| Soccer rules - Despite being a sport with | | | | substitutions eligible for each of the two |
| roots reaching out to medieval and even | | | | teams. |
| ancient times, soccer was never really played | | | | |
| under a set of strict rules until 1863. | | | | However, in friendly matches, it's often the |
| | | | case that both teams agree upon a set number |
| On 26 October, 1863 several amateur and | | | | of substitutions or simply go all-out and |
| semi-professional clubs from England gathered | | | | allow every bench player to get in the game |
| up in London and formed up the Football | | | | at some point, replacing one of the first |
| Association and devised a "constitution" for | | | | team members. |
| the game, including a set of standardized | | | | |
| soccer.Obviously the "Laws of football" as | | | | Ball in/out play soccer rules - The ball is |
| they were called back then were just a set of | | | | in play whenever the referee doesn't |
| basic soccer rules and they didn't cover all | | | | intervene whistling a game stop and whenever |
| aspects of the game. | | | | it stays inside the play area. |
| | | | |
| The main points covered by the Football | | | | If the ball crosses the goal line or touch |
| Association were regarding violence on the | | | | line by more than half its circumference, |
| pitch, as oftentimes the tense clashes in | | | | then it goes out of play and a goal kick |
| no-rules matches lead to bloody fistfights | | | | corner or throw in is given to one of the |
| between the teams. Since then, soccer rules | | | | teams (the opposition of the team that last |
| constantly evolved and began covering more | | | | touched the ball). If a ball hits the referee |
| and more of the game's principles and also | | | | ,the corner flag, the goal post or any other |
| adapting soccer to the age it was played in. | | | | object on the pitch, the game remains in |
| | | | play. |
| A simple example of this would be the offside | | | | |
| rules which was introduced later on in the | | | | Fouls - Fouls are one of the most problematic |
| game, when matches became more and more | | | | soccer rules nowadays, since they can be |
| tactical. | | | | easily misjudge or interpreted by the |
| | | | referee, which often causes arguments on and |
| Without the offside rule, attackers would | | | | off the pitch. Theoretically, a foul is |
| often have a hibernating role in the team, | | | | whistled and a direct or indirect kick is |
| simply staying up front and waiting for the | | | | given when a player trips, kicks, pushes, |
| ball to come, hence with the new rule, they | | | | punches, charges or holds an opponent. |
| were forced to work as much as the other | | | | |
| players on the pitch. | | | | However, in the fast pace of the game, it's |
| | | | often hard for the referee to see if a tackle |
| Let's take a look at some of the official | | | | touches the feet of the attacker or the ball. |
| soccer rules of today and give them a small | | | | It's considered a foul even if the defending |
| explanation for why they are there and how | | | | player doesn't touch the attacker at all, but |
| they affect the game: | | | | has a dangerous intervention such as a high |
| | | | kick. |
| Soccer field dimensions - since not all | | | | |
| soccer pitches could share the exact same | | | | Goals - Last but not least, the essence of |
| size, FIFA decided a small length and width | | | | soccer rules and the object of the game |
| size threshold in order for a pitch to be | | | | itself, the goal. |
| playable. So the minimum length of a soccer | | | | |
| field must be of 100 yards (90 meters), | | | | In order to score a goal, the attacking team |
| whereas the maximum length must be 130 yards | | | | must pass the ball beyond the other team's |
| (120 meters). | | | | goal line. The attacker can kick the ball, |
| | | | head the ball or push it in with any other |
| A bigger size difference was allowed for the | | | | body part other than the hand (in which case |
| width, which can be as small as 50 yards (45 | | | | it is considered handball). |
| meters) and as big as 100 yards (90 meters). | | | | |
| You might have noticed that the minimum | | | | Not all shots that end up in the net are |
| length coincides with the maximum width! | | | | goals though, as a goal can be cancelled if |
| Although strange indeed, soccer could | | | | it was scored after the attacker broke one of |
| actually be played on a square field, however | | | | the other soccer rules, such as fouling a |
| for entertainment's sake no one built that | | | | defender or the goalkeeper, using his hand to |
| kind of pitch yet (thankfully). | | | | control the ball, being offside or scoring |
| | | | directly from an indirect free kick. |
| Number of players - The official soccer rules | | | | |
| book states that each team can enter the | | | | These are the basic soccer rules and although |
| field with 11 players (one of which is the | | | | there are a few smaller twists to learn, if |
| goalkeeper). | | | | you manage to understand these, you'll be |
| | | | able to watch, and understand a soccer match |
| The number of substitutes depends on the | | | | without problems. Outside the offside rule |
| competition the match is played in, but in | | | | the other official soccer rules are quite |
| official FIFA matches the number of | | | | easy to grasp. |
| substitutes can range from none to 7, with 3 | | | | |