An indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a goalkeeper, inside his/her own penalty area, commits any of the following four offenses:
• Takes more than six seconds while controlling the ball with his hands before releasing it from his possession
• Touches the ball again with his hands after it has been released from his/her possession and has not touched any other player
• Touches the ball with his/her hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a team-mate
• Touches the ball with his/her hands after receiving it directly from a throw-in taken by a team-mate
An indirect free kick is also awarded to the opposing team if a player, in the opinion of the referee:
• Plays in a dangerous manner
• Impedes the progress of an opponent
• Prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from his hands
• Commits any other offense, not previously mentioned in Law 12 (see below), for which play is stopped to caution or dismiss a player
A player is cautioned and shown the yellow card if he commits any of the following seven offenses:
1. Is guilty of unsporting behavior
2. Shows dissent by word or action
3. Persistently infringes the Laws of the Game
4. Delays the restart of play
5. Fails to respect the required distance when play is restarted with a corner kick, free kick or throw-in
6. Enters or re-enters the field of play without the referee’s permission
7. Deliberately leaves the field of play without the referee’s permission
A substitute or substituted player is cautioned and shown the yellow card if he/she commits any of the following three offenses:
1. Is guilty of unsporting behavior
2. Shows dissent by word or action
3. Delays the restart of play
Sending-Off Offences
A player, substitute or substituted player is sent off and shown the red card if he/she commits any of the following seven offenses:
1. Is guilty of serious foul play
2. Is guilty of violent conduct
3. Spits at an opponent or any other person
4. Denies the opposing team a goal or an obvious goalscoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball (this does not apply to a goalkeeper within his/her own penalty area)
5. Denies an obvious goalscoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the player’s goal by an offense punishable by a free kick or a penalty kick
6. Uses offensive or insulting or abusive language and/or gestures
7. Receives a second caution in the same match
A player, substitute or substituted player who has been sent off and shown the red card must leave the vicinity of the field of play and the spectator area.
The goalkeeper is considered to be in control of the ball by touching it with any part of his hand or arms. Possession of the ball includes
the goalkeeper deliberately parrying (block or deflect) the ball, but does not include the circumstances where, in the opinion of the referee, the ball rebounds
accidentally from the goalkeeper, for example after he has made a save.
Referees carry two "cards;" a yellow card and a red card. These are for the purpose of letting everyone know who was "carded."
The yellow card is a caution as described above. A player receiving a second caution in a game is sent off (red carded).
The red card is a send-off. The player is removed from the game and may not be replaced by another player on the field. The team has to play short for the rest of the game.
Most organizations have mandatory sanctions for players who receive cautions and send-offs.