FIFA, London – At its 118th Annual General Meeting in London today (28 February 2004), the International Football Association Board (IFAB), chaired by FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter, approved a number of amendments to the Laws of the Game.

Key decisions reached included the following:

– Law 1 – The Field of Play: If permitted under the applicable competition rules, matches may be played on a natural turf or artificial turf surface. In the case of artificial turf, the surface must meet the requisite quality standards (i.e. the FIFA Quality Concept for Artificial Turf or the International Artificial Turf Standard).

– Law 3 – The Number of Players: No more than six substitutions per team shall be permitted in friendly matches.

– Law 10 – Method of Scoring: With regard to the method for determining the winner of a match, the IFAB ruled in favour of extra-time, consisting of two periods of no more than 15 minutes each, followed by kicks from the penalty mark. As a result, matches will no longer be decided by “golden goal” or “silver goal”.

– Law 12 – Fouls and Misconduct: Any player removing his jersey after scoring a goal shall be cautioned for unsporting behaviour.

Furthermore, Law 5 will now dictate that if the rules of a competition endorse the use of a fourth official, his function and responsibilities shall correspond with those laid down by the IFAB.

All of the changes to the Laws of the Game shall come into force worldwide on 1 July 2004.

The IFAB chose to reject proposals to increase the maximum length of the half-time interval from 15 to 20 minutes and to advance free kicks by 9.15 metres if a player from the penalised team fails to retreat the required distance or prevents the free kick from being taken.

The 118th Annual General Meeting of the International Football Association Board forms part of a weekend of FIFA Centennial celebrations in London to pay tribute to the British associations’ key contribution to the game of football. To mark the occasion, the members of the FIFA Executive Committee were invited to attend the IFAB meeting for the very first time.

The International F.A. Board is constituted of The Football Association (England), The Scottish Football Association, The Football Association of Wales, The Irish Football Association and FIFA, each of which is represented by four delegates. FIFA have four votes on behalf of all of its affiliated associations. The other IFAB member associations have one vote each. For a proposal to be passed, it must receive the support of at least three-quarters of those present and entitled to vote.

Artificial turf now covered in `Laws of the Game’

FIFA, London -At its last meeting on 28 February 2004, the International Football Association Board, the custodian of the Laws of the Game in football, decided that a reference to `Field Surface’, including artificial turf, would be added to the Laws of the Game.

This historic decision allows international club competition fixtures and competitive matches between representative teams of Associations affiliated to FIFA to be played on artificial surfaces that meet recognised FIFA standards and according to the regulations of the competition. This is of great importance, especially for nations, where extremely hot, cold or wet climatic conditions can easily damage grass pitches.

“Integrating the artificial turf surface into the Laws of the Game is another milestone in the history of football. Millions of players around the world will benefit from this decision, as it will allow them to play their favourite sport on a more regular basis and, above all, in difficult climatic conditions that would make it impossible on natural turf pitches,” said FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter.

Artificial turf was first used in international competition at the FIFA U-17 World Championship Finland 2003. Ten matches including the Final were played on a “FIFA Recommended” artificial surface. Widespread approval from the teams and positive findings in terms of injuries proved that artificial turf is the best alternative to grass. The latest generation of artificial turf, especially designated for football, replicates most of the qualities of grass, and is fully acceptable at all levels of the game.

As the game’s worldwide governing body, FIFA strives to support any move to improve football equipment and will draw up universal guidelines for the use of artificial turf following the IFAB mandate. Based on players’ feedback, medical research and information from the industry, the FIFA Quality Concept will be further developed by adapting the test criteria to introduce a second, more stringent standard on 1 July 2004.

The creation of a new, top-of-the-range FIFA standard will further improve playability and safety. This benchmark will provide the world of football with the best artificial turf surfaces for professional football. Besides the new standard, the existing “FIFA Recommended” grading will remain part of the FIFA Quality Concept. The test requirements for the “FIFA Recommended” standard, to which there will now also be a reference in the Laws of the Game, ensure the suitability of a surface for international club competition games and competitive matches between representative teams of Associations affiliated to FIFA. As an alternative, the “International Artificial Turf Standard” reference, which is not subject to a license fee, will also be acceptable.

The FIFA Quality Concept for artificial turf was introduced in 2001 in order to ensure the highest, standardised quality of artificial turf and to protect the safety of players. The FIFA Quality Concept is a rigorous testing programme for artificial surfaces, comprising a series of laboratory and field tests, upon completion of which manufacturers are able to enter into a licensing agreement for the use of the prestigious “FIFA Recommended” mark for artificial turf pitches. Today, 15 artificial turf manufacturers are part of the FIFA Quality Concept licensing programme and over 75 “FIFA Recommended” surfaces have been installed worldwide.

For further information please refer to the FIFA website at:

http://www.fifa.com/en/development/quality/index.html