| The Laws of the Game are based on efforts | | | | appointed, towards the end of the half the |
| made in the mid-19th century to standardise | | | | referee will signal how many minutes remain |
| the rules of the widely varying games of | | | | to be played, and the fourth official then |
| football played at the independent schools of | | | | signals this to players and spectators by |
| England. The first set of rules resembling | | | | holding up a board showing this number. |
| the modern game were produced at Trinity | | | | |
| College, Cambridge in 1848, at a meeting | | | | Note that there is often semantic debate as |
| attended by representatives from Eton, | | | | to whether the referee is "adding on" time to |
| Harrow, Rugby, Winchester and Shrewsbury, but | | | | the end of a half, or rather treating time |
| they were far from universally adopted. | | | | during stoppages as though it never existed |
| | | | as part of the match time; this distinction |
| During the 1850s, many clubs were formed, | | | | has little bearing on the practical conduct |
| throughout the English-speaking world, | | | | of a game, however it may be noted that the |
| independent of schools or universities, to | | | | pre-1997 wording of the laws stated that the |
| play various forms of football. Some came up | | | | referee "shall ... allow the full or agreed |
| with their own distinct codes of rules, most | | | | time adding thereto all time lost through |
| notably the Sheffield Football Club (formed | | | | injury or accident" (Law V), and later FIFA |
| by former pupils from Harrow) in 1857, which | | | | guidelines regarding the annotation of goal |
| led to formation of a Sheffield FA in 1867. | | | | scoring times suggested that time is indeed |
| In 1862, John Charles Thring of Uppingham | | | | "added-on" to the end of the agreed half |
| School also devised an influential set of | | | | period. |
| rules. | | | | |
| | | | Extra time and shootouts In some competitions |
| Players and equipment Each team consists of a | | | | if a game is tied at the end of regulation |
| maximum of eleven players (excluding | | | | time it may go into extra time, which |
| substitutes), one of whom must be the | | | | consists of two further 15-minute periods. If |
| goalkeeper. | | | | the score is still tied after extra time, |
| | | | some competitions allow the use of penalty |
| Competition rules may state a minimum of | | | | shootouts (known officially in the Laws of |
| seven players are required to constitute a | | | | the Game as "kicks from the penalty mark") to |
| team. There are a variety of positions in | | | | determine which team will progress to the |
| which the outfield players are strategically | | | | next stage of the tournament. Note that goals |
| placed by a manager/coach, though these | | | | scored during extra time periods count |
| positions are not defined or required by the | | | | towards the final score of the game, unlike |
| Laws. | | | | kicks from the penalty mark which are only |
| | | | used to decide the team that progresses to |
| One player on each team must be designated as | | | | the next part of the tournament (with goals |
| that team's goalkeeper. The goalkeeper is the | | | | scored not making up part of the final |
| only player allowed to handle the ball with | | | | score). |
| his hands or arms, but is restricted to doing | | | | |
| so within the penalty area (also known as the | | | | Competitions utilizing two-leg stages (i.e. |
| "box" or "18 yard box") in front of his own | | | | where each round involves the two teams |
| goal. | | | | playing each other twice) may utilise the |
| | | | so-called away goals rule to attempt to |
| The basic equipment players are required to | | | | determine which team progresses in the event |
| wear includes a shirt (or jersey), shorts, | | | | of the teams being equal on wins; however, |
| socks (or stockings), footwear and adequate | | | | should results still be equal following this |
| shin guards. Players are forbidden to wear or | | | | calculation kicks from the penalty mark are |
| use anything that is dangerous to themselves | | | | usually required. Other competitions may |
| or another player (including jewellery or | | | | require a tied game to be replayed. |
| watches). | | | | |
| | | | Golden and silver goal experiments In the |
| A number of players may be replaced by | | | | late 1990s, the IFAB experimented with ways |
| substitutes during the course of the game. | | | | of making matches more likely to end without |
| The maximum substitutions permitted in | | | | requiring kicks from the penalty mark, which |
| international games and in national level | | | | were often seen as an undesirable way to end |
| leagues are three, though substitution | | | | a match. |
| numbers may be varied in other leagues. The | | | | |
| usual reasons for a player's replacement | | | | These involved rules ending a game in extra |
| include injury, tiredness, ineffectiveness, a | | | | time early, either when the first goal in |
| tactical switch, or to waste a little time at | | | | extra time was scored (golden goal), or at |
| the end of a finely poised game. In standard | | | | the end of the first period of extra time if |
| adult matches, a player who has been | | | | one team was by then leading (silver goal). |
| substituted may not take further part in the | | | | Both these experiments have been discontinued |
| match. | | | | by IFAB. |
| | | | |
| Officials A game is presided over by a | | | | Golden goal was used at the World cup in 2002 |
| referee, who has "full authority to enforce | | | | (Japan-South Korea), and silver goal was used |
| the Laws of the Game in connection with the | | | | in Euro 2004 (Portugal). |
| match to which he has been appointed" (Law | | | | |
| 5), and whose decisions regarding facts | | | | Fouls and misconduct A foul occurs when a |
| connected with play are final. The referee is | | | | player commits a specific offence listed in |
| assisted by two assistant referees (formerly | | | | the Laws of the Game when the ball is in |
| called linesmen). In many high-level games | | | | play. The offences that constitute a foul are |
| there is also a fourth official, who assists | | | | listed in Law 12. "Penal fouls", for example |
| the referee and may replace another official | | | | handling the ball, tripping an opponent, |
| should the need arise. | | | | pushing an opponent, etc, are punishable by a |
| | | | direct free kick or penalty kick depending on |
| Playing field The length of the field (pitch) | | | | where the offence occurred. Other fouls are |
| for international adult matches should be in | | | | punishable by an indirect free kick. |
| the range 100-110m (110-120 yards) and the | | | | |
| width should be in the range 64-75m (70-80 | | | | Misconduct may occur at any time, and may be |
| yards). | | | | committed by both players and substitutes. |
| | | | Whilst the offences that constitute |
| The longer boundary lines are touch lines, | | | | misconduct are listed, the definitions are |
| while the shorter boundaries (on which the | | | | broad. In particular, the offence of |
| goals are placed) are goal lines. On the goal | | | | "unsporting behaviour" may be used to deal |
| line at each end of the field is a goal. The | | | | with most events that violate the spirit of |
| inner edges of the goal posts must be 7.32m | | | | the game, even if they are not listed as |
| (8 yards) apart, and the lower edge of the | | | | specific offences. |
| crossbar must be 2.44m (8 feet) above the | | | | |
| ground. | | | | Misconduct may be punished by a caution |
| | | | (yellow card) or sending-off (red card). |
| Nets are usually placed behind the goal, | | | | |
| though are not required by the Laws. | | | | Recently, there have been problems in |
| | | | professional football leagues because of the |
| In front of each goal is an area of the field | | | | problem known as 'diving' or 'simulation'. |
| known as the penalty area (colloquially | | | | This is the wilful falling over of a player |
| "penalty box", "18 yard box" or simply "the | | | | in order to win a free-kick or penalty when |
| box"). This area consists of the area formed | | | | little or no contact has been made between |
| by the goal-line, two lines starting on the | | | | the two players. This poses a dilemma for |
| goal-line 16.5m (18 yards) from the goalposts | | | | officials who are trying to conduct a fair |
| and extending 18 yards into the pitch from | | | | game. In response, 'simulation' has been |
| the goal-line, and a line joining these. This | | | | defined as 'unsporting behaviour' and |
| area has a number of important functions, the | | | | therefore is now a bookable offense. |
| most prominent being to denote where the | | | | |
| goalkeeper may handle the ball and where a | | | | Advantage The advantage clause states that |
| foul by a defender which would usually | | | | the referee should allow play to continue |
| punished by a direct free kick becomes | | | | — i.e. not stop play — when the |
| punishable by a penalty kick. | | | | team against which an offence has been |
| | | | committed will benefit from having play |
| Duration Standard durations A standard adult | | | | continue. The referee may "call back" play |
| football match consists of two periods (known | | | | and penalise the original offence if the |
| as halves) of 45 minutes each. There is | | | | anticipated advantage does not ensue within a |
| usually a 15-minute break between halves, | | | | short period of time, typically taken to be |
| known as half time. The end of the match is | | | | four to five seconds. |
| known as full-time. | | | | |
| | | | Even if an offence is not penalised due to |
| Time added on The referee is the official | | | | application of the advantage clause the |
| timekeeper for the match, and it is part of | | | | offender may still be sanctioned for any |
| his duties to make allowance for time lost | | | | associated misconduct at the next stoppage of |
| through substitutions, injured players | | | | play. |
| requiring attention, cautions and dismissals, | | | | |
| sundry time wasting, etc. | | | | Offside The offside law limits the ability of |
| | | | attacking players to remain forward (i.e. |
| When making such an allowance for time lost, | | | | |
| the referee is often said to be "adding time | | | | closer to the opponent's goal-line) of both |
| on"; the added time is commonly referred to | | | | the ball and the second last defending |
| as stoppage time or injury time. The amount | | | | player. It is often assumed that the purpose |
| of time is at the sole discretion of the | | | | of this law is to prevent "goal scrounging" |
| referee, and the referee alone signals when | | | | or "cherry picking", but in fact the offside |
| the match has been completed. There are no | | | | law has similar roots to the offside law in |
| other timekeepers, although assistant | | | | rugby. The details and application of this |
| referees carry a watch and may provide a | | | | law are complex, and often result in |
| second opinion if requested by the referee. | | | | controversy: for more information on offside |
| In matches where a fourth official is | | | | please refer to the main article above. |