IFAB Laws of the Game · Law 6
Law 6: The Other Match Officials
Assistant referees, fourth official, VAR/AVAR — their duties, signals and how their information is used.
Law 6 practice questions
6 questions on
The Other Match Officials, each with the correct answer and an explanation of the
reasoning. These are drawn from the free question bank.
Question 1
Law 6
intro
Which of these is a duty of an assistant referee?
A
Indicating when the whole of the ball has left the field of play and which team is entitled to the restart
Correct answer
B
Awarding penalty kicks in their half of the field
C
Recording the official match time
D
Deciding the amount of additional time to be played
Why
Law 6: assistant referees indicate when the ball leaves the field and which team restarts, when an offside offence should be penalised, when a substitution is requested, and offences they see more clearly than the referee. Decisions remain the referee's.
Question 2
Law 6
standard
Which duty belongs to the fourth official?
A
Indicating the minimum additional time the referee has decided to play
Correct answer
B
Signalling offside offences on the far touch line
C
Deciding whether the ball has wholly crossed the goal line
D
Cautioning substitutes in the technical area
Why
Law 6: the fourth official assists with substitution procedure, indicates the minimum additional time decided by the referee, checks equipment, and reports irresponsible behaviour in the technical area — the referee takes any disciplinary action.
Question 3
Law 6
advanced
An assistant referee raises the flag for a foul, but the referee does not see it and allows play to restart with a throw-in. What is the position?
A
The signal can no longer be acted on — play has restarted
Correct answer
B
The referee must stop play and award the free kick retrospectively
C
The referee must caution the assistant referee's nearest player
D
The referee may act on the signal at any time before the end of the half
Why
Law 5 allows the referee to act on the advice of another match official only if play has not restarted. Once play has restarted, the earlier signal cannot change the decision, though misconduct can still be reported.
Question 4
Law 6
standard
Where are additional assistant referees (AARs), if appointed, typically positioned?
A
In line with the goal area/penalty area, to help with goal-line and penalty-area incidents
Correct answer
B
In the stands alongside the VAR team
C
At the halfway line only
D
Outside the stadium, monitoring entry
Why
Law 6: additional assistant referees are positioned in line with the goal line, near the goal area/penalty area at each end, to help adjudicate incidents there — including indicating when the whole ball has crossed the goal line for a goal.
Question 5
Law 6
standard
An assistant referee sees a serious act of violent conduct off the ball that the referee did not see and that play was not stopped for. What is the assistant referee's responsibility?
A
Submit a report to the appropriate authorities about the incident
Correct answer
B
Say nothing, since only the referee can act on misconduct
C
Show a card to the player directly
D
Wait until the player is next involved in play, then flag it
Why
Law 6 requires on-field match officials to report serious misconduct or other incidents that occurred out of the referee's view, even where the referee could not act on it during the match itself.
Question 6
Law 6
standard
During a penalty kick, what may the assistant referee specifically help judge?
A
Whether the goalkeeper moved off the goal line before the ball was kicked, and whether the ball crossed the line
Correct answer
B
The exact run-up distance of the kicker
C
Whether the kicker feinted illegally
D
The ball's exact pressure
Why
Law 6 lists goalkeeper encroachment and whether the ball has crossed the line among the things an assistant referee is well placed to help the referee judge during a penalty kick.