A technical area in
association football
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
is an area which a
manager
Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business.
Management includes the activities o ...
, other coaching personnel, and
substitutes are allowed to occupy during a match.
[
The technical area includes the dugout, bench and a marked zone adjacent to the pitch.][
]
History
The first football stadium to feature a dugout was Pittodrie Stadium
Pittodrie Stadium, commonly referred to as Pittodrie, is an all-seater stadium in Aberdeen, Scotland. Used primarily for football, it has been the home ground of the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) club Aberdeen F.C. since they were ...
, home of Aberdeen
Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...
, where dugouts were introduced by trainer Donald Colman in the 1920s. He wanted a place to take notes and observe his players (especially their feet, hence the reason for being set partially below pitch level) without sacrificing the shelter provided by a grandstand
A grandstand is a normally permanent structure for seating spectators. This includes both auto racing and horse racing. The grandstand is in essence like a single section of a stadium, but differs from a stadium in that it does not wrap a ...
.
The defined space of the technical area was established in the notes section of the Laws of the Game in 1993.[The Technical Area]
Laws of the Game, FIFA
Operation
The technical area is marked by a white line, varying in size but always "1m (1yd) on either side of the designated seated area and extend ngforward up to a distance of 1m (1yd) from the touch line", according to the Laws of the Game.[
Managers may not cross the line during play, which restricts them from approaching the pitch. In 1999, FIFA put the ]fourth official
In association football, an assistant referee (previously known as a linesman or lineswoman) is an official empowered with assisting the referee in enforcing the Laws of the Game during a match. Although assistants are not required under the La ...
in charge of enforcing this rule, although substitutes may warm up
'Warming up' is a part of stretching and preparation for physical exertion or a performance by exercising or practicing gently beforehand, usually undertaken before a performance or practice. Athletes, singers, actors and others warm up before s ...
along the side of the pitch.[
]
References
{{reflist
Association football terminology
Laws of association football