Assistant Referee Flag Signals in Soccer

Understand the different flag signals of football linesmen.

There are two assistant football referees who help the head referee in officiating matches. Each assistant official patrols only half of the playing field and stays on the touchline along the left-hand side of each goal.



The linesmen communicate to the head official with the use of flag signals. Below are the basic flag signals that assistant referees use in football games:





Flag signal for a throw-in

The assistant referee raises his flag to the side

Points to the left if the side making the throw-in is the defending team

Points to the right if the side making the throw-in is the attacking team



Flag signal for a corner kick

The assistant referee moves to the corner flag where the kick must be made

Raises his flag straight upwards upon reaching the corner flag

Then takes one step to the side before pointing to the corner flag

Flag signal for a goal kick

The assistant referee runs to the side of the corner flag

Raises his flag directly up in the air

Lowers it to his front before pointing towards the goal



Flag signals for offside

When signaling for an offside, the first step that a linesman does is to go to level with the spot of the infraction. Then he raises his flag directly up in the air. The next step will depend whether the offside is far, at the center field, or near the assistant referee.



Below are the three different flag signals for an offside violation in football:

Far offside

The signal for far offside is made if the violation happened far from the sideline where the assistant referee is standing:

The assistant referee moves along the sideline until he is level with the offense

Raises his flag directly upwards to signal that an offside violation has been made

Lowers his flag slightly so it points diagonally upwards, to indicate a far offside

Center offside

The signal for center offside is made if the violation at the middle of the field:

The assistant referee moves along the side until he is level with the infraction

Raises his flag directly upwards to signal that an offside violation has been made

Points his flag in front of in a horizontal angle, to indicate that it is a center offside

Near offside

The signal for near offside is made if the violation happened near the assistant referee:

The assistant referee moves along the side until you he is parallel to the spot of the infraction

Raises his flag directly upwards to alert the main official that an offside violation was committed

Points his flag diagonally downwards, to indicate that it is a near offside



Flag signals for substitution

The assistant referee aids the main official in the changing of players. To make the flag signal for substitution, he:

Raises his flag directly up in the air and turn it sideways above his head

Holds the flag in that position until the substitution is completed

In professional leagues, a fourth football official assists in the substitution of players by holding an electronic board. This board shows the number of the player coming out and the one substituting in.