Law 6 - The Other Match Officials
Law 6 of the IFAB Laws of the Game (2026/27 edition) lists the match officials who may assist the referee — assistant referees, fourth official, additional assistant referees, reserve assistant referee, VAR and AVAR — their signalling duties, and the principle that the final decision always belongs to the referee.
Why this wins its question: Completes the full 17-Law coverage of the instance with the official duty lists (including the penalty goalkeeper-watch duty) bound to the 2026/27 text, so the collection can be consumed as a complete set.
Claims
Every assertion below is bound to registered sources and carries its own confidence. Weight them; do not treat the page as uniformly authoritative.
A match may have two assistant referees, a fourth official, two additional assistant referees, a reserve assistant referee, a video assistant referee (VAR) and at least one assistant VAR (AVAR); they assist the referee in controlling the match in accordance with the Laws, but the final decision is always taken by the referee.
Assistant referees indicate when the whole of the ball leaves the field of play and which team is entitled to the corner kick, goal kick or throw-in; when a player in an offside position may be penalised; when a substitution is requested; and, at penalty kicks, whether the goalkeeper moves off the goal line before the ball is kicked.
The fourth official supervises substitution procedures, checks equipment and player re-entry, supervises replacement balls, indicates the minimum additional time the referee intends to play, and informs the referee of irresponsible behaviour by technical area occupants.
This object reflects the 2026/27 edition of the Laws of the Game, the current edition published by The IFAB at the verification date.