This document provides guidance for referees on officiating final series football matches. It discusses how finals series football differs from regular season matches in terms of stakes and intensity. It recommends preparations like player and technical area management. It describes refereeing priorities during matches like ensuring a fair result. It outlines procedures for extra time, penalty shootouts, and substitutions if a team has fewer than 7 players during kicks from the penalty mark. The document concludes with answers to refereeing questions on these finals series procedures.

1. Final series fooball

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General

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Background
• What make final series football different?
• What makes finals series football the same?

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Preparation
• How should we prepare for finals series football matches?
• What should we do pre-match?

5. • Player management
• Technical area management
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During the match

6. • What does a “win” look like for the referee team in finals series
football?
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Outcome

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Extra time

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Extra time
If the match ends in a draw, two halves of extra time will be played.
There is to be a short break of no more than 5 minutes after the
completion of ordinary time before the commencement of extra time.
Extra time periods
• Under 12 up to and including Under 18 – 10 minute halves
• Senior Competitions – 15 minute halves

9. • During the break before commencement of extra time conduct the
coin toss with captains and explain how extra time will work
including:
• the duration of extra time;
• that there is no break at half time of extra time – the players are
entitled to a quick drink whilst changing ends;
• there is no golden goal – both halves of extra time must be
played in full
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Extra time (cont)

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Kicks from the penalty mark

11. • If the game is drawn at the end of extra time, the winner is to be
determined by kicks from the penalty mark.
• At the end of extra time, ensure all players remain on the field – there is
to be no interchange or substitution allowed except for a goalkeeper who
is unable to continue due to injury.
• The 4th official or Assistant Referee 1 should assist with this.
• In games up to and including Under 15, one coach is permitted to come
onto the field during the penalty shootout.
• In all other grades, no other substitutes or team officials are allowed onto
the field.
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Kicks from the penalty mark

12. • Both captains will need to be present for further coin tosses;
• The first coin toss is to determine which goal to use – one goal is
heads, the other goal will be tails.
• The second coin toss is to determine who will take the first kick –
the winner of the coin toss chooses.
• If there is a safety concern regarding the use of a goal, the referee
may choose to use the other goal without a coin toss.
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Penalty Shootout – Coin Toss

13. • If before or during the kicks, one team has a greater number of
players than its opponents, that team must reduce its numbers to
the same number as its opponents.
• The referee must be informed of the name and number of the player
excluded.
• For example, if a player has been sent off during the match, or
during the penalty shootout, the other team must also have a player
sit out of the penalty shootout.
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Penalty Shootout – Equal the teams

14. • All eligible players (including the coach up to and including U15),
except the player taking the kick and two goalkeepers, must remain
in the centre circle.
• The goalkeeper of the kicker must remain on the field of play,
outside the penalty area, on the goal line where it meets the penalty
area boundary line.
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Penalty shootout – player location

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Penalty shootout – player location
except for up to &
including U15
AR should be
standing so they can
see all players in the
centre circle

16. • An eligible player (a player who finished the match either on the field or
temporarily off the field e.g. injured player being treated) may change
places with the goalkeeper at any time.
• The team chooses the order in which their eligible players will take the
kicks. The referee is not informed of the order.
• The kick is completed when the ball stops moving, goes out of play or the
referee stops play for any infringement of the Laws.
• All eligible players including the goalkeeper must take a kick before any
player can take a second kick. The team does not necessarily have to
take the kicks in the same order for their second kicks.
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Penalty shootout - procedure

17. INFRINGEMENTS DURING KICKS FROM THE PENALTY MARK
GOAL NO GOAL
Offence by goalkeeper Goal
Kick is retaken and
goalkeeper is warned (first
time) and then cautioned
Ball kicked backwards
Kick is missed and caution for
kicker
Kick is missed and caution for
kicker
Illegal feinting
Kick is missed and caution for
kicker
Kick is missed and caution for
kicker
Goalkeeper and kicker
infringe at the same time
Kick is missed and caution for
kicker
Kick is missed and caution for
kicker
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Penalty shootout - infringements

18. • If a goalkeeper is unable to continue before or during the kicks, they
may be replaced by a named substitute, or a player excluded to
equalise the number of players, but take no further part in the
penalty shootout and may not take a kick.
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Penalty shootout – injured goalkeeper

19. • A player or substitute may be cautioned or sent off during the
penalty shootout.
• A goalkeeper who is sent off must be replaced by an eligible player
(a player who ended the match on the field).
• A player other than a goalkeeper who is unable to continue may not
be replaced.
• The referee must not abandon the match if a team is reduced to
fewer than seven players.
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Penalty shootout – substitutions & send offs

20. • Kicks are taken alternately by the teams.
• Each team takes five kicks unless, if before both teams have taken
five kicks, one team has scored more goals than the other could
score, even if it were to complete its five kicks, no more kicks are
taken.
• If, after both teams have taken five kicks, the scores are level, kicks
continue one each until one team has scored more than the other
team from the same number of kicks.
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Penalty shootout – determining the winner

21. • What does the referee do if a team has fewer than 7 players during
kicks from the penalty mark?
• Keep refereeing
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Questions

22. • A player is cautioned during extra time. The same player receives a
caution during kicks from the penalty mark. What is your decision?
• Warnings & cautions issued during the match (including extra time)
are not carried forward into kicks from the penalty mark. The player
is not sent off but both cautions are reported to MFA.
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Questions

23. • A player is sent off during kicks from the penalty mark. What is your
decision?
• The player must leave the field of play and take no further part in the
match. The other team must reduce by 1 player so that that both
teams have equal players. The referee must be informed which
player is being withdrawn.
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Questions

24. Questions?
Program References
FIFA Referee development program resources (various)
AFC Referee development program resources (various)
FFA 2021/2022 Laws of the Game
Referee training program resources (various)
Football NSW Referee development & training program resources (various)
MDFRA Referee development & training program resources (various)