A Premier League manager serving an ordinary touchline ban must sit in the directors' box, cannot go near the dugout or shout instructions, and cannot be on the touchline before or after the match. He may still use the changing rooms, contact the dugout only by phone or runner, and do pre-match and post-match media duties.
The three levels of suspension
Here are the three levels and what each one adds.
| Level | What it adds |
|---|---|
| Touchline suspension | Sit in the directors' box, no dugout area, no shouting instructions, off the touchline and pitch before and after, no contact with the match officials team |
| Extended touchline suspension | All of the above, plus no changing rooms or field of play from 30 minutes before kick-off to 30 minutes after the end, half time included |
| Ground suspension | Away from the stadium and the land around it from three hours before kick-off to three hours after, no contact with anyone in the technical area during the match, live feed only |
These are separate levels with tighter limits at each step. A standard touchline suspension removes the manager from the touchline environment; an extended one adds a timed bar on the changing rooms and field of play; a ground suspension keeps him away from the stadium itself for a defined part of matchday.
What an ordinary touchline suspension stops and still allows
The basic rule is simple: the manager takes a seat in the directors' box. If no seat is available there, he must move to a place in the stand that is away from opposition supporters and away from the vicinity of the technical area, and he cannot position himself in or behind the dugout area.
He cannot shout instructions to people in the technical area or to players on the field. He is also barred from being on the touchline or on the field of play before and after the match, and he must not try to make contact with any member of the match officials team at any stage, including assessors and match delegates.
Communication with the bench is still allowed, but only in controlled forms. He may speak to people in the dugout by telephone, by a runner, or by another electronic device such as a radio or mobile phone.
He may still enter the changing rooms before kick-off, at half time and after the match. He may also carry out pre-match and post-match press interviews.
What an extended suspension and a ground suspension add
An extended touchline suspension includes every restriction in the ordinary version and then adds a fixed time window. From 30 minutes before kick-off until 30 minutes after the end of the match, the manager may not enter the changing rooms or the field of play. That window also covers half time, extra time and kicks from the penalty mark.
A ground suspension, which a regulatory commission orders, goes further. On the day of the match, the manager may not enter the stadium or the land immediately surrounding it during the period that starts three hours before the scheduled kick-off and ends three hours after the match finishes.
There is a narrow exception for essential non-sporting administrative or operational duties, but only if those duties have to be done by him. Even then, they can only be carried out three hours or more before kick-off, or more than three hours after full time.
During the match itself, the communication bar is wider than under a standard touchline suspension. From the start of the match until the final whistle, with half time included, he may not communicate directly or indirectly with any club official, player or occupant of the technical area.
He may watch a live feed of the match, but he cannot take up any position that lets him watch it directly, such as a surrounding building overlooking the ground.
How the suspension is served
A touchline suspension applies across every level of football played during the period of the ban. That includes first-team, reserve, youth and friendly matches.
Only fully completed matches count towards serving it. If a match is abandoned or postponed, it does not count.
FAQ
Can a manager under a touchline ban still talk to the bench?
Yes, but not by standing near the technical area and calling instructions. The permitted routes are telephone, a runner, or another electronic device such as a radio or mobile phone.
Where does a banned manager sit?
The normal place is the directors' box. If that seat is unavailable, he must sit elsewhere in the stand, away from opposition supporters and away from the vicinity of the technical area, and not in or behind the dugout area.
What does a ground suspension mean?
It means the manager must stay away from the stadium and the land around it for a set part of matchday. During the match, with half time included, he cannot communicate directly or indirectly with any club official, player or person in the technical area. He may watch a live feed, but may not take up a position that lets him watch the match directly.
Does the ban apply to youth matches as well?
Yes. The suspension covers every level of football played during the period, including first-team, reserve, youth and friendly matches.