Laws Examined
The Reasoning Behind the Laws
The ADG Recovery Interval
Law 1 establishes a single coin toss during the ADG Recovery Interval. The team that wins the toss chooses either the half of the field in which ADG will occur or whether to attack or defend first.
Law 2 gives the opposing team the remaining choice. This avoids a two-toss procedure in which one team may benefit from both the selected end and the starting order by chance alone, while preserving the tactical value of both decisions.
Law 3 describes how the referree is required to apply the ADG mark. The referee identifies the apex of the penalty arc and measures 10 yards forward in a straight line toward the halfway line. The 10-yard distance is paced in the same manner used to mark a defensive wall at a free kick. A circular mark, exactly the same size as the penalty mark, is applied using a template and chalk or quick-drying paint.
Law 4 is designed to encourage fair play. Teams who received red cards during normal play will be at a disadvantage during ADG. For instance, in a 11v10 scenario, the team with 11 players will have a contest where an attacker goes 1v1 against the goalkeeper.
Law 5 requires each team to designate their five attackers with the referee and centre circle assistant referee prior to the start of ADG. If a team has had a player or players sent off during the match, the law ensures the team still fields an attacker for five contests.
Law 6 is self-explanatory.
During ADG
Law 7 is identical to the law from Penalties (penalty shoot-out), which allows only the eligible players and match officials to remain on the field of play.
Law 8 is similar to the law from Penalties (penalty shoot-out), and requires the players who are currently not competing to remain within the centre circle in the disused half of the field. An assistant referee will supervise these players.
Law 9 describes how the centre circle referree is required to organise and supervise the players currently not competing. The organisational procedure is outlined in the Guidelines for Match Officials document.
Law 10 is similar to the law from Penalties (penalty shoot-out), which designates the positioning of the goalkeeper who is the team-mate of the current kicker.
Law 11 describes how a team will forfeit a contest if they are unable to field an attacker. This would occur if the player was sent off. Another example is an attacker who is injured, with his team having already their additional substitution.
Law 12 describes how the decision to field a specific defender is made only after seeing the opposition’s attacker.
Law 13 is self-explanatory.
Law 14 describes how an attacker is allowed to go 1v1 against the goalkeeper. This arises if one team begins ADG with more players than the opposition.
Law 15 is similar to The Start and Restart of Play law, which requires opponents to be at least 10 yards from the ball until it is in play.
Law 16 is self-explanatory.
Law 17 designates kick-off from the ADG mark. The law is designed to ensure a scoring rate of approximately 30%. Additionally, the apex of the penalty arc acts as a marker for the defender’s kick-off position.
Law 18 circumvents The Start and Restart of Play offence, which penalises the player taking the kick-off if they touch the ball again before it has touched another player.
Law 19 is self-explanatory.
Law 20 stipulates that a contest will end if the ball goes out of play. Both the referee and the assistant referee on the goal line will adjudicate on whether a ball is in or out of play.
Law 21 is self-explanatory.
Law 22 stipulates a time limit of 15 seconds. This mitigates against a standoff between the attacker and the defender and ensures a scoring rate of approximately 30%. Fifteen-seconds ensures urgency, but also provides ample time for unpredictable and exhilarating contests.
Law 23 is self-explanatory and an example is an attacker who loses possession of the ball and fouls the defender while trying to regain it.
Law 24 stipulates a penalty kick if the defender or goalkeeper commits a foul. As the 15‑second time limit is disregarded, the contest will conclude when one of the following occurs:
- A goal is scored.
- Goalkeeper controls ball with their hands inside the penalty area.
- The ball goes out of play.
- Attacker commits a foul or offence as per Law 25 or Law 26.
Law 25 is self-explanatory and an example is an attacker who during the penalty kick, feints to kick the ball after completing their run-up.
Law 26 is similar to the law from The Penalty Kick, which stipulates a free kick if the kicker touches the ball again before it has touched another player.
Law 27 is self-explanatory. Simulations estimate that dropped ball incidents will be exceedingly rare, with a rate of just 1 in 1000-1250 ADG tiebreakers.
Law 28 requires the referee and the centre circle assistant to keep a record of the contests. As each contest unfolds, they record: the defenders and goalkeepers, if a goal is scored, and the score.
Law 29 is identical to the law from Penalties (penalty shoot-out), which allows an outfield player to become the goalkeeper. This situation may arise if a goalkeeper is sent off or injured, with the team having already used their additional substitution.
Any on-field attacker or defender can become the goalkeeper, and this is regardless of whether the player has already competed in a contest.
Law 30 is self-explanatory and an example would be a team with an injured defender. A player who is already on the field may not change places with the injured player.
Of course, if the team still has their additional substitute available, they can simply replace the injured player with a substitute.
Subject to the conditions below, the teams play a total of ten contests
Law 31 is similar to the law from Penalties (penalty shoot-out), which requires five kicks to be taken alternately. The teams take attacking and defending.
Law 32 is self-explanatory and is similar to the law from Penalties (penalty shoot-out), where each kick is taken by a different player and all players must take a kick before any player can take a second kick.
Law 33 is self-explanatory and is similar to the law from Penalties (penalty shoot-out), where if one team has an unassailable lead, the match is over.
Law 34 is similar to the law from Penalties (penalty shoot-out), which describes the sudden‑death procedure that occurs if scores are still level after the ten kicks. The players from the first contest will now compete in the first sudden‑death contest.
Substitutions, cautions & sending-offs during ADG
Substitutions, cautions & sending-offs
Law 35 allows each team an additional substitute and substitution opportunity. If teams suffer an injury during ADG, the additional substitute ensures that they will not be unfairly disadvantaged.
Law 36 is similar to the law from The Players/Extra Time, and allows a team to utilise any of their unused substitutes and/or substitution opportunities during ADG.
Law 37 is similar to the law from The Players/Extra Time, and stipulates that substitutions made in the 10-minute Recovery Interval do not count as used substitution opportunities.
Law 38 addresses offences that deny the attacker an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO). With the attacker competing against just a defender and goalkeeper, every ADG contest provides a goal-scoring opportunity.
Therefore, to avoid an excessive number of sanctions, the punishments cannot be as severe as during normal play. Moreover, as a foul on the attacker always results in a penalty kick (a very good opportunity to score), the goal-scoring opportunity lost by the offence is always restored.
Regardless whether the offence occurs inside or outside the penalty area, if the foul is careless, the player is not cautioned or sent off.
However, to discourage unfair play and analogous to the IFAB’s current Laws of the Game, holding, pulling or pushing, or any offence which is not an attempt to play the ball or challenge for the ball, receives a yellow card. Of course, reckless or excessive force challenges remain yellow and red card offences, respectively.
Likewise, non-deliberate and deliberate handball remain yellow and red card offences, respectively.
Law 39 is identical to the law from Penalties (penalty shoot-out), and requires the referee to continue with ADG even in the event of a team having less than seven players on the field.
| Offence | Standard DOGSO Sanction * | ADG Sanction |
|---|---|---|
Careless foul | None | |
Reckless foul | ||
Holding, pulling or pushing, or no attempt to play the ball | ||
Excessive force foul | ||
Non-deliberate Handball | ||
Deliberate Handball |
* Denying an Obvious Goal-Scoring Opportunity within Penalty Area
DOGSO Sanctions: Because every defender or goalkeeper foul in ADG results in a penalty kick, the goal-scoring opportunity is restored. This allows sanctions to remain proportionate while preserving strong deterrence against unfair or dangerous play.