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If the #referee stops play because a player has an actual or suspected head injury, the player:
➡️ may be assessed and treated on the field of play
➡️ must then leave the field of play
The following procedure will depend on the exact circumstances:
1. Play is stopped quickly due to a potential head injury, but it is immediately clear that the injury is not severe, and no assessment/requirement is required.
As the suspected head injury caused the game to be stopped, the player must still leave the field of play; however, competition organisers may decide that the player may be given permission to return by the referee after play restarts without having to wait one minute off the field of play.
2. Play is stopped for a head injury, and a player receives assessment/treatment on the field of play.
In this case, the player is required to leave the field of play for one minute. This period is important to medically evaluate whether it is safe for the player to continue playing.
3. Play is stopped for a head injury, and a player is unable to continue, so their team decides to make a substitution (e.g. when the player suffers an actual or suspected concussion).
The injured player may be replaced by a normal substitute or a concussion substitute, where the use of additional permanent concussion substitutions is allowed by the competition organiser (in accordance with The IFAB’s protocol).
Find out more:
➡️ Law 5.3: bit.ly/Referee_Powers
➡️ Off-field treatment and assessment protocol: bit.ly/Injuries_Treat…
➡️ Additional permanent concussion substitutions protocol: bit.ly/ConcussionSubs…
➡️ Circular 34 (July 2026): downloads.theifab.com/downloads/circ…View quoted post on X
