Law 3: The Players1. Number of players·Page 59, 2026/27 edition

1. Number of players

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

If a team has fewer than seven players because one or more players has deliberately left the field of play, the referee is not obliged to stop play and the advantage may be played, but the match must not resume after the ball has gone out of play if a team does not have the minimum number of seven players.
IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, page 59 · clause law-3-565341e4

Verdicts that turn on it 1

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

Play may continue for now, but not past the next stoppageplayers

Questions that ask it 1

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

Is the team below seven players because one or more of them deliberately left the field?players

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 The Players that Ruleside cites.