Goalkeeper Red Cards, Injuries and Substitutions: Complete Rules Guide

Every team must have a goalkeeper, but that does not give the position a free replacement after a red card. A goalkeeper sent off after kick-off cannot be replaced as the dismissed player. The team continues with one fewer player and must either substitute a remaining outfield player for a substitute goalkeeper or nominate one of the remaining players as goalkeeper.

What happens when a goalkeeper receives a red card?

A player sent off after kick-off cannot be replaced. Because the team must still have a goalkeeper, the coach has two practical options:

• Use a permitted substitution, replacing one of the remaining outfield players with a substitute goalkeeper.
• Have one of the remaining players change into goalkeeper equipment.

Either way, the team remains one player short. For example, a team reduced from eleven to ten cannot restore eleven players by introducing a replacement goalkeeper.

Can a substitute goalkeeper enter after the red card?

Yes, when the team has a named substitute goalkeeper available and has not exhausted its permitted substitutions or substitution opportunities. A remaining outfield player must leave so the substitute can enter.

The substitution follows the normal Law 3 procedure: the referee is informed, the outgoing player leaves and the substitute enters during the stoppage with the referee’s permission.

If no substitution is available, a player already on the field must become the goalkeeper.

What if the goalkeeper is sent off before kick-off?

A named starting player sent off after the team list is submitted but before kick-off may be replaced by a named substitute. That substitute cannot then be replaced on the list, and the team’s number of permitted match substitutions is not reduced.

If a named substitute is sent off before kick-off, that substitute cannot be replaced on the team list. The exact practical choice depends on whether the dismissed person was listed as the starting goalkeeper or as a substitute goalkeeper.

Common reasons goalkeepers are sent off

Goalkeepers can be dismissed for the same major offences as other players, including:

• Denying a goal or obvious goal-scoring opportunity outside the penalty area
• Serious foul play
• Violent conduct
• Spitting or biting
• Offensive, insulting or abusive language or actions
• Receiving a second yellow card

Handling outside the penalty area is not automatically a red card. The referee assesses whether the handball denied a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. Ordinary handball may produce only a direct free kick, while stopping a promising attack normally produces a yellow card.

DOGSO inside and outside the penalty area

Outside the penalty area, a goalkeeper who commits a free-kick offence that denies an obvious goal-scoring opportunity is sent off. The reduced penalty-area sanction for certain attempts to play the ball does not apply because the restart is a direct free kick.

Inside the penalty area, a goalkeeper who commits a penalty offence while attempting to play or challenge for the ball is normally cautioned rather than sent off for DOGSO. A red card still applies when the offence involved holding, pulling or pushing without a possibility of playing the ball, deliberate handball by a non-goalkeeper, or conduct that is independently a sending-off offence.

The detailed boundary and card test is covered in Goalkeeper Rules Outside the Penalty Area.

What happens after a second yellow card?

A goalkeeper shown a second yellow card is sent off. The match consequences are the same as for a direct red card: the goalkeeper cannot be replaced as the dismissed player, the team remains one player short and another goalkeeper must be nominated.

The referee shows the second yellow card followed by the red card. The competition’s disciplinary rules determine any later suspension.

Can the goalkeeper be substituted before a penalty?

Yes. During a stoppage, a team may replace the goalkeeper with a substitute goalkeeper before a penalty kick when the normal substitution conditions are satisfied.

The replaced goalkeeper becomes a substituted player and takes no further part unless the competition permits return substitutions. An eligible outfield player may also change places with the goalkeeper before the penalty when the referee is informed and the change occurs during the stoppage.

How does a legal goalkeeper change work?

Any player may change places with the goalkeeper when:

• The referee is informed before the change.
• The change takes place during a stoppage.

The new goalkeeper must wear colours that distinguish them from both teams and the match officials. The former goalkeeper becomes an ordinary outfield player and follows normal handball rules.

What if players swap without permission?

If a player and goalkeeper change places without informing the referee while the ball is in play, the referee normally allows play to continue. Both players are cautioned when the ball is next out of play.

The unauthorised change does not cancel otherwise legal play. IFAB’s official example allows a new goalkeeper’s save and restarts with the resulting corner before both players are cautioned.

The cautions do not apply when the unreported change occurred during half-time, half-time of extra time or the interval before extra time or a penalty shoot-out.

Goalkeeper injuries during normal play

The referee stops play for a serious injury and allows medical assessment. Under the standard 2026/27 off-field treatment protocol, a goalkeeper may be assessed or treated on the field and is generally exempt from the ordinary one-minute period that applies to an outfield player.

The same on-field-treatment exception applies when a goalkeeper and an outfield player collide and both need attention. Safety takes priority for severe injuries, cardiac events and other life-threatening conditions.

Head-injury clarification: IFAB Circular 34 states that when play is stopped for a head injury, or a player is assessed or treated for a head injury, that player must then leave the field for one minute. Competition organisers may permit an earlier return only in the limited circumstances described in the protocol, such as when a potential head injury is immediately shown not to be severe and little or no assessment is required.

The referee decides whether play must be stopped immediately. A goalkeeper does not receive unlimited recovery time merely because of position.

What if the injured goalkeeper cannot continue?

When a permitted substitution remains, a named substitute goalkeeper can replace the injured goalkeeper. When substitutions are exhausted, one of the remaining players must take over because every team must have a goalkeeper.

The replacement player changes into a clearly distinguishable shirt. The referee should not restart until the team has identified and equipped the new goalkeeper.

A team does not receive an extra ordinary substitution solely because the goalkeeper is injured, unless a competition-specific rule such as an additional permanent concussion substitution applies.

Additional permanent concussion substitutions

Competitions may permit additional permanent concussion substitutions under the IFAB protocol. When used, a suspected or confirmed concussion can allow a substitution outside the team’s normal allocation, subject to the competition procedure.

This is not an automatic rule in every match. Teams must check whether the competition has adopted the protocol and follow the medical and notification requirements.

The 2026/27 tactical goalkeeper-injury trial

IFAB has also authorised a separate trial intended to deter tactical delays involving goalkeeper injuries. In participating competitions, when play is stopped for a goalkeeper injury or the goalkeeper requires on-field medical attention, an outfield team-mate may have to leave the field for one minute while the goalkeeper remains.

This trial is not part of the universal standard procedure for every competition. It applies only where the organiser is participating under IFAB authorisation, and its exceptions must be checked in the trial protocol.

Does the ten-second substitution limit apply?

The 2026/27 substitution procedure normally requires the outgoing player to leave within ten seconds of the substitution board or referee’s signal. Safety, security and injury can make that impossible, and the Law recognises those exceptions.

Under the published procedure, a player who exceeds the limit without justification still leaves, play restarts and the substitute normally waits until the first stoppage after one minute has elapsed. However, official trial guidance states that when a goalkeeper being substituted exceeds the limit, the substitute goalkeeper’s entry is not delayed because the team must have a goalkeeper; the outgoing goalkeeper can instead be cautioned for delaying the restart.

Competition instructions should be checked because the goalkeeper-specific handling is connected to the 2026/27 protocols and trials.

Can an injured goalkeeper remain for a penalty?

A goalkeeper who receives treatment may continue when the referee and medical process allow it. The referee does not decide medical fitness; team medical staff and the player are responsible for whether continuation is safe, subject to competition concussion procedures.

If the team chooses to substitute before the penalty, the incoming goalkeeper may face the kick immediately after completing the substitution.

Goalkeeper replacement during a penalty shoot-out

A goalkeeper who is unable to continue before or during the shoot-out may be replaced by:

• A named substitute when the team has not used its maximum permitted substitutions
• A player who was excluded to equalise the teams’ numbers
• An eligible player already participating

The replaced goalkeeper takes no further part and may not take a kick. If the original goalkeeper already took a kick, the replacement cannot take a kick until the next round.

What if the goalkeeper is sent off during a shoot-out?

A goalkeeper sent off during the shoot-out must be replaced by an eligible player. This is different from an injury replacement: the team cannot simply introduce a named substitute goalkeeper because the goalkeeper was dismissed.

An eligible player changes places, wears goalkeeper equipment and continues the shoot-out. Cards from the match are not carried forward into the shoot-out, but red cards already shown remain effective and a player sent off during the match is not eligible.

See Penalty-Kick and Shootout Rules for Goalkeepers for the full procedure.

Can a replacement goalkeeper take a penalty?

Yes, when eligible. During a shoot-out, every eligible player must take a kick before anyone takes a second. The special restriction is that a replacement cannot kick in the same round when the replaced goalkeeper already took a kick.

During the match, a substitute becomes a player once the substitution is completed and may take any restart, including a penalty kick.

What equipment does the emergency goalkeeper need?

The new goalkeeper must wear colours distinguishable from the other players and the match officials. The safest practical approach is a spare goalkeeper shirt or bib with a clear number where competition rules require one.

Gloves are permitted but not compulsory under the Laws. Equipment must be safe, and any blood-contaminated clothing must be dealt with under the referee’s safety requirements.

Practical team checklist

1. List at least one substitute goalkeeper whenever competition rules and squad size permit.
2. Keep a spare distinguishable goalkeeper shirt available.
3. Know which outfield player becomes emergency goalkeeper if substitutions are exhausted.
4. After a red card, identify the outgoing outfield player before introducing the substitute goalkeeper.
5. Inform the referee before any goalkeeper change.
6. Check concussion, injury-treatment and tactical-goalkeeper-injury protocols for the competition.
7. During a shoot-out, track who has kicked before replacing an injured goalkeeper.
8. Do not assume an injury replacement and a dismissal replacement follow the same rule.

Common myths

• “A sent-off goalkeeper can be directly replaced.” The team loses a player; a substitute goalkeeper must replace someone still on the field.
• “The match continues without a goalkeeper.” Every team must nominate a goalkeeper.
• “An injured goalkeeper always gives the team an extra substitution.” Only an adopted special protocol can add one.
• “Every treated goalkeeper must leave for one minute.” Goalkeepers are normally an exception to the standard off-field treatment period.
• “Players can swap goalkeeper whenever they like.” The referee must be informed and the change made during a stoppage.
• “A sent-off shoot-out goalkeeper can be replaced by any substitute.” A dismissed goalkeeper must be replaced by an eligible player.

Frequently asked questions