Law 6: The Other Match Officials Explained
Law 6 defines the roles and powers of assistant referees, the fourth official, additional assistant referees, and the video assistant referee (VAR). It explains when these officials may intervene and how their authority relates to the referee.
Key Points
- 1Assistant referees signal for offside, throw-ins, corner kicks, and goal kicks.
- 2The fourth official assists with substitutions, equipment, and off-field incidents.
- 3VAR is used only for clear and obvious errors in four categories: goals, penalty decisions, red card incidents, and mistaken identity.
- 4The referee is not obliged to act on an assistant referee's signal.
- 5Video assistant referees may only initiate a review for potential red card offences; they cannot check yellow cards.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can VAR review in football?
VAR can only review four categories of decision: (1) goal/no goal situations, (2) penalty/no penalty decisions, (3) direct red card incidents (not second yellow cards), and (4) cases of mistaken identity when the referee cautions or sends off the wrong player.
Can an assistant referee overrule the referee?
No. Assistant referees advise the referee but cannot overrule their decisions. The referee remains the final authority. However, with VAR, a referee may be advised to conduct an on-field review and change their original decision.
What is the fourth official's role during a match?
The fourth official assists with pre-match administration, manages substitutions, controls technical areas, signals added time, and reports misconduct by team officials to the referee.
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