What is the restart when two substitute teammates fight off the field and the referee intervenes?

When two substitute players engage in a fight off the field and the referee intervenes, the appropriate restart is a drop ball after both players have been sent off. This action indicates that the situation involved misconduct that warranted the dismissal of both players from the match, thereby leading the referee to pause the game to address the behavior.

A drop ball is typically used in scenarios where play has been interrupted due to reasons other than a foul or infringement committed by players on the field. In this case, since the altercation occurred off the field and did not involve active players engaging in play, the drop ball allows for an equitable restart in a situation where the game was halted due to misconduct among substitutes, who are not directly participating in the match at that moment.

This method respects the flow of the game and accurately reflects the fact that the incident does not directly affect any current play but still needs to be managed appropriately. Consequently, a drop ball is seen as the most suitable way to resume the game following such misconduct.