Who are the match officials in football?

• The referee enforces the Laws, keeps time, records the match, plays advantage, shows cards and decides when to stop, suspend or abandon the match.
• The referee's decisions on facts of play, including whether a goal was scored and the result, are final.
• A restart decision cannot be changed once play has restarted or the half has ended and the referee has left the field.
• Assistant referees indicate: the whole ball out of play and whose restart it is; offside; substitution requests; at penalties, whether the goalkeeper moved early and whether the ball crossed the line.
• The fourth official supervises substitutions, checks kit, shows the minimum added time and reports bad behaviour in the technical areas.
• Competitions can also appoint additional assistant referees on the goal lines and a reserve assistant.
• Referees may wear body cameras where the competition supplies them (new in 2026/27).
• Match officials are not liable for injuries or losses arising from their decisions.

One person with the final decision keeps the game moving and the decisions consistent within a match. The assistants cover what one person cannot see.