Basic Rules

soccer linesmanWelcome to the basic soccer rules!

The official FIFA Laws of the Game is a 136 page document full of in-depth coverage. Rather than diving straight in at the deep end, however, your first step in mastering soccer is to learn the key fundamentals: the most basic rules that are central to understanding the game.

This section is therefore intended to help give you an overview of what the game is about, how it works, what the aims are, and to provide a few extra details in addition to these areas. Once we’ve gone through the main principles, you can move on to explore the FIFA Laws of the Game for a more complete understanding of all the game’s intricacies.

I have therefore quite simply put together a short list of 10 vital points so you know what’s what in this amazing sport. (If you already know the absolute basics of soccer, then please feel free to skip over this section.)

  • Soccer is played between two teams of 11 players
  • The game lasts for 90 minutes: two halves of 45 minutes, plus a 15 min break at half time. There may be stoppage time for injuries and extra time also in certain competitions
  • Play begins with a ‘kick off’ from one team in the first half, and the other team in the second half. This decision is made with a coin toss beforehand
  • Soccer is played on a rectangular pitch with a goal at each end of the field
  • Each team tries to put the ball in the opposition’s goal using their feet or head. The team that scores the most times wins, or there is a draw if the number of goals for each team is equal
  • Each team has 1 goalkeeper, who may use his hands only within his own penalty area to stop the other team from scoring
  • No one other than the goalie may use their hands. This, together with kicking, tripping, pushing etc., is considered a foul and warrants a free kick
  • Players cannot score from an offside position. Players are offside when they receive the ball or interfere with play when they are positioned beyond the opposition’s last defender, and this constitutes a foul. (Note this is a controversial and complex rule with far more to it!)
  • The fouls are policed by a referee and his assistants. A free kick can be direct or indirect. A direct free kick in the goal area is a penalty, whereby an attacking player has a free shot at goal with only the keeper to beat
  • When the ball goes off the pitch, play re-starts with a throw in, a corner or a goal kick against the team that put the ball out of play

These bullet points should serve to give you a basic overview of how the game functions and its main purpose: to beat the other team by scoring more goals. At its heart it is therefore a very simple and fun game, but be warned that there are far more subtle rules within these general guidelines.

There is one absolutely crucial rule which we have not yet mentioned. Indeed it is so pivotal to your enjoyment of the game that youth soccer would not be the same without it. As every young player or youth coach knows, you must, must, must, must, must, must, must……

…eat oranges at half time!
´

So there you have it. I have just outlined for you the key points to understanding the game. That’s your understanding under way, now get learning to play!! But if these are not thorough enough for you, then try progressing from the basic soccer rules to the official soccer rules