Although forfeiting a football game is very rare it has happened throughout the history of the game. Football or Soccer is the most popular game in the world so, naturally, there would be instances when a team thought that forfeiting their next game would be the best option for them.
Any team can forfeit any game simply by not showing up to the ground. The laws of the game by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) state that a team can forfeit their game by either not showing up or sending insufficient players. The laws state that if a team can not have seven players on the field then the referee will not continue the game.
The FIFA Disciplinary Code states that a team that has forfeited its game will be given a 3-0 loss. Forfeiting the game does not only mean a loss to the team, in certain cases a forfeit can also result in a fine or ban for some games.
Football or soccer teams forfeiting their games is a rare occasion and has only happened a few times. One such example of a team forfeiting their game is FC Barcelona forfeiting their game against Atletico Madrid.
Barcelona vs Athletico Madrid
Barcelona forfeited their Copa Del Rey semi-final clashes against Atletico Madrid in the year 2000. The move to forfeit their game was done as a protest against Spanish Football Federation. The Barcelona team was missing many of its players due to being out for international commitments and injuries.
At the scheduled kick-off, the Atletico team waited for their opponents to arrive on the pitch as Barcelona’s nine outfield players and two goalkeepers in their kits sat at the touchline and did not enter the field.
Barcelona wanted their game postponed so that players on international duty could come back and play the game. Due to this move by the Barcelona team, they even faced a fine.
As it is evident, a team rarely decides to forfeit their game. It does happen occasionally and the teams that make the tough decision of forfeiting the game can face serious consequences.
Also Read: Lionel Messi nets hat-trick as Argentina rout Curacao
“Get more sports news, cricket news, and football updates, log on to sportsdigest.in. Follow us on Facebook or Twitter and Subscribe to our YouTube Channel.”
