When can I stop, suspend or abandon a match?

Q: When can I stop, suspend or abandon a match?

Under Law 5, the referee's decisions include whether: the condition of the field or its surrounds, or the weather, allows a match to take place to abandon a match for whatever reason the field equipment and ball used are suitable to stop a match because of spectator interference or a problem in spectator areas The Laws give these examples of stopping, suspending or abandoning: inadequate floodlights an object thrown by a spectator that hits a match official, player or team official: you can let the match continue, or stop, suspend or abandon it, depending on how serious it is a spectator's whistle that interferes with play: stop play and restart with a dropped ball an extra ball, object or animal on the field: stop play only if it interferes, then restart with a dropped ball 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.

Question

Accepted Answer

Under Law 5, the referee's decisions include whether:

the condition of the field or its surrounds, or the weather, allows a match to take place
to abandon a match for whatever reason
the field equipment and ball used are suitable
to stop a match because of spectator interference or a problem in spectator areas

The Laws give these examples of stopping, suspending or abandoning:

inadequate floodlights
an object thrown by a spectator that hits a match official, player or team official: you can let the match continue, or stop, suspend or abandon it, depending on how serious it is
a spectator's whistle that interferes with play: stop play and restart with a dropped ball
an extra ball, object or animal on the field: stop play only if it interferes, then restart with a dropped ball

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.