Referee warned after Palmeiras take kick-off in both halves vs Fluminense
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The extraordinary incident occurred during Palmeiras' 2-1 victory on Wednesday evening, when the home side somehow restarted play after half-time despite already kicking off at the beginning of the match.
Key takeaways
- Palmeiras kicked off both halves in a 2-1 win over Fluminense.
- Referee Felipe Fernandes has received an official warning from the CBF.
- IFAB rules do not explicitly cover double half-time restarts.
- Palmeiras coach Abel Ferreira was sent off after the match.
- Legal action is possible but considered unlikely to alter the result.
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Read This Next →What happened?
Under standard football laws, each team takes one kick-off - one to start the first half and the other to begin the second.However, referee Felipe Fernandes permitted Palmeiras to initiate play in both periods.
The error went unnoticed until after the restart, despite protests from Fluminense defender Juan Pablo Freytes.
Yes, I noticed that Palmeiras kicked off twice, but the referee told me I couldn't talk to him because I'd get another card.Brazil's governing body, the Confederação Brasileira de Futebol (CBF), later confirmed Fernandes had been issued with an official warning.
I even yelled at him, but he didn't hear me or anything, and the game had already restarted.
In a statement, the CBF said the mistake "did not prejudice the game" as Fluminense regained possession almost immediately after the second-half kick-off.
In yesterday’s Palmeiras vs. Fluminense match in Brazilian Serie A, Palmeiras somehow took the kickoff in both halves.
— The ER Doctor (@TheERDoctor) February 26, 2026
🤔 pic.twitter.com/AmxDPVG3yA
Is double kick-off even covered by the rules?
Interestingly, the situation is so rare that the International Football Association Board (IFAB) does not specifically list a scenario where the same team restarts both halves.The Laws of the Game state that if any other infringement occurs during the kick-off procedure - aside from the same player touching the ball twice - "the kick-off shall be stopped and retaken."
However, there is no explicit clause covering a referee mistakenly awarding consecutive half restarts to one side, making this an unusual procedural grey area.
Abel Ferreira's fury adds to the drama
The night's controversy did not end with the restart confusion.In his official match report, Fernandes detailed what he described as an "outburst of fury" from Palmeiras head coach Abel Ferreira following a throw-in decision awarded to Fluminense.
According to the referee, Ferreira aggressively confronted assistant referee Fernanda Gomes Antunes and fourth official Luis Tiene, gesturing angrily and clapping in a "mocking" manner.
After the end of the match, I directly expelled the Palmeiras team coach. He addressed the assistant referee and fourth official in a harsh, rude manner.
After the expulsion, he had to be restrained by members of his team to leave the field of play.
Could the result be challenged?
Former FIFA referee and ESPN pundit Carlos Eugênio Simon described the incident as a "procedural error" and suggested that, in theory, the match could be challenged legally.Palmeiras initiated the restart and then resumed play after half-time. I hadn't seen that before.Despite the unprecedented nature of the mistake, the fact that Fluminense quickly regained possession may weaken any potential case that the error materially impacted the result.
If Fluminense protests, the match could end up in court, but it's unlikely to change the outcome.
A rare officiating mishap
Whilst controversial refereeing decisions are not uncommon in football, administrative errors of this nature are exceptionally rare at elite level.The incident has reignited debate over concentration levels among match officials and whether additional procedural safeguards - possibly involving VAR oversight - should be introduced for restarts.
For now, the CBF's official warning appears to close the matter, but the unusual double kick-off will likely remain one of the most talked-about moments of the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A season.
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