Section 8: Safety Considerations
Surface Safety (Law 1, Section 1). The sand surface must not be rough and must be kept free of pebbles, shells or any object that could injure players, match officials or any other person. For international competitions the sand must be fine and at least 40cm deep, sifted for suitability, while avoiding excessive dust that sticks to the skin.
Jewellery and Dangerous Equipment (Law 4, Section 1). A player must not use or wear anything dangerous. All jewellery is forbidden and must be removed before play; taping over jewellery does not satisfy the requirement. Players inspected before the match and found in violation must remove the item or leave the pitch at the next stoppage, and a player who refuses or re-offends is cautioned.
Protective Equipment (Law 4, Section 4). Non-dangerous protective items — soft, lightweight padded gloves, headgear, facemasks, and knee/arm protectors — are explicitly permitted (though not compulsory) to support player safety without being ruled dangerous equipment.
Protection During Scissors/Overhead Kicks (Law 12, Section 1). Because scissors kicks and overhead kicks are an inherent, high-risk part of beach soccer, the Laws specifically require referees to protect both the player executing such a kick and any nearby opponents, sanctioning unlawful interference while recognising that a defender who does not turn their body or move toward the kicker, or who makes accidental contact, has not committed an offence.
Goal Safety (Law 1, Section 9). Goalposts and crossbars must be made of approved, non-dangerous material, and goals must be firmly secured to the ground. If a crossbar becomes displaced or broken, play stops until it is repaired or replaced; if it cannot be repaired, the match must be abandoned.
Spectator Barriers (Law 1, Section 4/Safety note). Competition rules must specify a minimum distance between the pitch boundary lines and spectator barriers (including those bearing advertising) sufficient to ensure the safety of all participants.