Selected IFAB Law Changes 2019-20
BASED ON: http://www.theifab.com
1. The coin toss (Law 8)
• Team winning the toss now chooses to:• Take the kick-off OR
• Choose the goal to attack
2. Disciplinary action against team officials (Law 12)
• Team officials (e.g. coaches) may be:• Warned
• Cautioned & shown the yellow card• Sent off & shown the red card
3. Dropped ball (Law 8)
EFFECTIVE FOR AYSO: August 1, 2019
Drop the ball to a SINGLE player in all cases
IF when play was stopped, the ball was INSIDE the penalty area or was LAST TOUCHED in the penalty area:
• Drop the ball to the goalkeeper
OTHERWISE, drop the ball:
• TO ONE PLAYER of the team that last touched the ball
• AT THE POINT of the last touch by a player, outside agent, or match official
IN ALL CASES, ALL OTHER PLAYERS (from both teams) must be at least 4.5 yards away
4. Ball hits a match official (Law 9)
• Drop the ball if the ball touches a match official, stays on the field, and• Goes into the goal OR
Page |1
Selected 2019-2020 Law ChangesAYSO Section 11May 31, 2019
• Team possession changes OR• A promising attack starts
5. Handling the ball (“handball offence”) (Law 12)
• It is an offence if a player:
Deliberately touches the ball with their hand/arm (no change here)
Gains possession/control of the ball after it has touched their hand/arm and then
• Scores in the opponents’ goal
• Creates a goal-scoring opportunity
Scores in the opponents’ goal directly from their hand/arm, even if accidental, including by the
goalkeeper
6. Goalkeeper handling changes (Laws 10 and 12)
Restart if the goalkeeper throws the ball directly into the opponents’ goal: goal kick (Law 10)
If the goalkeeper clearly kicks or attempts to kick the ball from a throw-in or deliberate kick from a team-
mate but the ‘clearance’ fails, the goalkeeper then can handle the ball (Law 12)
7. No attackers in the wall (Law 13)
IF three (or more) defenders form a wall for the taking of a free kick
THEN all attackers must be at least 1 yd from the wall until the ball is in play
RESTART FOR OFFENCE: Indirect free kick for the defending team
8. Penalty kick modifications (Law 14)
The goalkeeper must keep ONE FOOT on or above the line until the ball is kicked
The penalty kick taker, if assessed quickly for injury, does not have to leave & can take the kick (Law 5)
9. Goal kicks & defensive free kicks within a team’s own penalty area (Laws 16 and 13)
• The ball is in play when it is kicked and clearly movesPage |2
Selected 2019-2020 Law ChangesAYSO Section 11May 31, 2019
• The ball does NOT have to leave the penalty area to be in play
• Opponents STILL MUST remain outside the penalty area UNTIL the ball is in play
• B10U WITH BUILD-OUT LINE: On a goal kick, the opponents may cross the build-out line when the ball is in play (kicked and clearly moves). (Player Development Initiatives, not in the Laws of the Game)