by Sarah C. Burdett
Famous Dutch soccer player and coach Johan Cruyff, who helped create the idea of Total Football, once said, “Playing soccer is very simple, but playing simple soccer is the hardest thing there is.” This means that while soccer can seem easy, playing it in a straightforward and effective way is actually very challenging. His style focused on short, simple passes and constant movement, making the game accessible to almost anyone with just a ball.
If you’re new to soccer, some parts of the game might be hard to understand. Soccer has its own unique rules and regulations that can be confusing at times. In this article, we’ll give you a simple guide to the basic rules of soccer, explaining how the game is played and what happens when players break the rules. By the end, you’ll have a good understanding of how to play and enjoy the world’s most popular sport.
Additionally, if you’re interested in soccer bets, we’ll touch on some basic concepts to help you get started with placing soccer online bet, such as understanding odds and different types of bets. This way, you’ll be well-equipped to both play and follow the game, making it even more enjoyable.
What Are The Rules Of Soccer?
The official rules for soccer were written down for the first time in 1863 during a meeting of the English Football Association (FA) in London. That meeting set the basic guidelines for the game, but many changes have been made since then.
Some of the early changes to the rules might surprise today’s fans. For example, players could catch the ball with their hands until 1870, sending players off the field for bad behavior started in 1881, and the penalty kick was introduced about ten years later. In this article, we’ll explain each of these parts of the game in detail.
One of the newest big changes in soccer is the use of Video Assistant Referees (VAR) in most top leagues worldwide. In the Premier League, this has led to many discussions and debates. Despite this, referees still use the same basic rules that have been around for a long time. Let’s start by outlining the basic rules of soccer.
The Most Basic Soccer Rules
Soccer is a game where two teams, each with 11 players (10 outfield players and 1 goalkeeper), try to score goals using a round ball. The outfield players can’t touch the ball with their hands or arms, but the goalkeeper can, as long as they’re in their own penalty box.
There are goals at both ends of the rectangular field, and each team has a goalkeeper to defend their goal. The main goal of the game is to score by kicking, heading, or otherwise legally getting the ball into the other team’s net. At the same time, you need to stop the other team from scoring. Sounds simple, right?
How Long Is A Soccer Game?
A standard soccer game lasts 90 minutes, split into two halves of 45 minutes each, with a 15-minute break in the middle. This is the same in professional, amateur, and youth leagues. In pro soccer, the main referee is helped by two assistant referees on the sidelines and a fourth official who manages the technical area.
The game clock runs continuously, so to make up for time lost during stoppages like free kicks, fouls, injuries, bookings, and substitutions, referees add extra time at the end of each half. This stoppage time can range from 1 to 10 minutes, depending on how many stoppages there were. Including the halftime break, most soccer matches end about two hours after they start.
How Big Is A Soccer Field?
In the US, the field where a soccer game is played is usually called the “soccer field,” but in Europe, it’s often called the “pitch.” The soccer pitch is a large rectangular area with white lines marking the boundaries, penalty areas, six-yard boxes, a center circle, a halfway line, and corner arcs to help officials make decisions.
According to the International Football Association Board (IFAB), full-size soccer pitches must be between 100-130 yards long and 50-100 yards wide. For international games, the pitch length is usually between 110-120 yards and the width is 70-80 yards.
Once the players walk onto the freshly marked pitch, how does the game begin?
The Kick-Off
Every soccer match starts with a kick-off. The two teams line up on opposite halves of the pitch. The referee will then do a coin toss between the two team captains to decide which team will start with the ball or which end of the pitch they want to defend first.
The team that wins the coin toss can choose to either take the kick-off or pick the end of the pitch to attack towards in the first half. After the referee blows the whistle to start the game, the team with the kick-off will begin by passing the ball from a stationary position in the center circle to a teammate.
At the start of the second half, the other team will take the kick-off, and the teams will switch ends of the pitch.
If a team concedes a goal, they will restart the game with another kick-off from the center circle.
How Are Players Punished For Fouls?
In soccer, players can receive individual punishments for committing fouls, in addition to the other team getting a free kick or penalty.
Yellow Cards
When a player or a member of the coaching staff commits a serious offense, the referee can give them a yellow card as an official caution. The referee will record this ‘booking’ in their notebook, and the player will need to be more careful for the rest of the game. Reasons for getting a yellow card include:
- Unsafe or reckless play
- Disrespecting opponents
- Showing dissent, like protesting or disagreeing publicly with the referee’s decision
- Improper celebrations, such as removing your shirt or going into the spectator areas
- Timewasting
- Deliberately leaving the field without the referee’s permission
