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.

A match is played by two teams, each with a maximum of eleven players; one must be the goalkeeper. A match may not start or continue if either team has fewer than seven players.
IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, page 59 · clause law-3-8042b526

Verdicts that turn on it 2

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

The match may not start or continueplayers
Play may continue for now, but not past the next stoppageplayers

Questions that ask it 3

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

What is being questioned?players
Which number is in question?players
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.