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ADG Rules
ADG Rules
Football Rules
In 2023 the IFAB launched “Football Rules”, a simplified version of the laws, designed to increase the awareness of the rules to a wider audience. IFAB says, “This simplified version has a more common and straightforward language and uses a simpler structure, to provide an easier understanding of the rules for fans and football enthusiasts.”
The following ADG rules are written in a style and tone consistent with the Football Rules document. Whether the laws or the rules are easier for you to comprehend will be determined by your knowledge of football and your specific role within the sport.
Attacker Defender Goalkeeper (ADG)
ADG occurs after normal play has ended (with or without extra time, depending on the competition rules), with the scores still level, and when a winning team is required.
ADG features a series of ten contests, where the attacker kicks off from 32 yards and has 20 seconds to score a goal against a defender and goalkeeper.
The teams alternate between attacking and defending. If one team scores more goals than the other team could score even if they were to score in all their remaining contests, they are the winners.
If the initial round does not produce a winner, ADG continues into sudden death, where single contests continue with the same order of players until one team has scored more than the other after the same number of contests.
Before ADG starts
Yellow cards and warnings issued to players and team officials during the game are carried forward into ADG.
Only players playing at the end of the game (including those off the pitch injured, changing boots, etc.) and eligible substitutes are allowed to compete.
Only the above players and match officials are permitted on the pitch.
If one team has more players than the other (e.g. because a player was sent off or injured and not replaced), the team with more players maintains that advantage.
Teams receive an additional substitute and substitution opportunity.
If teams haven’t used all their substitutes and/or substitution opportunities, any unused substitutes and opportunities can be used.
Any substitutions between the end of normal play and the start of ADG are not counted as used substitution opportunities.
The referee:
- tosses a coin to decide which half of the pitch to use (unless one half cannot be used, e.g. lots of water on the pitch, security reasons, etc.)
- tosses the coin again and the captain that wins the toss chooses whether to attack or defend first
- records each team’s five attackers and their order in the ADG scorecard
During ADG
All players except the two goalkeepers, and the current attacker and defender, must be in the centre circle in the disused half of the pitch.
Each attacker must compete in their designated contest, as recorded on the referee’s score sheet. Eg: Number 5 from Team A is their first attacker. (Refer to the scoresheet examples)
Players designated as attackers are ineligible as defenders. (i.e., when a defender walks forward, the referee checks their scorecard to see that the player isn’t a designated attacker.)
If a team doesn’t field an attacker (eg: a player was sent off), the team forfeits that contest.
Only after the defending team has identified the opposing attacker, are they required to field their defender.
If a team doesn’t field a defender (eg: a team begins ADG with more players), the attacker goes 1v1 against the goalkeeper.
Half the field is in play.
A defender or goalkeeper who denies the attacker an obvious goal-scoring opportunity is not cautioned or sent off unless:
- the offence is holding, pulling or pushing, or there is no attempt to play the ball or challenge for the ball, in which case the player is cautioned
- the offence is always punishable by a yellow or red card. (e.g. reckless or excessive force challenge)
- the offence is handball, in which case the player is sent off
If an incident occurs that would normally require a dropped ball, the contest is restarted.
Except for each team’s goalkeeper, a player can’t compete again until all players have competed in a contest.
If a team has six or fewer players, the match continues.
The ball:
- must be touching or overhanging the centre of the ADG mark
- must be stationary (not moving) before the contest starts
The goalkeeper:
- must be at least 9.15m (10 yards) from the ball until it is in play
- of the attacking team waits at the junction of the goal line and the penalty area line (on the same side as the assistant referee, if there is one)
Any player competing in ADG may change places with the goalkeeper, as long as the referee is informed. This is the only instance where players may change places.
The defender must be at least 9.15m (10 yards) from the ball until it is in play.
The attacker:
- kicks off from the ADG mark, which is 29.26m (32 yards) from the goal line
- may touch the ball an unlimited number of times
- must kick the ball forwards (but can backheel it towards the goal)
The referee:
- makes sure that the ball is in the correct position
- blows the whistle for the contest to start
- adjudicates on the play (the assistant referee aids the referee with decisions when required and also checks if the ball crosses the goal line before 20 seconds expire)
- keeps a record of each contest (jersey number of defenders and goalkeepers), as well as who scores and who doesn’t, and the overall score
The contest is completed when the ball:
- enters the goal
- is saved by the goalkeeper
- goes out of play
or
- if the 20-second time limit expires
or
- if the attacker commits a foul
If the defender or goalkeeper commits a foul:
- the attacker is awarded a penalty kick
- the 20-second time limit is ignored
If a penalty kick is awarded, the contest is completed when the ball:
- enters the goal
- is saved by the goalkeeper
- goes out of play
or
- if before the penalty kick has been taken, the attacker commits an offence that would normally result in the defending team receiving an indirect free kick
- if after the penalty kick the attacker touches the ball again (with any part of the body), before it has touched another player
- One assistant referee stands in the centre circle of the disused half of the field and supervises the players currently not competing.
- The other assistant referee stands on the goal line.
- The attacking team’s goalkeeper remains behind the goal line assistant referee.
- The referee is positioned for a kick-off.
- The attacker kicks off from the ADG mark, which is 29.26m (32 yards) from the goal line.
- The defender and goalkeeper must be at least 9.15m (10 yards) from the ball until it is in play.
