spectacles and sports goggles in grassroots football

Can players wear spectacles or goggles when playing football?

Flying footballs and close physical contact make football a moderate risk sport for eye injuries. Sports spectacles or goggles may provide protection from injury and can also be worn by those who need to wear prescription lenses.

What should I wear?

The FA recommends that Polycarbonate Lenses are worn as this is the most important property of all protective spectacles or goggles. Polycarbonate is virtually unbreakable and will sustain the impact of a football or finger for example. 

Spectacles or goggles must be worn with an elasticised band and not temple pieces to secure the frame. Players must have a band that will be secured tight to the head so that the spectacles or goggles won’t fall off. A frame with temples will not hold tight enough and a jab from a finger could lift the frame off and potentially cause injury. 

Player Safety

Although sports eyewear is intended to offer the best protection available, there is always the possibility that the wearer may sustain an eye or facial injury due to severe impact or because of the nature of the activity. Referees should ensure that if a request has been made to wear spectacles or goggles, that they must not be a danger to himself or to any other player.

The individual referee has to show concern for all those playing in that game and if they feel there the spectacles or goggles are unsafe or there is something dangerous in the glasses i.e. sharp edges, or broken frame, then in order to protect players and also the wearer the referee has the authority to say that the spectacles or goggles can not be worn.

Please refer to Law 4.1 of the IFAB Laws of the Game for further information on player safety and the responsibility of the referee.