This document summarizes the basic rules of soccer in 14 points. It explains things like team size (11 players per side), equipment requirements, foul types, offsides, and how goals are scored. Youth leagues may modify some rules - using smaller teams, shorter games, or smaller balls depending on age. The document aims to clearly explain the rules so that anyone can understand soccer, even if they have never seen a game before.

1. This document was made by Soccer Balls Guide
I tried to make these rules as clear as possible so that any person even if he has never
heard of soccer, can easily understand them.
Read them more than once so that you understand them fully.
• Rule 1: the ball
A regulation size soccer ball is a No. 5 ball. Youth leagues may use different size balls,
such as a No. 3 ball or a No. 4 ball, depending on the age of the children.
• Rule 2: Number of players
Each team must have 11 players while one of them should be the goalkeeper (wears a
different color) and only he can touch the ball using his hands. However, some youth
leagues may use only 7 players for each team.
• Rule 3: Equipment
Players must wear the same colored jersey or shirts. All youth programs require shin
guards to be worn by all players. If your players will be wearing cleats, make sure they
are soccer cleats. A soccer cleat does not have a cleat at the front edge of the shoe like
a baseball cleat. This is for safety.
• Rule 4: Duration of the game
In professional games, the game takes 90 minutes (two halves of 45 minutes each) plus
a few minutes that were wasted during the game when a player gets hurt or something

2. similar. However, you may notice that some youth leagues divide this duration on four
quarters or they may even play game of 60 minutes.
• Rule 5: Start of play
Before starting the game, there’s a coin toss that is done by the referee to decide which
team will start with the ball. At kickoff, the players of each team are on one side of the
field with the ball placed in the middle of the center circle. At the second half, the other
team will start with the ball.
• Rule 6: Ball in and Ball Out
The ball is out of play whenever it is completely outside the outside edge of the
touchline or the goal line either on the ground or in the air.
• Rule 7: How a goal is scored
A goal is scored when the ball surpasses completely the outside edge of the goal line
and goes between the goal posts. Any player can score a goal even the goalie. If a player
puts the ball in his own goal, then it counts as a score for the opposing team.
• Rule 8: Main Fouls
There are two types of fouls.
Major fouls:
• Kicking a player.
• Jumping up at a player.
• Charging a player in a rough way.
• Charging a player from behind.
• Tripping a player.
• Hitting or spitting at a player.
• Pushing a player.
• Holding a player.
• Handling the ball. (Except by a goalkeeper). This foul is called if the player is
trying to control the ball with his hands or arms.

3. These fouls must be committed intentionally and they may result in a red card (a card
that sends the player out of the game with no return). The opposite team receives a
free kick that allows it to try either to score the ball directly into the other team’s goal
or to pass the ball to one of his teammates.
Minor fouls: the player who commit any of the following fouls gets a yellow card (two
yellow cards are equal to a red card).
• Dangerous play. For instance: high kicking near another
player’s head, or trying to play a ball held by a goalie.
• Fair charging, but with the ball out of playing distance.
• Illegal obstruction. When a player intentionally takes a position between the
ball and an opponent, when not within playing distance of the ball.
• Charging the goalkeeper in the goal area.
• Goalkeeper Infringements.
• Goalkeeper taking more than four steps while controlling the ball.
• Goalkeeper playing the ball with his hands when the ball is kicked by a
teammate.
• Intentionally wasting time.
Note that if the foul committed doesn’t meet any of the mentioned fouls, the referee
doesn’t give any card but only gives a free kick to the opposite team.
• Rule 9: Offside
These rules get a lot of people confused. But, it’s really simple if you pay attention. An
offensive player must have two opponents including the goalkeeper between himself
and the goal line at the moment the ball is passed to him.
Offside is determined when the ball is passed to the player, not when the player receives
the ball. Offside position and offside are not the same. It is not against the rules to be in
an offside position. It is against the rules to be offside. Here is a definition of these two
concepts.

4. Offside Position - A player is in the offside position if he is:
• ahead of the ball and
• in the opponents’ half of the field and
• there are fewer than two opponents even with or ahead of him.
Offside -A player who is in the offside position becomes offside when
• he participates in the play or
• he interferes with an opponent or
• otherwise tries to take advantage of being in the offside position.
Exceptions - A player in an offside position is not to be called offside if he receives
the ball directly from:
• a throw-in or
• a corner kick or
• a goal kick.
• Rule 10: Throw-in
A throw-in is taken to restart a game after the ball goes out of play over the touchline.
A throw- in is taken by a player from the team, which did not touch the ball last.
A player cannot score a goal directly from a throw-in. A player in the offside position
receiving the ball directly from a throw-in is not offside.
• Rule 11: Free kick
When a foul is committed outside of the penalty area, the other team receives a free
kick as a reward. The free kick of the ball is located on the same spot where the foul was
committed. A free kick can be either used to score directly or to pass the ball to a
teammate. Plus, the opposite team must give the fouled team the space to kick the ball
comfortably. Usually it’s usually equivalent to 20 feet (6 meters).
• Rule 12: Goal kick
The kick is located in the goal area and it’s performed every time the attacking team was
the last to touch the ball before it crosses over the goal line. It can be either performed

5. by the goalie or the defender and the opposite team players must be out of the penalty
area.
• Rule 13: Corner Kick
If a ball goes over the goal line and is last touched by the defending team, the attacking
teams is awarded a corner kick. The corner kick is taken from within the corner arc on
the side of the field where the ball went out of play.
• Rule 14: Penalty
A penalty kick is awarded when a defender commits a foul in the penalty are. The team
that was fouled is given a penalty kick from the penalty mark.
Before you go,
I hope that everything’s clear about these rules.
If there’s anything not clear, contact me here hello@soccerballsguide.com
Are you looking for a detailed guide to help you (or you kid) start playing soccer?
Read this guide: http://soccerballsguide.com/how-to-play-soccer/
Cheers,
Patrick from Soccer Balls Guide