Defective Ball

Category: Rules

NOTE: Information found in this article was cited from the official “Laws of the Game” which can be found on FIFA.com.

So you think you have a better shot than Roberto Carlos or Cristiano Ronaldo? Is it powerful enough to actually pop the ball?! Ever wonder what would happen if a ball all of a sudden popped or became defective during a game? Let’s find out!

If a soccer ball becomes defective during a game, the following occurs:

  • The game is stopped by the referee
  • Once a replacement ball is available the game is restarted using a dropped ball at the location where the original ball became defective

If a soccer ball becomes defective while not in play, meaning a goal kick, corner kick, free kick, penalty kick, or throw in is about to take place, a replacement ball is found and the match is restarted accordingly.