Soccer Rules for Beginners: How the Game Works

Seven key soccer rules

Know the aim. Two teams compete to score in the other team’s goal. A goal counts when the whole ball passes over the goal line between the posts and under the crossbar, provided no rule was broken in the scoring move.
Stay within the match format. A standard match has two halves, each normally 45 minutes, with a half-time interval. The referee adds time for delays such as substitutions, injuries and time-wasting. Some competitions use extra time or a penalty shootout when a winner is required; these are not part of every match.
Use your feet—unless you are the goalkeeper. Outfield players may not deliberately handle the ball with their hands or arms. The goalkeeper may handle it inside their own penalty area, subject to restrictions, including the rule against picking up a deliberate kick from a teammate’s foot. Accidental contact is not automatically a handball; the referee judges the circumstances under the Laws.
Understand offside. A player is penalized only if, when a teammate plays or touches the ball, the player is in an offside position and then becomes involved in active play. Being beyond the halfway line and nearer the opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent is the basic position test. Being in that position alone is not an offence.
Avoid fouls and misconduct. Actions such as kicking, tripping, pushing, holding or carelessly charging an opponent can result in a direct free kick or penalty kick. Less direct offences can bring an indirect free kick. A yellow card is a caution; a red card sends a player off, and the team cannot replace that player.
Restart play correctly. The game restarts in different ways depending on why and where it stopped: with a kick-off, throw-in, goal kick, corner kick, free kick or penalty kick. The referee signals and players must follow the required position and procedure for that restart.
Follow the referee’s decisions. The referee applies the Laws, keeps time, records goals and disciplinary action, and decides when play stops and resumes. Assistant referees help with matters such as the ball going out and offside, but the referee makes the final decision on the field.

How a match is set up

Each team has no more than 11 players on the field, and one must be a goalkeeper. A match cannot start or continue if a team has fewer than seven players. Players wear distinguishable shirts, shorts, socks, shin guards and suitable footwear; the goalkeeper’s kit must be distinguishable from the other players and match officials.

The field has touchlines along its sides and goal lines at its ends. The halfway line divides it into two halves. Markings include the centre circle, penalty areas and goal areas. The ball is out of play only when it has wholly crossed a touchline or goal line, on the ground or in the air, or when the referee stops play. If it is still partly over the line, it remains in play.

The Laws of the Game are set by The International Football Association Board (The IFAB). Competition rules can add details such as substitution limits or how a tied knockout match is settled, so the format may differ between a league match, a tournament and a youth game.

Offside, explained with an example

Offside is one of the most misunderstood rules. At the moment a teammate plays the ball, compare the potential receiver’s position with the ball, the halfway line and the second-last opponent. A player is in an offside position if they are in the opponents’ half and nearer the goal line than both the ball and that second-last opponent. The goalkeeper is often one of those opponents, but the test is about the second-last opponent, not specifically the goalkeeper.

For example, if an attacker is beyond the defenders when a teammate passes forward and then plays the ball, interferes with an opponent or gains an advantage from a rebound, the referee may award an indirect free kick. But if the attacker waits behind the ball when the pass is made, they are not offside simply because they run past defenders afterward. A player also cannot be offside directly from a goal kick, throw-in or corner kick.

Common fouls, cards and free kicks

A foul is not just any physical contact. The referee considers what happened, where it happened and whether the challenge was careless, reckless or used excessive force. A careless foul generally brings a free kick; reckless play can also earn a yellow card, while serious foul play or violent conduct can warrant a red card. A player can also be cautioned for offences such as dissent or persistent rule-breaking.

A direct free kick may be scored straight into the opponents’ goal. An indirect free kick requires another player to touch the ball before a goal can count. The referee signals an indirect free kick by raising an arm and keeping it raised until the ball touches another player or goes out of play. If a player commits a direct-free-kick offence inside their own penalty area, the restart is generally a penalty kick.

Not every stopped attack means a card or penalty. For instance, a player who is in an offside position is not penalized unless they become involved in active play. Likewise, a goalkeeper handling the ball inside the penalty area is normally permitted, but the goalkeeper cannot use that permission to handle every pass from a teammate.

What happens when the ball goes out

Throw-in: Awarded to the opponents of the player who last touched the ball before it wholly crossed a touchline. The thrower faces the field, uses both hands, and delivers the ball from behind and over the head while keeping part of each foot on or behind the touchline.
Goal kick: Awarded when the attacking team last touched the ball before it crossed the goal line without a goal being scored. The defending team takes the kick from its goal area.
Corner kick: Awarded when the defending team last touched the ball before it crossed its own goal line without a goal. The attacking team kicks it from the corner nearest where the ball went out.
Drop ball: Used in certain situations where play is stopped for a reason not covered by another restart, such as some cases of interference. The referee drops the ball according to the Laws; it is not a contest in which players can simply crowd in and kick freely.

A throw-in cannot score directly. If the ball goes straight into the opponents’ goal from a throw-in, the restart is a goal kick; if it goes straight into the thrower’s own goal, the opponents get a corner kick. These unusual outcomes are why the method of restarting matters.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many players are on a soccer team?

Each team can have up to 11 players on the field, including a goalkeeper. Substitutes are not on the field unless they enter under the competition’s substitution rules. A team must have at least seven players for a match to start or continue.

Can you be offside in your own half?

No. A player cannot be in an offside position while in their own half. The position is assessed when a teammate plays or touches the ball, and an offside offence requires involvement in active play.

Is handball always a foul in soccer?

No. Outfield players are restricted from deliberately handling the ball, but not every ball-to-arm contact is an offence. The referee applies the handball provisions to the specific action and circumstances; goalkeepers have a limited privilege to handle the ball inside their own penalty area.

What is the difference between a free kick and a penalty?

A free kick is taken from the place of the offence, with the type of kick depending on the violation. A penalty kick is awarded for a direct-free-kick offence by the defending team inside its own penalty area and is taken from the penalty mark.

What happens if a soccer match is tied?

In many league matches, a tie stands. A competition that needs a winner may use extra time, a penalty shootout, or another method set out in its regulations. The match format determines what happens, rather than one universal rule requiring every tied game to continue.

Sources: The IFAB Laws of the Game. Menus and buttons can differ slightly by version. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.