SportsMaze

What you can't watch without

The rules you will see every few minutes, in the order you meet them. Each opens on its answer.

B · Beginner · 17 rules · Step 1 of 4

How is a goal scored, and how is a match won?

  1. When does a goal count in football?A goal counts when the whole of the ball has crossed the goal line between the posts and under the crossbar, with no offence by the scoring team on the way.
  2. Does an own goal count in football?Yes.
  3. Can a football match end in a draw?Yes.
  4. How does a penalty shoot-out work in football?Each team takes five kicks, alternately, from the penalty mark.

Offside

  1. What is offside in football?A player is in an offside position if, when a teammate plays the ball, any part of their head, body or feet is in the opponents' half and nearer the goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent (usually the last outfield defender).

What is a foul?

  1. What counts as a foul in football?A foul is a kick, trip, push, charge, jump, strike or tackle against an opponent that the referee judges careless, reckless or with excessive force, or holding, impeding with contact, biting, spitting or handball.
  2. When is it handball in football?Not every touch of the hand or arm is handball.

Yellow cards, red cards and misconduct

  1. What do you get a yellow card for in football?A yellow card is a caution.
  2. What gets a player sent off in football?A red card sends a player off for the rest of the match, and the team plays one short: a player sent off after kick-off cannot be replaced.

Kick-offs, free kicks, penalties and other restarts

  1. How does a football match start?A coin toss decides the start.
  2. When is the ball out in football?The ball is out only when the whole of it has crossed the touchline or goal line, on the ground or in the air.
  3. What is the difference between a direct and an indirect free kick?From a direct free kick the kicker can score straight into the opponents' goal.
  4. What are the rules for a penalty kick?A penalty kick is given for a direct free kick offence by a defender in their own penalty area.
  5. How do you take a throw-in?When the whole ball crosses the touchline, the opponents of the last player to touch it take a throw-in from where it went out.
  6. When is a corner kick given?A corner kick is given when a defender last touched the ball before the whole of it crossed their own goal line, without a goal.

How long is a match, and what stops it?

  1. How long is a football match?A football match is two halves of 45 minutes, with a half-time interval of no more than 15 minutes.

Who plays, and who can come on?

  1. How many players are in a football team?Each team has at most 11 players on the field, one of whom must be the goalkeeper.
I · Intermediate · 14 rulesNext: intermediate rules