Law 4: The Player's Equipment

1. Safety

Every player is responsible for making sure their kit is free of anything hazardous. Jewellery of any form — necklaces, rings, bracelets, leather bands, rubber bands, earrings, and similar items — is strictly forbidden and must be taken off before play. Covering jewellery with tape is not an acceptable workaround.

Kit is checked by match officials before kick-off and again during substitutions. If a player turns up with forbidden gear or dangerous equipment, the referee will instruct them to step off the field to fix the issue.

• Items must be removed before returning to the pitch
• A player who won't comply leaves the referee no choice but to issue a caution
• If the offending item is spotted after play resumes, the player is cautioned on the next stoppage

2. Mandatory Kit

Each player's compulsory kit consists of five clearly defined items, all of which must be worn together:

If a player's footwear or shinguard comes off by accident, they may continue until the next natural stoppage — replacing the item as quickly as possible. If a goal is scored during that moment, the goal still stands.

3. Colours

Kit colours exist to keep the game easy to follow. To that end:

• Both teams must wear colours that clearly set them apart from each other and from the match officials
• Every goalkeeper's kit has to be visibly different from the outfield players on both teams and from the match officials
• If the two keepers share the same colour and neither has a backup kit, the referee will allow the match to proceed

Undershirt Rules

Where an undershirt is worn, it must match the main colour of the shirt sleeve — or have a pattern or colours that exactly replicate the sleeve itself. Undershorts and tights follow the same rule: they need to match either the primary colour of the shorts or the lowest portion of them.

4. Other Equipment

Non-dangerous protective gear — for instance headgear, facemasks, knee supports, arm protectors made of soft, lightweight padded material — is allowed, provided the referee judges it safe. Goalkeepers may also wear tracksuit bottoms.

Head Coverings

If head covers are worn (excluding goalkeeper caps), they must meet the following criteria:

• Be black or the same primary colour as the shirt (provided all players on the team wear the same colour)
• Match the professional appearance of the player's equipment
• Not be attached to the shirt
• Not be dangerous to the wearer or anyone else (no opening or closing hardware around the neck)
• Not feature any parts jutting out from the surface

Electronic Communication

Players — including substitutes, substituted, and sent-off players — are not permitted to use or wear any form of electronic communication equipment (aside from EPTS, which is covered separately). Use of any kind of electronic communication by team officials is allowed provided it directly relates to player welfare or safety, or for tactical or coaching purposes, but only small, mobile, hand-held devices such as microphones, headphones, earpieces, ear-pieces, mobile phones, smartphones, smartwatches, and tablets (laptops) may be used. Team officials who use unauthorised equipment, or who behave inappropriately due to the use of electronic or communication equipment, will be sent off.

Electronic Performance and Tracking Systems (EPTS)

When wearable tech (WT) forms part of electronic performance and tracking systems (EPTS) used in a match played under a formal competition organised with the consent of FIFA, a confederation or national football association, the competition organiser must be satisfied the technology fitted to the player's gear is neither hazardous nor interferes with EPTS requirements under FIFA Quality Programme for EPTS.

Where EPTS is supplied by the match or competition organiser, responsibility falls to the match or competition organiser to confirm the information and data transmitted from the EPTS to the technical area during matches played in an official competition are reliable and accurate.

The FIFA Quality Programme for EPTS supports competition organisers with the approval process of reliable and accurate electronic performance and tracking systems.

5. Slogans, Statements, Images and Advertising

Equipment mustn't carry any political, religious, or personal slogans, statements, or images. Players mustn't reveal undergarments that show political, religious, personal slogans, statements or images, or advertising other than the manufacturer's logo. For any offence the player and/or the team will be sanctioned by the competition organiser, national football association, or by FIFA.

Principles

• Law 4 applies to all equipment (clothing included) worn by players, substitutes, and substituted players; it's also governs what all team officials inside the technical area can wear
• The following are (usually) permitted:
  • The player's number, name, team crest or logo, initiative slogans or logos promoting the game of football, respect, and honour; and as any advertising permitted by competition rules or national FA, confederation, or FIFA regulations
  • The facts of a match: teams, date, competition/event, venue

Permitted Slogans, Statements or Images

Acceptable material includes any that appears on the captain's armband or shirt sleeve, or in certain countries on the front of the shirt. If an image or statement might contravene the principles, the referee should apply common sense. Any slogan, image, or statement that takes any of these forms is not permitted:

When determining whether a slogan, statement or image is acceptable, reference ought to be taken of Law 12 (Fouls and Misconduct), which asks the referee to act against any player who is guilty of making use of offensive, insulting, or abusive language or gestures, or engaged in any provocative, derisive, or inflammatory activity.

For events that clearly call for commemorative recognition — for example, the passing of a revered figure — it's within the referee's remit to have the field of play free from contentious imagery. Limited, respectful expressions (for instance a black armband) are typically accepted. A player who removes his field of play to celebrate or mark a goal or because of his desire to publicly express one personal, political, or religious beliefs must be cautioned. The team may also be punished by the competition organiser, national football association, or FIFA.

Where head covers (excluding goalkeeper caps) are worn:

• They must be black or the same primary colour as the shirt (provided all players wear the same colour)
• They must match the professional appearance of the player's equipment
• They must not attach to the shirt
• They must not pose a risk to the player or any other person (no closure devices near the neck)
• They must not feature any protruding element

6. Offences and Sanctions

For any breach of Law 4, no stoppage of play is required. Instead:

• The referee informs the player they need to exit the pitch to sort the kit
• They leave at the next stoppage unless the player has already corrected the issue
• A player asked to leave and who returns without permission must be cautioned

If play is halted expressly to administer the caution, a direct free kick is awarded to the opposing team from the spot where the ball was at the point play was stopped — unless interference occurred inside a penalty area, in which case play restarts with an indirect free kick.

Wrapping Up

Law 4 covers far more ground than a simple "put your kit on" list. It addresses safety, uniformity, the scope of technology on the pitch, and the speech of players through what they wear. Every clause comes back to the same couple of priorities: keep the game fair, keep it safe, and keep the attention on the football itself.