Ruleside
Law 12: Fouls and MisconductViolent conduct·Page 125, 2026/27 edition

Violent conduct

The provision as it is printed, and everything on Ruleside that turns on it.

In addition, a player who, when not challenging for the ball, deliberately strikes an opponent or any other person on the head or face with the hand or arm, is guilty of violent conduct unless the force used was negligible.

IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, page 125 · clause law-12-701cf3ca

Verdicts that turn on it 2

Walk the tree to any of these and this clause is part of the answer.

Explained in the rules library 2

The plain-language pages that build on this provision.

Applied in these incidents 1

Real decisions where this clause decided what should have happened.

Questions that ask it 2

Points in a walk where the reader is deciding this provision.

The Laws of the Game are published by The IFAB and quoted here for the purpose of explaining the decisions on this site. Ruleside is not affiliated with The IFAB or FIFA. Every clause of Fouls and Misconduct that Ruleside cites.