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Football (Soccer) vocabulary · Referees, VAR & Discipline

Fourth official

Meaning in football (soccer), with examples

/ˌfɔːrθ əˈfɪʃəl/nounCommon term

In football (soccer), fourth official means: The match official who stands between the two technical areas, manages substitutions, shows the added time and helps the referee with other duties.

In Turkish: dördüncü hakem

How it is used

Managers often argue with the fourth official on the touchline. The fourth official holds up the electronic board for substitutions and stoppage time and, depending on competition rules, can replace another official who is injured.

Example sentences

  1. The fourth official has indicated a minimum of five minutes of added time.

  2. The manager was sent to the stands after shouting at the fourth official.

Common collocations

  • the fourth official's board
  • argue with the fourth official
  • the fourth official indicates
  • technical area
  • refereeThe official in charge of a match who applies the rules, blows the whistle, gives fouls and shows yellow and red cards.
  • assistant refereeOne of the two officials who run along the touchlines with a flag, signalling offside, throw-ins, goal kicks and fouls the referee may have missed.
  • stoppage timeMinutes the referee adds at the end of each half to make up for time lost through substitutions, injuries, VAR checks and other delays.
  • substitutionReplacing a player on the pitch with a substitute; the number allowed depends on the competition, and a player who comes off cannot return.

More terms: Referees, VAR & Discipline

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