Law 4: The Players' Equipment
The 60 provisions of this law that Ruleside argues from, in the order they are printed. Each one has its own address and lists every verdict, incident and rules page that turns on it.
Jump to a section (10)
1. Safety
- A player must not use equipment or wear anything that is dangerous.p67 · cited by 5 pages
- Accessories are permitted as long as they are not dangerous and are safely and securely covered. Dangerous items must be removed and not taped or covered.p67 · cited by 6 pages
- The players must be inspected before the start of the match and substitutes before they enter the field of play. If a player is wearing or using unauthorised/ dangerous equipment or accessories, the referee must order the player to:p67 · cited by 4 pages
2. Compulsory equipment
- a shirt with sleevesp67 · 1
- shortsp67 · 1
- socks – tape or any material applied or worn externally must be the same colour as that part of the sock it is applied to or coversp67 · 1
- shinguards – these must be made of a suitable material and be of an appropriate size to provide reasonable protection and be covered by the socks. Players are responsible for the size and suitability of their shinguardsp67 · 1
- footwearp67 · 1
- The team captain must wear the armband issued or authorised by the relevant competition organiser, or a single-coloured armband that may also have the word ‘captain' or the letter ‘C' or a translation thereof, which should also be a single colour (see also ‘General modifications').p67 · cited by 1 page
- A player whose footwear or shinguard is lost accidentally must replace it as soon as possible and no later than when the ball next goes out of play; if before doing so the player plays the ball and/or scores a goal, the goal is awarded.p68 · cited by 1 page
Colours
- The two teams must wear colours that distinguish them from each other and the match officialsp68 · 3
- Each goalkeeper must wear colours that are distinguishable from the other players and the match officialsp68 · 3
- If the two goalkeepers' shirts are the same colour and neither has another shirt, the referee allows the match to be playedp68 · 2
4. Other equipment
Head covers
- be black or the same main colour as the shirt (provided that the players of the same team wear the same colour)p68 · 2
- be in keeping with the professional appearance of the player's equipmentp68 · 1
- not be attached to the shirtp69 · 1
- not be dangerous to the player wearing it or any other player (e.g. opening/ closing mechanism around neck)p69 · 1
- not have any part(s) extending out from the surface (protruding elements)p69 · 1
Electronic communication
Electronic performance and tracking systems (EPTS)
- Where wearable technology (WT) as part of electronic performance and tracking systems (EPTS) is used in matches played in an official competition organised under the auspices of FIFA, confederations or national football associations, the competition organiser must ensure that the technology attached to the players' equipment is not dangerous and meets the requirements for wearable EPTS under the FIFA Quality Programme for EPTS.p69 · cited by 1 page
- Where EPTS are provided by the match or competition organiser, it is the responsibility of that match or competition organiser to ensure that the information and data transmitted from EPTS to the technical area during matches played in an official competition are reliable and accurate.p69 · cited by 1 page
- The FIFA Quality Programme for EPTS supports competition organisers with the approval process of reliable and accurate electronic performance and tracking systems.p69 · cited by 1 page
5. Slogans, statements, images and advertising
- Equipment must not have any political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images. Players must not reveal undergarments that show political, religious,p69 · cited by 2 pages
- personal slogans, statements or images, or advertising other than the manufacturer's logo. For any offence the player and/or the team will be sanctioned by the competition organiser, national football association or by FIFA.p70 · cited by 2 pages
- Law 4 applies to all equipment (including clothing) worn by players, substitutes and substituted players; its principles also apply to all team officials in the technical areap70 · 2
- The following are (usually) permitted:p70 · 1
- the player's number, name, team crest/logo, initiative slogans/emblems promoting the game of football, respect and integrity as well as any advertising permitted by competition rules or national FA, confederation or FIFA regulationsp70 · 1
- the facts of a match: teams, date, competition/event, venuep70 · 1
- Permitted slogans, statements or images should be confined to the shirt front and/or armbandp70 · 2
- In some cases, the slogan, statement or image might only appear on the captain's armbandp70 · 2
Interpreting the Law
- using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or action(s)p70 · 1
- acting in a provocative, derisory or inflammatory wayp70 · 2
- Any slogan, statement or image which falls into any of these categories is not permitted.p70 · cited by 1 page
- Whilst ‘religious' and ‘personal' are relatively easily defined, ‘political' is less clear but slogans, statements or images related to the following are not permitted:p70 · cited by 1 page
- any person(s), living or dead (unless part of the official competition name)p70 · 1
- any local, regional, national or international political party/organisation/ group, etc.p70 · 1
- any local, regional or national government or any of its departments, offices or functionsp71 · 1
- any organisation which is discriminatoryp71 · 1
- any organisation whose aims/actions are likely to offend a notable number of peoplep71 · 1
- any specific political act/eventp71 · 1
- When commemorating a significant national or international event, the sensibilities of the opposing team (including its supporters) and the general public should be carefully considered.p71 · cited by 1 page
- Competition rules may contain further restrictions/limitations, particularly in relation to the size, number and position of permitted slogans, statements and images. It is recommended that disputes relating to slogans, statements or images be resolved prior to a match/competition taking place.p71 · cited by 2 pages
6. Offences and sanctions
- is instructed by the referee to leave the field of play to correct the equipmentp71 · 2
- leaves when play stops, unless the equipment has already been correctedp71 · 2
Provisions this site does not cite are not listed, so this is not a copy of the Laws. The full text is published by The IFAB. All laws.