The Laws of the Game

Who decides the Laws of the Game?

The game's Laws are developed and maintained by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), providing the framework for every match played across the world.

Founded in 1886, The IFAB is the independent body responsible for setting, amending and clarifying the Laws of the Game. Potential law changes are discussed throughout each season, with input from a wide range of football stakeholders, including referees, players, coaches, technical experts and representatives from UEFA and other confederations.

Law changes are approved at The IFAB's Annual General Meeting before coming into effect at the start of a new football season.

The IFAB also has a more accessible simplified version of the official Laws of the Game, named Football Rules.

Designed to make the Laws easier to understand, Football Rules uses straightforward language and a simpler structure than the official Laws of the Game book.

The new edition is the perfect accompaniment for young people, potential or newly qualified referees, adults who referee occasionally, players, coaches (including those working towards a coaching qualification), fans and the media.

Clear Line: Bringing clarity to key decisions

From offside and handball decisions to penalty-area incidents and VAR interventions, applying the Laws consistently remains a fundamental objective in UEFA competitions.

To help explain how these laws are interpreted, we launched Clear Line, a refereeing platform offering greater insight into decision-making on the pitch and in the VAR booth.

Using videos from real situations, Clear Line explains how the Laws of the Game are applied in specific situations, explaining the reasoning behind some of football's most debated decisions.

The platform complements our ongoing work to educate and support referees across Europe while helping fans gain a deeper understanding of the game and its laws.

Consistency in VAR decision-making

Video Assistant Referees (VAR) play an important role in supporting on-field officials, and consistency remains a key objective across UEFA competitions. Our standardised VAR review process outlines the structured four-step methodology that referees should follow when reviewing incidents at the pitch-side monitor, from identifying the offence and assessing the technical details to evaluating the context of the action and reaching a final decision.

By promoting a common approach to VAR reviews, we aim to achieve clarity and consistency across the whole of European football.