Football words, in the order you need them
Start with the beginner words and you can follow a match. Each level builds on the one before.
Already know some? Search all 82 words and 47 rules
Words
- Team
- Pitch
- Penalty area
- Goal area
- Goal
- Goalkeeper
- Referee
- Assistant referee
- Half
- Additional time
- Goal (scored)
- Clean sheet
- Hat-trick
- Own goal
- Draw
- Foul
- Yellow card
- Red card
- Offside
- Penalty kick
- Free kick
- Direct and indirect free kick
- Handball
- Careless, reckless and excessive force
- Serious foul play and violent conduct
- Denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity
- Dissent and unsporting behaviour
- Temporary dismissal
- Spirit of the game
- Match officials
- VAR
- Advantage
- Away goals rule
- Aggregate score
- Ten-second substitution rule
- Off-field assessment
- Concussion substitution
- Only the captain
- Goal-line and offside technology
- Technical area and team list
- Kick-off
- Goal kick
- Ball in and out of play
- Dropped ball
- Five-second countdown
- Eight-second rule
- Extra time
- Penalties (penalty shoot-out)
- League
- Knockout
- Substitution
- Formation
- Pass
- Dribbling
- Tackle
- Header
- Cross
- Shot
- Save
- Corner kick
- Throw-in
- Assist
- Nutmeg
- Defender
- Midfielder
- Forward
- Winger
- Captain
- Pressing
- Counter attack
- False nine
- Overlap
- Low block
- Build-up play
- Wall
- Near post
- Set piece
- Volley
- Sweeper
- Box to box midfielder
- Target man
- Squad rotation
Rules
- When does a goal count in football?
- Does an own goal count in football?
- Can a football match end in a draw?
- How does extra time work in football?
- How does a penalty shoot-out work in football?
- How do two-legged ties work in football?
- What is offside in football?
- When is a player in an offside position penalised?
- When can't a player be offside?
- What counts as a foul in football?
- When is it handball in football?
- Can you shield the ball in football?
- What is dangerous play in football?
- When can't the goalkeeper pick the ball up?
- Why didn't the referee stop play for that foul?
- What do you get a yellow card for in football?
- What gets a player sent off in football?
- Is a last-man foul always a red card?
- Can players argue with the referee in football?
- Are there sin bins in football?
- Can a football coach get a yellow or red card?
- How does a football match start?
- When is the ball out in football?
- What is the difference between a direct and an indirect free kick?
- What are the rules for a penalty kick?
- How do you take a throw-in?
- When is a goal kick given?
- When is a corner kick given?
- What is a dropped ball in football?
- How long is a football match?
- How is stoppage time decided in football?
- What is the punishment for time-wasting in football?
- What happens when a football match is abandoned?
- How many players are in a football team?
- How many substitutions are allowed in football?
- Is there a concussion substitute in football?
- What happens when a player is injured in football?
- What are the special rules for goalkeepers?
- What does the captain do in football?
- How big is a football pitch, and what do the lines mean?
- How big is a football goal?
- What size and weight is a football?
- What must a footballer wear?
- Who are the match officials in football?
- How does VAR work in football?
- What happens if the ball hits the referee in football?
- What happens if a fan, a dog or a second ball comes onto the pitch?