2. Dropped ball
The provision as it is printed, and everything on Ruleside that turns on it.
If, when play was stopped:
· the ball was outside the penalty area, the referee drops it for one player of the team that would have retained or gained possession (including from the restart if the ball would have gone out of play) if this can be determined by the referee; otherwise, it is dropped for one player of the team that last touched it. The ball is dropped at its position when play was stopped, unless it hit a match official or outside agent, in which case it is dropped at the position of the interference/contact
Verdicts that turn on it 5
Walk the tree to any of these and this clause is part of the answer.
- Dropped for one player of the team that would have had possessionball-in-play
- Dropped for one player of the team that last touched itball-in-play
- Dropped at the ball's position when play was stoppedball-in-play
- Dropped where the interference or contact happenedball-in-play
- Dropped ball: the ball became defective in open playball-in-play
Changed for 2026/27 1
What this provision replaced, and when it took effect.
Questions that ask it 3
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 The Start and Restart of Play that Ruleside cites.