USSF Laws of the Game

We officiate soccer games according to the "Laws of the Game", issued annually by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). They owe their origins to the "Rules of Association Football", written in London in 1863.

They can be downloaded here, but are most easily accessed on the IFAB smartphone app. Printed copies can be purchased from Official Sports.

An important additional document, intended to help a referee's analysis of situations and communication between officials, players and coaches, is called the "Considerations". Click on the link to download a copy.

Law 10 (1863): "Neither tripping nor hacking [kicking] shall be allowed and no player shall use his hands to hold or push his adversary."

High school soccer uses a specific version of the laws, modified to reflect the educational context of these games. Printed and online editions of these rules are provided to referees when they register with the NFHS.