The technical area is the space beside the pitch that takes in the designated seating for team officials, substitutes and substituted players. In the Premier League, it must include the trainers' bench and extend 1 m on each side of it and to within 1 m of the touchline.
The technical area under the Laws of the Game
The technical area is tied to stadiums that have a designated sitting area for team officials, substitutes and substituted players.
For the layout, the technical area should only extend 1 m on either side of the designated seated area and up to a distance of 1 m from the touchline. Markings should be used to define it. The number of people allowed to occupy it is defined by the competition rules.
The occupants are identified before the match in line with the competition rules. They must behave in a responsible manner and must remain within the confines of the area except in special circumstances, such as a physiotherapist or doctor entering the field of play, with the referee's permission, to assess an injured player.
Only one person at a time is authorised to convey tactical instructions from the technical area. That restriction is about the act of giving tactical instructions, not the total number of people present in the area.
Premier League bench and technical area requirements
Here are the Premier League requirements for the benches and the technical area.
| Item | Premier League rule |
|---|---|
| Trainers' benches | Separate benches for each club, adjacent to the pitch, clearly marked Home and Away, under cover, equidistant from the halfway line, with direct access onto the pitch |
| Seats on each bench | 16 |
| Extra positions for the visiting club's coaching and medical staff | 10 or more, in one self-contained area with access to the visiting bench |
| Size of the technical area | Includes the bench and extends 1 m either side of it and to within 1 m of the touchline |
| Boundaries | Clearly marked |
In Premier League matches, the trainers' bench is part of the technical area rather than a separate feature beside it. Each club must provide separate benches for the two teams, and the home club must also provide extra positions for the visiting club's coaching and medical staff in one self-contained area with access to the visiting bench.
People occupying the benches must display, throughout the match, the identification required and provided by the League.
Who may occupy it in Premier League matches
During a League Match, the technical area may be occupied only by substitutes and officials whose names appear on the team sheet. Communication with players is narrower still: only officials whose names appear on the team sheet and who are situated in the technical area may communicate instructions to players.
Both conditions matter. Being named on the team sheet is not enough on its own, and being in the technical area is not enough on its own, for an official to communicate instructions to players.
A player who is dismissed from the field of play must proceed immediately to the dressing room and may not occupy the technical area.
Behaviour and discipline inside the area
The technical area is not an unrestricted working space. Occupants must behave responsibly and must stay within its confines unless a special circumstance applies.
A team official is cautioned for clearly or persistently not respecting the confines of their team's technical area.
FAQ
How big is the technical area in the Premier League?
It includes the trainers' bench and extends 1 m on either side of it and to within 1 m of the touchline. Its boundaries must be clearly marked.
Who is allowed in the technical area?
Under the Laws, the permitted number is set by the competition rules and the occupants are identified before the match. In a Premier League match, only substitutes and officials named on the team sheet may occupy it.
How many coaches can give instructions from the technical area?
Only one person at a time is authorised to convey tactical instructions from the technical area. In the Premier League, that person must also be an official named on the team sheet and situated in the technical area.
How many seats are on a Premier League bench?
Each trainers' bench has 16 seats. The home club must also provide 10 or more extra positions for the visiting club's coaching and medical staff, in one self-contained area with access to the visiting bench.