NCAA Soccer Rules Questions and Interpretations
2023 Season, Volume 4
Rich Grady, Secretary-Rules Editor
This update includes issues addressed up to September 22, 2023. Volumes 1, 2, and 3 may be
viewed on Center Circle under Rules of the Game or the NCAA playing rules website under
Updates.
1. Team area behavior. There have been multiple examples of coaches leaving their
team and coaching areas to physically confront members of the opposing coaching
staff. This is completely unacceptable and needs to be punished as misconduct. If a
coach leaves their team area to confront another individual, it should be at least a
caution. If the confrontation becomes physical, the coach should be ejected under Rule
12.7.4.5 for other abusive, threatening or obscene language, behavior or conduct. See
this video for an example of a play where the officials correctly issued ejections.
2. Video review. Referees must meet with home team game management prior to the game
to determine if video review equipment is available. If available, video review shall be used
per Rule 5.7. Any device that is accessible to the referee at field level meets the requirement
of the rule. Devices in the team areas can be used to satisfy the requirement of an available
device, but they must be available to the referee on request. Coaches are not permitted to
use video devices as a basis for arguing decisions. Referees are expected to issue cautions
for this type of behavior.
3. Discretionary vs. mandatory cautions. This was addressed in Volume 3, but it continues
to be an area of concern. Removal of a jersey in celebration of a goal is not a mandatory
caution under NCAA rules. Rule 12.4.3.5 lists some acts that could be considered
unsporting behavior, “including taunting, excessive celebration, simulating a foul,
exaggerating an injury, baiting, substituting illegally or ridiculing another player, bench
personnel, officials or spectators.” Because the official time is stopped after a goal is scored,
officials should not be looking for reasons to caution players for celebrating goals unless
the player’s actions clearly cross the line into taunting the opposing team or their
spectators. Scoring a game-winning goal is a life-long memory for a player. Let them enjoy
the moment with their teammates unless they do something that clearly displays poor
sportsmanship.
4. Reporting of violent behavior II and fighting ejections. The determination that an
ejection is for fighting or violent behavior II must be made before play restarts following
the ejection. If available, video review may be used to assist in this determination. Referees
are not permitted to retroactively upgrade an ejection after watching the video once the
match is over. This example was called violent behavior I on the field, but it reported as
violent behavior II when the referee watched video after the match. Cards must be reported
as they were called on the field.
5. Substitution rules. If a player is removed from the game for a bleeding injury or for a
potential concussion, and they are not replaced by a substitute, they are eligible to return
during the run of play as per Rule 3.6.3.5 as long as they have been cleared by the
Soccer Rules Questions/Interps
Volume 4
September 22, 2023
Page No. 2
appropriate medical personnel (possible concussion) or an official (in the case of a bleeding
injury).
6. Abusive language. Rule 12.7.4.5 provides for the ejection of individuals who use abusive,
threatening, or obscene language. Officials need to correctly identify and punish abusive
language with a red card rather than a yellow card for dissent. The following are direct
quotes from ejection reports of remarks which were punished with only a caution:
• In the 47
th
minute of play, Player A got in the face of the referee and screamed,
"You're <expletive> horrible." Player A received a caution for dissent. A few
seconds later, at the same stoppage in play, Player A again went at the referee and
continued to scream, "You're <expletive> horrible," in the face of the referee.
Player A was shown the second caution for dissent and the subsequent red card in
the 47
th
minute.
• In the 86
th
minute of the match, Player B was shown the red card and sent off for
receiving a second caution in the same match. Player B was issued a second caution
for dissent. Player B told the referee to "Go <expletive> yourself" in an open, loud
and clear manner.
• Player X was shown a second caution in the 67
th
for dissent shouting “You are
<expletive> crazy!” directly at me.
• Player Z publicly decried the call and loudly told the referee they were
"<expletive> terrible". Player Z was issued their second caution resulting in an
ejection from the match.
Language that is personal and abusive in nature must be punished with a straight red
card.
7. Cards issued in final five minutes. Rule 5.6.2 permits the referee to allow the clock to
continue to run when the losing team is issued a caution or ejection in the last five minutes
of the game. The intent of the rule is that the fouling team should not be rewarded for their
misconduct, particularly if the conduct is a cynical play that is designed to force the referee
to stop the clock. If there is an injury, or other lengthy delay, the clock should be stopped,
but referees should err on the side of keeping the clock running in these situations.
