A touch on the referee or another match official does not, by itself, stop play. It puts the ball out of play only when the ball stays on the field and then a team starts a promising attack, the ball goes directly into the goal, or possession changes. The restart is then a dropped ball.
When the ball is out of play
The ball is out of play when it has wholly crossed the goal line or touchline, on the ground or in the air, or when the referee has stopped play.
A touch on a match official is a separate case. The decision does not turn on the contact by itself. It turns on what happens next, and whether the ball stayed on the field of play after the touch.
Outcomes after the ball touches a match official
Here are the outcomes when the ball touches a match official and remains on the field.
| What follows the touch | The ball is |
|---|---|
| A team starts a promising attack | Out of play; restart with a dropped ball |
| The ball goes directly into the goal | Out of play; restart with a dropped ball |
| The team in possession changes | Out of play; restart with a dropped ball |
| Anything else | Still in play |
In every other case where the ball touches a match official and stays on the field of play, it remains in play.
All three outcomes require that the ball touched a match official and then stayed on the field of play. If the ball has already gone out, the decision comes from the normal out-of-play rule instead.
Which touches stop play
A touch on a match official does not stop play by itself. The touch stops play only when the ball stays on the field and one of the three listed outcomes follows; the restart is then a dropped ball.
How this differs from the post, bar and corner flagpost
If the ball rebounds from a goalpost, the crossbar or a corner flagpost and stays on the field of play, it remains in play. There is no special stoppage just because the ball came back off one of those objects.
With the post, bar or corner flagpost, the key point is whether the ball has gone out. With a match official, there is an extra check for the three listed outcomes after the touch.
FAQ
Can a goal count if the ball goes in off the referee?
No. If the ball touches the referee or another match official, stays on the field, and then goes directly into the goal, play is stopped and restarted with a dropped ball.
Does the ball stay in play if it bounces off the referee?
The touch alone does not take it out of play. It does so only if the ball stays on the field and then a team starts a promising attack, the ball goes directly into the goal, or the team in possession changes. Otherwise the usual rule applies: the ball is out of play once it has wholly passed over the goal line or touchline, or once the referee has stopped play.
Is the ball still in play if it hits the post?
Yes, as long as it stays on the field of play. The same applies when it rebounds from the crossbar or a corner flagpost.
Is the referee part of the pitch?
A touch on a match official is not treated like a rebound off a goalpost, crossbar or corner flagpost. After such a rebound, the ball stays in play as long as it remains on the field; after a touch on a match official, the ball is out of play if it stays on the field and then a team starts a promising attack, the ball goes directly into the goal, or the team in possession changes.