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Field of Play

Football is played on either grass or artificial turf but the surface colour must be green. The field is rectangular in shape and distinctly marked by two short goal lines and two long-touch lines. The field is divided into halves which are separated by the halfway line that runs from the midpoints of each touchline. At the midpoint of the halfway line is a marked centre point surrounded by a lined centre circle with a radius of 10 yards.

Regulation lengths are as follows:

  • Field Length & Width: Length (touch line) is 90/120 m and width (goal line) is 45/90 m
  • Goal line: At each end of the field is an eight-yard-wide goal centred along the goal line
  • Goal box: Six yards from each goal post along the goal line and six yards out into the field (perpendicular to the goal line) is the goal box.
  • Penalty box: Extending 18 yards from each goal post along the goal line and 18 yards out into the field (perpendicular to the goal line) is the penalty box.
  • In each of the four corners of the field is a five-foot-high corner flag.

Equipment

Ball:

A soccer ball must be spherical in shape and made of leather or another comparable medium. Its circumference must be in the range of 27 to 28 inches.

Players’ equipment:

All players are required to wear a jersey, shorts, shin guards, socks and cleats. The socks must cover the shin guards entirely. If the referee deems a player’s equipment unsatisfactory, the player can be sent off until the issue is resolved

Number of Players & Substitution

  • A match is played between two teams consisting of 11 players each (on the field to start the game) and goalkeeper is included in it.
  • Three substitutions are allowed per side in a match. Off late, fourth substitution has also been allowed in case the game extends into an extra time
  • If a team cannot field at least seven players at match time, the game is a forfeit.

Scoring

  • A goal is scored when the entire ball has crossed the goal line within the frame of the goal.
  • At the end of the match, the team with the most goals is the winner, barring the circumstantial necessity for extra time.

Match Duration

  • A soccer match is comprised of two 45-minute halves, with extra time added for each at the referee’s discretion.
  • The halves are separated by a half-time period not to exceed 15 minutes. The amount of extra time is announced and displayed at the half line at the end of each 45-minute period.
  • Although soccer does have an allotted time limit, it is ultimately up to the referee’s as to when to end a match.

Start & Restart of Play

  • Kick-off is generally determined by a coin toss, whereby the winning team can either choose to start with the ball or choose which goal they would like to attack
  • The losing team is then offered whatever choice the winner does not elect to take.
  • Kick-off occurs at the start of each half, and after each goal scored, and is taken at the centre of the halfway line.
  • If a team scores a goal, the opposing team is given the kick-off to restart the play.

Throw-In

  • Throw-in is awarded when the possessing team plays the ball out of bounds over the touchline.
  • While taking throw-in, a player must release the ball with both hands simultaneously and keep both feet firmly planted on the ground. If these conditions are not met, play is stopped and the throw-in is given to the opposing team.
  • Players are not allowed to score directly off a throw-in.

Free Kicks

  • Free Kick is broken into two categories, direct and indirect.
  • A direct kick can be a shot directly into the opponent’s goal without touching another player.
  • An indirect free kick is indicated by the referee raising his hand during the kick. An indirect kick can only go into the goal if it has subsequently been touched by another player before it enters the goal.

Penalty Kick

  • A penalty kick is awarded either when a defensive player fouls an attacking player or commits a handball in his/her team’s penalty area.
  • For taking a penalty kick the ball is placed at the penalty spot, and all players on both teams must remain outside the penalty box during the shot. They may enter the box immediately after the shot is taken.
  • The goalkeeper may move horizontally along the goal line before the shot is taken, but he may not come off the line until the ball is struck.

Goal Kick

  • A goal kick is awarded when the offensive team plays the ball out of bounds over the defensive team’s goal line.
  • After the ball is out of play, the defender or goalkeeper may place the ball anywhere within the six-yard goal box and kick the ball back into play.

Corner Kick

  • A corner kick is awarded to the offensive team when the defensive team plays the ball out of bounds over its goal line.
  • The ball is placed within the corner area and is kicked back into play by the offensive team.
  • Players can score directly off a corner kick.

Offside

  • Offside can be called when an attacking player is in front of the last defender when the pass is played through to them. The offside area is designed to discourage players from simply hanging around the opponent’s goal waiting for a pass. The goalkeeper does not count as a defender
  • To be onside the players must be placed behind the last defender when the ball is played to them. If the player is in front of that last defender then he is deemed to be offside and free kick to the defending team is awarded.
  • A player cannot be caught offside in his/her own half. If the ball is played backwards and the player is in front of the last defender then he is deemed to be onside.

Fouls & Misconduct

A direct free kick is awarded when a player:

  • Kicks or attempts to kick an opponent
  • Trips or attempts to trip an opponent
  • Jumps at an opponent
  • Charges an opponent
  • Strikes or attempts to strike an opponent
  • Pushes/tackles/holds/spits at an opponent
  • Handles the ball deliberately

Indirect free kicks are awarded if a player:

  • Plays in a dangerous manner
  • Impedes the progress of an opponent
  • Prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from his/her hands
  • Commits any other unmentioned offense

If any of these fouls is committed by a player in his/her team’s penalty area, the opposing team is awarded a penalty kick.

Cards

Yellow Card: Yellow cards are awarded as a caution or warning to a player and can be issued for the following offenses:

  • Unsporting behaviour
  • Dissent by word or action
  • Persistent infringement of the Laws of the Game
  • Delaying the restart of play
  • Failure to respect the required distance when play is restarted with a corner kick, free kick, or throw-in
  • Entering or re-entering the field of play without the referee’s permission
  • Deliberately leaving the field of play without the referee’s permission

Red Card: Red cards are used to send a player off the field, and can be issued for the following offenses:

  • Serious foul play
  • Violent conduct
  • Spitting at an opponent or any other person
  • Denying the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball (the goalkeeper being an exception)
  • Denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the player’s goal by an offense punishable by a free kick or a penalty kick
  • Using offensive or abusive language and/or gestures
  • Receiving a second caution (yellow card) in the same match

Match Officials

  • The Referee –The referee is the authority on the field, and his/her word is law. If a player questions a referee’s decision, he/she can be disciplined further simply for dissent.
  • The Assistant Referees –The assistant referees are primarily responsible for assisting the referee in performing his/her duties – this includes signalling with a flag when a ball goes of play, when a player is fouled, or when a player is in an offside position.