In football, if all 11 players leave the pitch, the referee will usually stop the match and the team may be punished, including possible abandonment of the game. If the team has fewer than seven players because players deliberately left, the referee is not required to stop play immediately, but the match can still be abandoned once the situation makes continuing impossible.

What usually happens

  • The referee pauses play if needed and tells the team to return.
  • Players who left without permission can be cautioned or sent off.
  • If the team cannot field at least seven players, the match may be abandoned.

Why it matters

Law 3 allows a match to continue with fewer than 11 players, but not indefinitely if the number drops too low or the team is clearly refusing to play. In practice, walking everyone off the pitch is treated as a serious misconduct issue rather than a normal tactic.

Simple example

If a full team walks off in protest, the referee can warn them, issue cards, and then report the incident. If they do not come back, the match is likely abandoned and the disciplinary body decides the final outcome.

Bottom line

All 11 players leaving the pitch is not a normal stoppage; it is usually treated as abandonment or serious misconduct, with the exact outcome decided under the competition rules and disciplinary process.