23/01/2026
Week 3 – IFAB Law 12: Fouls and Misconduct.
Day 4 : DOGSO & Tactical Fouls.
🎯 Lesson Objective
By the end of Day 4, referees should be able to:
Correctly identify DOGSO situations,
Distinguish between DOGSO and SPA,
Apply the correct disciplinary sanction,
Understand and punish tactical fouls consistently.
📘 IFAB Law Reference (2025/2026)
Law 12 – Fouls and Misconduct Sections:
Denying an Obvious Goal-Scoring Opportunity (DOGSO).
Stopping a Promising Attack (SPA).
Tactical fouls (unsporting behaviour).
🟥 DOGSO – IFAB Definition
A player must be sent off if he/she denies the opposing team an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by an offence punishable by a free kick or penalty kick.
Key IFAB principle:
DOGSO is judged using objective criteria, not reputation, crowd pressure, or “last man” myths.
⚖️ IFAB DOGSO Criteria (The 4 Considerations)
Referees must evaluate ALL of the following:
Distance to goal,
General direction of play,
Likelihood of the attacker controlling the ball,
Location and number of defenders.
If any one of these is missing or unclear → NO DOGSO..
Scenario 1 – DOGSO (Red Card)
An attacker breaks free just outside the penalty area, moving directly towards goal with the ball under control. The goalkeeper rushes out and trips the attacker.
IFAB Decision:
Restart: Direct Free Kick (or Penalty if inside PA)
Discipline: 🟥 Red Card – DOGSO
✔ All 4 DOGSO criteria clearly present.
DOGSO Exception (IFAB 2025/2026)
If DOGSO occurs inside the penalty area and the defender makes a genuine attempt to play the ball:
Discipline is Yellow Card, not Red
Restart remains a Penalty Kick.
This exception does NOT apply to:
Holding
Pulling
Pushing
Handball
No attempt to play the ball.
🟨 Tactical Fouls (SPA)
IFAB Definition
A tactical foul is an offence committed deliberately to stop or interfere with an opponent’s promising attack, not necessarily denying a goal.
Scenario 2 – Tactical Foul (Yellow Card)
An attacker initiates a counterattack from midfield with teammates advancing. A defender deliberately trips the attacker from the side.
IFAB Decision:
Restart: Direct Free Kick
Discipline: 🟨 Yellow Card – Stopping a Promising Attack (SPA).
🧠 DOGSO vs SPA – Key IFAB Distinction
Obvious goal-scoring opportunity(DoGSO)
Promising attack(SPA)
Close proximity to goal(DOGSO)
Usually further from goal(SPA)
Immediate scoring chance(DOGSO)
Attack still developing(SPA)
Red Card (with exception) DOGSO
Yellow Card-SPA
Common Referee Errors (IFAB Teaching Notes)
Treating “last defender” automatically as DOGSO.
Ignoring distance to goal.
Misapplying the penalty-area DOGSO exception.
Allowing tactical fouls to go unpunished.
Referee Decision Checklist
Ask yourself:
Is this obvious or merely promising?
Is the attacker in control or likely to gain control?
Is the goal immediately threatened?
Did the defender make a genuine attempt to play the ball?
🔍 Reflection Questions
Why is “last man” not an IFAB criterion for DOGSO?
When does the DOGSO yellow-card exception apply?
Why must tactical fouls be punished early?
How do tactical fouls affect match temperature?
📝 Assessment Quiz – Day 4
1. DOGSO requires how many criteria?
A. 2
B. 3
C. 4
2. A defender pulls an attacker’s shirt inside the penalty area denying a goal. Correct decision?
A. Yellow Card
B. Red Card
C. No card
3. A deliberate trip at midfield stopping a counterattack is:
A. DOGSO
B. No offence
C. SPA (Yellow Card)
4. The DOGSO yellow-card exception applies when:
A. Any foul inside PA
B. Genuine attempt to play the ball inside PA
C. Handball offences
🔚 Day 4 Key Takeaway
DOGSO punishes the loss of a goal,
SPA punishes the loss of momentum.
Understanding the difference is a defining skill of top-level referees.
