Rules of Touch Football

Official Clarifications

3 March 2023 (Rules 12.1, 12.2 & 12.3) - Clarification of the touch count when the ball is brought back into play after a knockdown

Summary:

• When a defender deliberately makes contact with the ball, causing it to go to ground, then the attacking team retains possession and will restart play with a rollball on zero touch and the subsequent touch will be first touch.

29 May 2023 (Rule 24.4) - Clarification of the number of players allowed on the field during a drop-off, when one team has had a player dismissed for the remainder of the match

Summary:

• A numerical advantage shall always apply to the non-offending team.
• Where a team has a player dismissed from the match during normal time, and the match proceeds to extra time (a drop-off), the team will start extra-time with one less player than their opposition (i.e. 3v4 players).
• After two minutes, if there is no winner, then both teams will remove one extra player (now 2v3 players) and play will continue until there is a winner.
• If a player is sin-binned during extra-time, the match will continue until the player has served the required time, or a try is scored resulting in the end of the match.
• The match does not end if a team's on-field strength drops below 3 players.

12 October 2023 (Rule 18.8) - Clarification regarding the Exclusion Rule and non-deliberate acts

Summary:

• The Exclusion is meant to deter deliberate acts that prevent progression of the game, i.e. intentionally not moving forward, etc.
• While the "no freeze" rule is in effect (i.e. a defender has entered the 7m zone), if a defending player attempts to intercept the ball but cannot gain control, and instead projects the ball forward to a player in their own team (which is deemed a forward pass under the playing rules), the subsequent penalty (for the forward pass) does not count towards the three (3) penalties required to exclude a player under Rule 18.8.

Memo's, Guidelines, and Directives

15 June 2023 - New Guidelines for Negative Behaviour Towards Referees

Summary:

• Players and Team Officials (Coaches, Managers, etc.) will no longer receive in-game warnings for negative behaviour toward referees (or their decisions). A Penalty (minimum) will be awarded immediately against the offending team.