If an object or person not involved in the game touches the ball and it goes into the goal, what should the referee do?

When an object or person not involved in the game contacts the ball and it subsequently enters the goal, it is treated as an external interference. In this scenario, the rules dictate that the proper course of action is to halt the game and restart play with a dropped ball at the point of contact. This approach is aligned with the Laws of the Game, which seek to ensure fairness and uphold the integrity of the match.

Allowing the goal would mistakenly validate a goal scored through means not permitted under the rules, while ignoring the incident would disregard the impact of the interference on the game's flow. Restarting with an indirect free kick would also not be applicable, as the type of interference does not warrant that specific form of restart. Thus, a dropped ball serves as the most appropriate resolution in accounting for the interference caused by the external factor.