gained or kept possession.
Under Law 5, you take action against team officials who don't act responsibly. That covers anyone other than players and substitutes who is named on the team list, such as coaches. You can:
If you can't identify the offender, the senior coach present in the technical area gets the sanction.
A medical team official who commits a sending-off offense may stay if the team has no other medical person, and can still treat players.
If a team official enters the field and interferes with play, play restarts with a direct free kick or penalty kick.
The "Only the captain" guidelines are a competition option for 2026-27. They become compulsory for competitions starting on or after July 1, 2027.
Record all sanctions in your match report.
Under Law 5, the referee's decisions include whether:
The Laws give these examples of stopping, suspending or abandoning:
A match can't start or continue if either team has fewer than 7 players.
Under Law 7, an abandoned match is replayed, unless the competition rules or organizers decide otherwise.
Lightning: NFHS lightning guidelines say to suspend play as soon as thunder is heard or lightning is seen, and wait at least 30 minutes after the last thunder or lightning before resuming. Any new thunder or lightning restarts the 30-minute count.
Under Law 5, the referee acts as timekeeper, keeps a record of the match and gives the appropriate authorities a match report. It must include:
The Laws also specifically say to report:
How you file the report and when it's due are set by the league, tournament or state referee program that assigned you.