Law 12·fouls

Simulation (Diving)

Simulation is when a player deliberately falls or exaggerates contact to deceive the referee into awarding a free kick or penalty. It is punishable by a yellow card.

The full rule

Simulation — commonly called diving — is an attempt to gain an unfair advantage by feigning or exaggerating a foul. Referees are instructed to book players who simulate, even if there was some contact. The key distinction is whether the contact was sufficient to cause the fall. Light contact that a player uses as an excuse to go to ground is still considered simulation. VAR can review incidents and recommend a yellow card for simulation even after play has continued.

Key points

✓Simulation results in a yellow card for the offending player
✓Some contact does not excuse an exaggerated fall
✓VAR can intervene to penalise simulation retrospectively
✓The referee judges whether contact was sufficient to cause the fall
✓Goalkeepers can also be booked for simulation inside the area

Scenarios

Light contact used to win a penalty

An attacker feels a slight touch from a defender inside the area and throws themselves to the ground dramatically.

Correct call: Yellow card for simulation, no penalty. The contact was insufficient to cause the fall.

Common mistake: Awarding the penalty because there was some contact. Contact alone does not justify going to ground if it was not enough to cause a fall.

Verdict:no-penalty

Attacker trips over own feet and appeals

An attacker loses their footing with no defender nearby and appeals for a penalty.

Correct call: Yellow card for simulation. There was no contact at all.

Common mistake: Not booking the player and simply waving play on. Simulation without any contact should always be punished.

Verdict:no-penalty