What does 'playing advantage' require a referee to assess?

Playing advantage is a concept in soccer that allows the referee to continue the game after a foul if the team that was fouled is in a position to benefit from the play. To assess whether advantage can be played, the referee needs to evaluate if the fouled player can continue to play successfully despite the foul that has occurred.

This involves observing the situation and determining whether the fouled player still has a good chance to make a play or create a scoring opportunity. If the referee believes that the advantage can be realized—for instance, if the team maintains possession or has a clear opportunity to advance the play—the referee will allow the game to continue instead of stopping for a free kick.

The choice regarding whether the fouled team has the ball provides some context, but it doesn't specifically address the key factor of the player's ability to continue in an advantageous position. The number of players on each team or whether a goal can be scored immediately are irrelevant to the immediate assessment of whether advantages can be played following a foul. The central assessment criterion is about the fouled player's ability to proceed successfully with the advantage.