NFHS SOCCER UPDATED 2026 COMPREHENSIVE
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔During the taking of a penalty kick, the kick is saved and held by the goalkeeper, but
a player from the attacking team entered the penalty area early. What happens? -
✔✔Play Continues - 14-1-6
✔✔A1, an offensive player, steps off the field to avoid being called for offside. What is
the ruling? - ✔✔Legal. A1 can leave the field if for the sole purpose of not being offside.
- 11.1.2 Situation C
✔✔A10, in an offside position, receives a header from B10. What is the ruling? -
✔✔Legal. A10 should be allowed to play the ball as it was last played by an opponent. -
11.1.4 Situation D
✔✔A4 is in an offside position on the opponent's half of the field. A4 returns to his or her
own half of the field and receives the ball directly from A5. - ✔✔Illegal. A4 is still defined
as offside. - 11.1.4 Situation F
✔✔Head coverings worn for medical/cosmetic reasons are permitted provided: - ✔✔A.
The covering is not abrasive, hard or dangerous to another player. B. The covering is
highly unlikely to come off during play.
C. Prior approval by the state association or delegate is given.
***D. All of the above.
4-2-11
✔✔In the 68th minute, with the score 2-1 for Team A, a confrontation between A5 and
B11 escalates into a mass brawl. The referee and coaches eventually end the fight. In
the opinion of the referee, A5 started the fight. - ✔✔The referee may terminate the
game and shall report all conditions regarding the incident to the proper authorities in
writing. - 5-3-2e; 5.3.2 Situation B
✔✔Pregame conferences shall be conducted by the head referee. - ✔✔The pregame
conference must be attended by the team's head coach and captains. - 5-2-2d
✔✔Spectators enter the field and disrupt play. What does the referee have the authority
to do? - ✔✔Terminate or suspend the game. - 5-3-2e
✔✔The game officials are observed using flags with buzzer/beeper capabilities during a
match. The use of these flags is: - ✔✔Allowed unless the state association has
expressly prohibited such equipment. - 5-1-3f
, ✔✔The game officials are observed using headset communication equipment to speak
with each other during a match. The use of this equipment is: - ✔✔Allowed unless the
state association has prohibited such equipment. - 5-1-3f
✔✔The home team shall provide ball holders for the game. - ✔✔At least two ball
holders must be provided by the home team. - 6-1-1
✔✔A player is cautioned and the referee orders the clock to be stopped: - ✔✔Time is
restarted when the ball is put into play. - 7-4-2
✔✔If the Sample Overtime Procedures are followed by state association adoption, the
interval between the first overtime period and the second overtime period shall be: -
✔✔Two minutes. - 7-3-2
✔✔Team A has a kickoff in the first half of play. Player A1 kicks the ball backward to
Player A2. The official should: - ✔✔Allow play to continue. - 8-1-3
✔✔What happens when the referee inadvertently sounds the whistle? - ✔✔The referee
stops play and awards a dropped ball to a player of the team last in possession, or to
the defending team's goalkeeper if the ball was in the penalty area, when play was
stopped. - 9-2-1c
✔✔B19 is standing in an offside position. B12 kicks the ball forward but the ball deflects
off A11 to B19. B19 should be: - ✔✔Penalized for being offside. - 11-1-4b, Diagram 12
✔✔Player A of the attacking team is clearly in an offside position when her teammate
delivers the ball to her with a throw- in. She collects the ball and kicks it into the goal.
The referee should: - ✔✔Award a goal to Team A. - 11-1-2
✔✔Player A, who is in an offside position, receives the ball from a goal kick by A2. -
✔✔There is no offside violation and play is allowed to continue. - 11-1-2
✔✔The referee has awarded Team B a penalty kick. As B4 runs toward the ball to take
the kick, A5 enters the penalty area before B4 kicks the ball. The referee should: -
✔✔Allow the play to continue and award a goal if the kick by B4 enters the goal. - 14-1-
2 Penalty
✔✔Player A2 takes a penalty kick during the game. The ball rebounds off the goalpost
directly to A2 who shoots and scores. - ✔✔The referee shall not allow the goal and
restart with an indirect kick. - 14-1-5
✔✔If on a penalty kick there is a deflection over the goal line by the goalkeeper and no
violation by either team, the restart is a: - ✔✔Corner kick. - PK Chart
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔During the taking of a penalty kick, the kick is saved and held by the goalkeeper, but
a player from the attacking team entered the penalty area early. What happens? -
✔✔Play Continues - 14-1-6
✔✔A1, an offensive player, steps off the field to avoid being called for offside. What is
the ruling? - ✔✔Legal. A1 can leave the field if for the sole purpose of not being offside.
- 11.1.2 Situation C
✔✔A10, in an offside position, receives a header from B10. What is the ruling? -
✔✔Legal. A10 should be allowed to play the ball as it was last played by an opponent. -
11.1.4 Situation D
✔✔A4 is in an offside position on the opponent's half of the field. A4 returns to his or her
own half of the field and receives the ball directly from A5. - ✔✔Illegal. A4 is still defined
as offside. - 11.1.4 Situation F
✔✔Head coverings worn for medical/cosmetic reasons are permitted provided: - ✔✔A.
The covering is not abrasive, hard or dangerous to another player. B. The covering is
highly unlikely to come off during play.
C. Prior approval by the state association or delegate is given.
***D. All of the above.
4-2-11
✔✔In the 68th minute, with the score 2-1 for Team A, a confrontation between A5 and
B11 escalates into a mass brawl. The referee and coaches eventually end the fight. In
the opinion of the referee, A5 started the fight. - ✔✔The referee may terminate the
game and shall report all conditions regarding the incident to the proper authorities in
writing. - 5-3-2e; 5.3.2 Situation B
✔✔Pregame conferences shall be conducted by the head referee. - ✔✔The pregame
conference must be attended by the team's head coach and captains. - 5-2-2d
✔✔Spectators enter the field and disrupt play. What does the referee have the authority
to do? - ✔✔Terminate or suspend the game. - 5-3-2e
✔✔The game officials are observed using flags with buzzer/beeper capabilities during a
match. The use of these flags is: - ✔✔Allowed unless the state association has
expressly prohibited such equipment. - 5-1-3f
, ✔✔The game officials are observed using headset communication equipment to speak
with each other during a match. The use of this equipment is: - ✔✔Allowed unless the
state association has prohibited such equipment. - 5-1-3f
✔✔The home team shall provide ball holders for the game. - ✔✔At least two ball
holders must be provided by the home team. - 6-1-1
✔✔A player is cautioned and the referee orders the clock to be stopped: - ✔✔Time is
restarted when the ball is put into play. - 7-4-2
✔✔If the Sample Overtime Procedures are followed by state association adoption, the
interval between the first overtime period and the second overtime period shall be: -
✔✔Two minutes. - 7-3-2
✔✔Team A has a kickoff in the first half of play. Player A1 kicks the ball backward to
Player A2. The official should: - ✔✔Allow play to continue. - 8-1-3
✔✔What happens when the referee inadvertently sounds the whistle? - ✔✔The referee
stops play and awards a dropped ball to a player of the team last in possession, or to
the defending team's goalkeeper if the ball was in the penalty area, when play was
stopped. - 9-2-1c
✔✔B19 is standing in an offside position. B12 kicks the ball forward but the ball deflects
off A11 to B19. B19 should be: - ✔✔Penalized for being offside. - 11-1-4b, Diagram 12
✔✔Player A of the attacking team is clearly in an offside position when her teammate
delivers the ball to her with a throw- in. She collects the ball and kicks it into the goal.
The referee should: - ✔✔Award a goal to Team A. - 11-1-2
✔✔Player A, who is in an offside position, receives the ball from a goal kick by A2. -
✔✔There is no offside violation and play is allowed to continue. - 11-1-2
✔✔The referee has awarded Team B a penalty kick. As B4 runs toward the ball to take
the kick, A5 enters the penalty area before B4 kicks the ball. The referee should: -
✔✔Allow the play to continue and award a goal if the kick by B4 enters the goal. - 14-1-
2 Penalty
✔✔Player A2 takes a penalty kick during the game. The ball rebounds off the goalpost
directly to A2 who shoots and scores. - ✔✔The referee shall not allow the goal and
restart with an indirect kick. - 14-1-5
✔✔If on a penalty kick there is a deflection over the goal line by the goalkeeper and no
violation by either team, the restart is a: - ✔✔Corner kick. - PK Chart
