The Laws of the Game show soccer referees 12 official signals (two of them are versions of advantage), and assistant referees use a flag for nine more. An arm straight up means an indirect free kick, an arm pointing level means a direct free kick or throw-in, and two arms swept forward means play on.
Those signals come from the diagrams in Law 5 of IFAB's Laws of the Game (2026/27 edition, in force from July 1, 2026), with the flag signals in Law 6. Below is each one in plain English, what's new this season, and how U.S. high school games use a slightly different set.
How many referees are there in a soccer game?
One referee runs the game. Everyone else assists. Under Law 6, the standard crew is the referee plus two assistant referees on the touchlines, and competitions can add more:
- a fourth official, who handles substitutions and equipment checks and shows the added time
- two additional assistant referees, positioned by the goal lines
- a reserve assistant referee, who steps in if another official can't continue
- a video assistant referee (VAR) and an assistant VAR, who review footage for clear errors on goals, penalties, direct red cards and mistaken identity
Most youth games in the U.S. look nothing like that. A U8 rec game often has one referee, sometimes a teenager. Where no qualified assistants are available, the Laws let a club linesman flag only when the ball goes out of play, a point the NFHS 2026-27 comparative rules study repeats. High school games can also use two or three referees instead of a referee and two assistants (more on that below).
What are the soccer referee signals?
Here is every signal in the Law 5 diagram, with what each one tells players and fans. The two advantage versions share a row.
| Signal | What the referee does | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Direct free kick | Points one arm level in the direction of the kick | Foul given; the kick can go straight in |
| Indirect free kick | Raises one arm straight up and keeps it there until the kick is taken and touched | A second player must touch it before a goal counts |
| Penalty kick | Points down and across to the penalty mark | Foul by a defender inside their own penalty area |
| Advantage | Sweeps one or both arms forward | Foul seen, but play continues because stopping would help the team that fouled |
| Throw-in | Points one arm level toward the team's attacking direction | Ball out over the touchline; that team throws |
| Corner kick | Points up and out toward the corner arc | Defending team put it over its own goal line |
| Goal kick | Points down toward the goal area | Attacking team put it over the goal line |
| Yellow or red card | Holds the card above the head | Caution or sending-off |
| Check | Finger to the ear, other arm held out | Waiting on a word from VAR before restarting |
| Review | Draws a TV screen shape in the air | Going to the monitor or accepting a VAR decision |
| Five-second countdown | Raises an open hand and counts down | New for 2026/27: a slow throw-in or goal kick is about to go to the other team |
One signal you won't find: handball. The diagram has no official handball signal. If a referee taps their arm after a whistle, they're being helpful, not following the diagram. Our guide to handball in soccer covers what the call actually requires.
What are the assistant referee signals?
Assistant referees signal with the flag, and most signals start the same way: the flag goes up first to get the referee's attention. Law 6 diagrams these:
- Offside: flag held straight up. Once the referee stops play, the AR shows where: flag pointed down at an angle for the near side of the field, held level for the middle, and pointed up at an angle for the far side.
- Throw-in: flag held out at an angle, pointing the way the team taking the throw is attacking.
- Corner kick: flag pointed down toward the corner flag.
- Goal kick: flag held level, pointing at the goal area.
- Free kick: flag raised and given a slight wave, then pointed in the direction of the kick.
- Substitution: flag held above the head with both hands at the next stoppage.
IFAB's guidelines on body language, communication and whistle add a few details referees learn early. An AR raises the offside flag with the right hand for a better line of sight. For a foul the referee missed, the AR waves the flag slightly, without anything aggressive. For a clear goal, there's no flag at all, just eye contact with the referee. And when a defender fouls inside the penalty area out of the referee's view, the AR signals and then walks visibly down the touchline toward the corner flag.
Some crews also use electronic "beep flags" that send a signal to the referee. The beep only gets the referee's attention on tight calls; the visible flag signal still follows.
When did referees begin using signals in soccer?
The single best-known signal is surprisingly recent. According to FIFA's account of the 1966 World Cup (published July 2016), English referee Ken Aston, then chair of FIFA's referees' committee, came up with yellow and red cards after confusion in the England v Argentina quarter-final. He was driving through London when a traffic light switched from yellow to red. The cards were first used at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico.
The signal list keeps changing. The check and review signals arrived with VAR, and the five-second countdown is the newest. IFAB announced it on February 28, 2026: if a throw-in isn't taken in time, the throw goes to the other team, and a slow goal kick becomes a corner kick for the opponents.
What do the referee's whistles mean?
The whistle starts and stops play. It doesn't have an official code of tones. IFAB's guidelines say the whistle is needed to:
- start each half, extra time, and play after a goal (see our page on the soccer kickoff)
- stop play for a free kick or penalty kick, a suspension or abandonment, or the end of a half
- restart a free kick when the wall has to be moved back, and every penalty kick
- restart after play was stopped for a card, an injury or a substitution
It isn't needed when the ball clearly goes out for a throw-in, a corner, a goal kick or a goal, or to restart most free kicks. The guidelines also say a whistle used too often loses its impact when it really counts. So a long, hard blast usually signals something serious and a short one something routine, but that's referee style, not a rule.
Do high school and youth referees use different signals?
A few. The NFHS 2026-27 official soccer signals chart has 10 signals. Most match IFAB's, plus two that only make sense with a running scoreboard clock: timeout and a wind-up to start the clock. High school play also uses the whistle more. The NFHS study lists whistles for restarts after substitutions, injuries and time stoppages, and whenever a card is given.
Crews differ too. NFHS allows the diagonal system (referee plus two ARs), a dual system with two referees, or a three-whistle system with three referees.
At younger ages, the official may well be a teenager. Since the 2025-26 season, U.S. Soccer's Green Badge initiative has certified referees under 18 wearing a green badge, so coaches and parents know the person in the middle is a minor and give them some room to learn.
Soccer referee signals FAQ
What is the referee signal for a five-second violation?
Under the 2026/27 Laws, the referee raises an open hand and counts down five seconds visibly when a throw-in or goal kick is being delayed. If time runs out, the throw-in goes to the other team or the goal kick becomes a corner. Separately, a goalkeeper who holds the ball for more than eight seconds concedes a corner kick, and the referee counts down the last five seconds with a raised hand.
What is the offside signal in soccer?
The assistant referee raises the flag straight up. When the referee whistles, the AR angles the flag to show where on the field the offside player was. The restart is an indirect free kick to the defending team.
What signal does a soccer referee use for substitution?
The assistant referee holds the flag above their head with both hands at the next stoppage. The referee then beckons the substitute on.
What do two whistles mean in soccer?
The Laws give no meaning to two whistles. In practice, a referee might give a couple of sharp blasts just to stop play firmly or get everyone's attention. Watch the arm signal that follows: that's what tells you the decision.
Final thoughts on referee signals
Learn four and you'll follow most games: arm level for a direct free kick, arm up for indirect, arms forward for advantage and the flag straight up for offside. The rest you'll pick up by watching. For what happens after the signal, read our quick overview of soccer rules and our guide to the yellow card, then try the throw-in drills so your players aren't the ones on the wrong end of the new countdown.
Practice at home doesn't need a referee at all. The Open Goaaal® 3-in-1 Soccer Goal Trainer is a goal, rebounder and backstop in one, so the ball comes back after each shot and the session keeps going.
