What rule(s) govern the use of cleats in Soccer?

FIFA Laws of the Game for Soccer (LOTG) Law 4. The Law was revised in 1990 to adopt simpler wording (as it explains) so as to delete "superfluous" explanation that already was sufficiently addressed under the rule of 'dangerous equipment.' The rule regarding regulation footwear was revised by the International Football Association Board, the governing body of soccer. Soccer cleats are determined to meet the criteria of the regulation when no element, or part, exists which would make them a danger during play. Below is a hyperlink to an excerpt from the previous version of the current Law 4 specifying examples of regulation and nonregulation footwear elements. Certain physical features of cleats are considered legal by regulation and commonly accepted practice, knowledge, & tradition. The authority for determination AND enforcement of such legality is unequivocally with the Referee of the match. (Some things Referees can't enforce - merely "note" them; however, player eligibility based on proper equipment is enforceable.) It is possible for regional or local organizations to augment the LOTG (with the intention of the betterment of the game or modification for age level); however, USYSA recommends any modifications be in writing, and disseminated prior to the necessity for on-the-field rulings, which revert back to Law 5, the authority of the Referee in the absence of such information. It is important to note, however, that both USYSA & USSF, the U.S. national Referee governing body, caution against working under such rules, as they are not the product of any nationally or internationally sanctioned or recognized governing body, and do not have the benefit of expert input, oversight, or review. This should really be a non- issue for coaches, parents, and administrators. Currently, the official FIFA Soccer rulebook and USYSA's Rules and Regulations are easily accessible via many on-line sites and state clearly that 1) "footwear" is a necessary item of equipment; 2) that a player "must not use equipment, or wear anything which is dangerous to himself or another player" ; and 3) the final authority over what constitutes a "danger" on the field is the Referee of that match. On the issue of player safety in youth sports games, what constitutes "dangerous equipment" with regard to footwear, a reasonable person should be able to deduce that in a KICKING GAME, with young, unskilled participants, there is clearly a SIGNIFICANT PROBABILITY OF INJURY when any participant uses a shoe with a large, hard plastic protrusion with sharp edges at the tip of the shoe. This should lead to the conclusions that 1)"cleats", while one kind of possible footwear, are NOT mandatory; 2) that whatever footwear is chosen for use is subject to scrutiny as to whether it contains or presents any element of danger to either the wearer or any other player, and 3) that the Referee AT THAT MATCH will make that determination. If the particular shoe in question was specifically made for another sport, the cleats for that sport are manufactured under specifications for that sport for the purpose of providing advantage in that sport. For most other cleat-wearing sports, this is for the purpose of sprinting produced by DIGGING the "toe" cleat into the ground to produce traction.

Let's take that one step further, and say that ALL the cleats on this particular shoe, by virtue of their shape, size, and manufacturer's purpose, could all be deemed dangerous because they are all oversized, and display sharp, square edges. In the interest of determining where the CLEAR danger to another player might lie, the Referee may use their discretion to focus mainly on the "toe" cleat. Which is why untrained people assume that "toe" cleats are the issue, when the Laws give the Referee the latitude to determine, based on the conditions of the match (such as the age and skill of the participants who may or may not be endangered,) and by what specific ELEMENT of the equipment. This is what gives the Referee the ability to offer, at their discretion, the removal of the dangerous element (the "toe" cleat) as a possible solution in some cases. You can find the document from the IFAB online in the Archives of the International Football Association Board at their Archive website http://ssbra.org/html/laws/ifab.html Specifically under decisions for 1990: http://ssbra.org/html/laws/IFABarc/pdf/1990/1990min.pdf