Misconduct of Players and Officials
1. Players and officials shall be suspended for misconduct as specified below and may be fined accordingly:
a) one match for players who are sent off for denying the opposing team a goal or an obvious goalscoring opportunity;
b) at least one match or an appropriate period of time for unsporting behaviour towards an opponent or a person other than a match official;
c) at least one match for officials who are sent off for dissent by word or action;
d) at least one match for deliberately receiving a yellow or red card, including in order to be suspended for an upcoming match or to ultimately have a clean record;
e) at least two matches for serious foul play;
f) at least two matches for provoking spectators at a match by any means;
g) at least two matches or a specific period for acting with obvious intent to cause a match official to make an incorrect decision or supporting their error of judgement and thereby causing them to make an incorrect decision;
h) at least three matches for violent conduct;
i) at least three matches or an appropriate period of time for assault, including elbowing, punching, kicking, biting, spitting at or hitting an opponent or a person other than a match official;
j) at least four matches or an appropriate period of time for unsporting behaviour towards a match official;
k) at least ten matches or an appropriate period of time for intimidating or threatening a match official;
l) at least 15 matches or an appropriate period of time for assaulting a match official, including elbowing, punching, kicking, biting, spitting or hitting.
2. The misconduct described in paragraph 1 b), f), j) and k) is also subject to the respective sanctions in this Code, despite the fact that the offence has been committed off the field of play (including via social networks).
16 3. If the suspension is to be served in terms of matches, only those actually played by the respective team count towards execution of the suspension. It is not necessary for a player to be included on the team sheet for the respective match or competition in order for a match suspension to be considered served.
4. A player or official who, in the context of a match (including pre- and post-match) or competition, publicly incites others to hatred or violence will be sanctioned with a ban on taking part in any football-related activity for no less than six months and with a minimum fine of USD 5,000. In serious cases, in addition to the above sanctions and in particular if the infringement is committed using social networks and/or the mass media (such as the press, radio or television) or takes place on a matchday in or around a stadium, the minimum fine will be USD 20,000.
5. If a national or club team conducts itself improperly (including but not limited to causing a late kick-off or if individual disciplinary sanctions are imposed by the referee on five or more players – three or more in the case of futsal – during a match), disciplinary measures may also be taken against the association or club concerned.
6. Additional disciplinary measures may also be imposed in all cases.