What is the role of assistant referees?

The role of assistant referees primarily involves supporting the center referee in making accurate decisions during a match. One of their key responsibilities is to assist with offside calls, which can be difficult to judge from the central vantage point of the head referee. The assistant referees are positioned along the touchlines, which allows them to observe the position of players in relation to the second-to-last defender, aiding in determining whether an attacking player is ahead of the last defender when the ball is played.

In addition to assisting with offside decisions, assistant referees are also tasked with signaling for restarts of play, such as throw-ins, corner kicks, and goal kicks. Their role is crucial as they maintain the flow of the game and help ensure adherence to the Laws of the Game. While they do play a significant role in the overall management of the match, their function is to assist rather than act independently or control player behavior directly, which falls within the primary responsibilities of the center referee.