GRASSROOTS REFEREE FINAL EXAM 2026/2027
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔When defending team is last to touch the ball before it goes over the goal line,
award the attacking team with - ✔✔a corner kick (unless ball goes INTO the goal)
✔✔Goal kick fundamentals - ✔✔opponents must be outside penalty area until ball is in
play
kick can be taken by any player on the defending team
ball must be stationary before the kick
✔✔Goal kick offense (retake) - ✔✔retake goal kick if opponent was in penalty area
when kick was taken or entered the penalty area before the ball was in play and
touched/challenged for ball
✔✔Offside position - ✔✔if any part of the head, body, or feet is in the opponents' half
(excluding halfway line)
if any part of the head, body or feet is closer to opponent's goal line than the ball & 2nd
to last defender
✔✔To avoid being in an Offside Position - ✔✔2 opponents must be between attacking
player and the goal line when/before ball is played
✔✔Do NOT move into the penalty area (offside position) - ✔✔BEFORE ball is in play
move WITH the ball when it is in play
do NOT move past defenders unless you are in line with the ball
✔✔Line of Vision (offense) - ✔✔if a player moves into the way of an opponent and
stops/blocks the opponents vision/progress, this should be penalized
✔✔Challenging (offense) - ✔✔when a player interferes w/ an opponent's play by
blocking/shoving them w/ the body (physical contact)
✔✔Offside offense (constants) - ✔✔player must be in an offside position when their
team plays or touches the ball (when ball is IN play)
✔✔Fouls - ✔✔unfair acts by a player, usually against an opponent
- mostly happen ON the field while the ball is IN play
✔✔Misconduct - ✔✔any action needing disciplinary sanction
- can happen anytime, whether/not ball is IN/OUT of play
- can be committed by a player, sub, or team official
, ✔✔When a foul occurs - ✔✔award affected team w/ direct free kick, indirect free kick or
penalty kick
✔✔Handle misconduct - ✔✔w/ yellow cards to caution player
w/ red card to send them off the field
✔✔Direct free kick - ✔✔allows player w/ ball to score a goal directly, no need to pass to
another person first
awarded for careless, reckless or excessive force offenses against opposing player(s)
✔✔Direct free kick offenses (examples) - ✔✔charging, jumping at, tackling, challenging,
kicking, pushing, tripping, striking, or head-butting opponent, handling the ball
deliberately, holding an opponent, spitting at an opponent, biting someone, throwing
object at the ball
✔✔Careless offense - ✔✔when a player shows a lack of attention, precaution, or
consideration when making a challenge
✔✔Reckless offense - ✔✔when a player acts w/ disregard to the danger to or
consequences for an opponent
caution w/ YELLOW CARD
✔✔Excessive force offense - ✔✔when a player exceeds the necessary use of force and
endangers the safety of an opponent
RED CARD & send off the field
✔✔Handling the ball - ✔✔when players deliberately make contact w/ the ball using
hands/arms
✔✔Impeding the Progress of an opponent - ✔✔when a player steps into an opponent's
path to obstruct, block, slow down or force a change of direction when the ball is not
within playing distance of either player
✔✔Goalie Handling time (Laws of the Game) - ✔✔6 seconds maximum
✔✔Controlling the ball - ✔✔when ball is between goalie's hands/hand and any surface
or touching the ball w/ arms or hands (any part of the hands)
does NOT include saves/rebounds
✔✔Goalie offenses (1) - ✔✔releasing ball and touching it again w/ hands BEFORE
another player touches it
✔✔Goalie offenses (2) - ✔✔using hands to pick up the ball when it has been
deliberately kicked to them by a teammate
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔When defending team is last to touch the ball before it goes over the goal line,
award the attacking team with - ✔✔a corner kick (unless ball goes INTO the goal)
✔✔Goal kick fundamentals - ✔✔opponents must be outside penalty area until ball is in
play
kick can be taken by any player on the defending team
ball must be stationary before the kick
✔✔Goal kick offense (retake) - ✔✔retake goal kick if opponent was in penalty area
when kick was taken or entered the penalty area before the ball was in play and
touched/challenged for ball
✔✔Offside position - ✔✔if any part of the head, body, or feet is in the opponents' half
(excluding halfway line)
if any part of the head, body or feet is closer to opponent's goal line than the ball & 2nd
to last defender
✔✔To avoid being in an Offside Position - ✔✔2 opponents must be between attacking
player and the goal line when/before ball is played
✔✔Do NOT move into the penalty area (offside position) - ✔✔BEFORE ball is in play
move WITH the ball when it is in play
do NOT move past defenders unless you are in line with the ball
✔✔Line of Vision (offense) - ✔✔if a player moves into the way of an opponent and
stops/blocks the opponents vision/progress, this should be penalized
✔✔Challenging (offense) - ✔✔when a player interferes w/ an opponent's play by
blocking/shoving them w/ the body (physical contact)
✔✔Offside offense (constants) - ✔✔player must be in an offside position when their
team plays or touches the ball (when ball is IN play)
✔✔Fouls - ✔✔unfair acts by a player, usually against an opponent
- mostly happen ON the field while the ball is IN play
✔✔Misconduct - ✔✔any action needing disciplinary sanction
- can happen anytime, whether/not ball is IN/OUT of play
- can be committed by a player, sub, or team official
, ✔✔When a foul occurs - ✔✔award affected team w/ direct free kick, indirect free kick or
penalty kick
✔✔Handle misconduct - ✔✔w/ yellow cards to caution player
w/ red card to send them off the field
✔✔Direct free kick - ✔✔allows player w/ ball to score a goal directly, no need to pass to
another person first
awarded for careless, reckless or excessive force offenses against opposing player(s)
✔✔Direct free kick offenses (examples) - ✔✔charging, jumping at, tackling, challenging,
kicking, pushing, tripping, striking, or head-butting opponent, handling the ball
deliberately, holding an opponent, spitting at an opponent, biting someone, throwing
object at the ball
✔✔Careless offense - ✔✔when a player shows a lack of attention, precaution, or
consideration when making a challenge
✔✔Reckless offense - ✔✔when a player acts w/ disregard to the danger to or
consequences for an opponent
caution w/ YELLOW CARD
✔✔Excessive force offense - ✔✔when a player exceeds the necessary use of force and
endangers the safety of an opponent
RED CARD & send off the field
✔✔Handling the ball - ✔✔when players deliberately make contact w/ the ball using
hands/arms
✔✔Impeding the Progress of an opponent - ✔✔when a player steps into an opponent's
path to obstruct, block, slow down or force a change of direction when the ball is not
within playing distance of either player
✔✔Goalie Handling time (Laws of the Game) - ✔✔6 seconds maximum
✔✔Controlling the ball - ✔✔when ball is between goalie's hands/hand and any surface
or touching the ball w/ arms or hands (any part of the hands)
does NOT include saves/rebounds
✔✔Goalie offenses (1) - ✔✔releasing ball and touching it again w/ hands BEFORE
another player touches it
✔✔Goalie offenses (2) - ✔✔using hands to pick up the ball when it has been
deliberately kicked to them by a teammate
