Which of the following can lead to the issuance of a direct free kick?

A direct free kick is awarded for various offenses that are considered more severe than minor fouls, and a physical infringement such as tripping or pushing an opponent directly falls into this category. These types of actions are clear breaches of the laws of the game because they affect the safety and fairness of play.

When a player trips or pushes another player, it disrupts the flow of the game and can lead to injury, thus justifying a direct free kick for the team that suffered from this infringement. The laws of the game specify specific physical fouls, and a direct free kick is one of the appropriate consequences for these actions, allowing the team to restart play from the location of the foul.

In contrast, other scenarios listed, such as delaying the game, failing to surround the ball during a set-piece, or being offside, either result in an indirect free kick or do not warrant a direct free kick at all. Delaying the game is penalized typically with a warning or card rather than a direct free kick, while the offside rule does not involve a direct free kick but an indirect free kick awarded to the opposing team.