FA Chief Executive Mark Palios said: "When I travelled around the grounds, the one call I got more than any other from everyone within the game was the need to address the speed with which we deal with disciplinary cases and we believe we have now done that.

"This is the most far-reaching review of the disciplinary process in the game since the mid-1990s and we need the clubs and the players to play their part.

"This is what football wanted and what football needs," added Palios.

Beginning initially in the Premier League, Football League and Football Conference, they will be reviewed at the end of the season with consideration to be given to an extension to the three feeder leagues - Ryman, Unibond, Dr. Martens.

The new code comes as a result of a lengthy consultation process including all major stakeholders: The FA, PFA, League Managers Association (LMA), Premier League, Football League, Football Conference, feeder leagues and referees.

The FA's processes are reviewed after every season - however, this was a far more comprehensive review, managed by Brendon Batson, the main objective of which was to improve speed and clarity, but not at the expense of fairness.

The procedures meet FIFA requirements and were approved by The FA Council on 15th March.

Three main categories are:

1. Automatic suspensions for incidents seen and dealt with by the referee:

Under the new Disciplinary Code, suspensions will come into effect immediately, unless a claim for wrongful dismissal is lodged.

Claims for wrongful dismissal (along with relevant documentation/videos, etc.) must be lodged by 12 noon the next working day. All claims will be heard within 4 working days of a fixture. No Video Advisory Panel: claims go straight to Commissions. Penalties for frivolous appeals.

Under the current regulations, suspensions come into effect on the 14th day following a fixture.

2. Incidents not seen by the referee:

Includes violent conduct, spitting, offensive words and gestures.

Incidents to be dealt with as if the referee had seen them (same process, timing and sanction).

Charges to be issued on second working day and case heard by a Disciplinary Commission by the end of the week. Any suspension will start immediately following the hearing.

Appeals will only be permitted if the ban exceeds 3 matches. The FA must be notified of the intention to appeal by 12 noon on the first working day following the hearing. Appeals will be heard within 10 days of the original hearing.

3. Incidents seen by the referee but out of his jurisdiction

Breaches that may constitute breaches of FA Rules, but not under the referee's authority under the Laws of the Game.

Includes tunnel incidents, failure to leave field of play after a red card, incidents after the final whistle, certain aggravated incidents.

Compliance to issue charge by end of second working day. Requests for a personal hearing must be lodged by 12 noon the following day. Defendant then has 2 working days to accept or deny the charge.

Personal hearing then to be scheduled for Tuesday or Thursday.

Commission has 1 working day to complete written paperwork. The FA must be notified of intention to appeal by 12 noon of the first working day following receipt of written explanations.

Appeal documentation must be submitted within 3 days of the hearing. The FA has 2 days to consider appeal documentation: the defence has 1 day to consider FA response. Independent appeal board to sit at earliest opportunity.


For more complex cases (doping, child protection, financial matters, certain aggravated incidents, etc.) the Disciplinary Commissions will control the speed of the process.

Match bans following an accumulation of yellow cards (5, 10, 15, etc.) will come into effect 7 days after the last card, rather than 14 days.

Disciplinary Commissions may include an additional co-opted member from a pool of representatives from the wider football community (i.e. 3 Disciplinary Committee members plus 1 layperson) when appropriate. To be selected by the Sport Dispute Resolution Panel (SDRP).

Appeal boards will be comprised of a legally-qualified Independent Chairman (also selected by SDRP), an FA member and a layperson from the pool.

The new processes will be monitored during the season and reviewed next summer.