Soccer Referee Signals Flashcards

Referee Signals Overview

• Caution/Sendoff: Yellow or Red card raised above the referee’s head indicates a player has been cautioned or sent off.
• Advantage: Referee displays both arms extended and refrains from blowing the whistle for about 3 seconds to allow play to continue after a foul.
• Direct Free Kick: Referee points in the direction where the free kick is to be taken, allowing a direct shot on goal.
• Indirect Free Kick: Referee raises one arm until the ball is played and touched by another player, indicating that the kick cannot result in a goal directly.

Goal Kicks

• Goal Kick: Referee points to the corner of the goal area indicating where the goal kick should be taken from.
• Goal Kick - Assistant Referee: Assistant Referee points their flag at the goal area to indicate the location for the goal kick.

Corner Kicks

• Corner Kick: Referee points toward the corner of the field to signify where the corner kick will be taken from.
• Corner Kick - Assistant Referee: Assistant Referee flags the corner area to indicate where the corner should be taken.

Penalty Kicks

• Penalty Kick: Referee points to the penalty mark, indicating where the penalty kick is to be taken.
• Penalty Kick - Assistant Referee: Assistant Referee raises the flag straight up, signaling a penalty kick, and makes small waving motions before positioning at the corner flag.

Substitutions and Throws

• Substitution: Assistant Referee signals for a substitution by raising the flag overhead with both hands.
• Throw In: Referee points in the direction of the attacking team that awarded the throw-in after the ball goes out of play.
• Throw In - Assistant Referee: Signals by stopping movement, raising the flag straight up, then lowering it at a 45-degree angle to indicate the direction of the throw.

Offside

• Offside: Referee signals an offside call by blowing the whistle and raising an arm straight up, maintaining the signal until the next player touches the ball.
• Offside - Assistant Referee: Signals offside with the flag held straight up above their head to notify the referee of the violation.
• Offside Location: After signaling offside, the Assistant Referee shows the location of the infraction using flag positions: low for near side, middle for center, high for far side.

Goals

• Goal: Referee indicates a goal has been scored by pointing toward the center circle for the next kickoff and moves to the kickoff position.
• Goal - Assistant Referee: Confirms a goal by sprinting towards the halfway line and then positioning for the kickoff, ensuring visibility of the signal.