LAWS AND RULES (Laws 15, 16 and 17)

Law 15: The Throw-In

A throw-in is awarded when the possessing team plays the ball out of bounds over the touchline. While taking a throw-in, a player must release the ball with both hands simultaneously and keep both feet firmly planted on the ground. If these conditions are not met, play is stopped and the throw-in is given to the opposing team. Players are not allowed to score directly off a throw-in.

Law 16: The Goal Kick

A goal kick is awarded when the offensive team plays the ball out of bounds over the defensive team’s goal line. After the ball is out of play, the defender or goalkeeper may place the ball anywhere within the six-yard goal box and kick the ball back into play.

Law 17: The Corner Kick

A corner kick is awarded to the offensive team when the defensive team plays the ball out of bounds over its goal line. The ball is placed within the corner area and is kicked back into play by the offensive team. Players can score directly off a corner kick.

LAWS AND RULES (Law 13 : Free Kicks and law 14 : The Penalty Kick)

Law 13: Free Kicks

Free Kick is broken into two categories, direct and indirect. A direct kick can be shot directly into the opponent’s goal without touching another player. An indirect free kick is indicated by the referee raising his hand during the kick. An indirect kick can only go into the goal if it has subsequently been touched by another player before it enters the goal. The ball must be stationary for both types of kicks.

Law 14: The Penalty Kick

A penalty kick is awarded either when a defensive player fouls an attacking player or commits a handball in his/her team’s penalty area. The penalty kick is placed at the penalty spot, and all players on both teams must remain outside the penalty box during the shot. They may enter the box immediately after the shot is taken. The goalkeeper may move horizontally along the goal line before the shot is taken, but he may not come off the line until the ball is struck.

LAWS AND RULES (Law 12 : Fouls and Misconduct)

Law 12: Fouls and Misconduct

A direct free kick is awarded when a player:

• Kicks or attempts to kick an opponent
• Trips or attempts to trip an opponent
• Jumps at an opponent
• Charges an opponent
• Strikes or attempts to strike an opponent
• Pushes an opponent
• Tackles an opponent
• Holds an opponent
• Spits at an opponent
• Handles the ball deliberately

If any of these are fouls are committed by a player in their team’s penalty area, the opposing team is awarded a penalty kick. Indirect free kicks are awarded if a player:

• Plays in a dangerous manner
• Impedes the progress of an opponent
• Prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from his/her hands
• Commits any other unmentioned offense

Yellow cards are awarded as a caution or warning to a player and can be issued for the following offenses:

• Unsporting behavior
• Dissent by word or action
• Persistent infringement of the Laws of the Game
• Delaying the restart of play
• Failure to respect the required distance when play is restarted with a corner kick,free kick, or throw-in
• Entering or re-entering the field of play without the referee’s permission
• deliberately leaving the field of play without the referee’s permission

Red cards are used to send a player off the field, and can be issued for the following offenses:

• Serious foul play
• Violent conduct
• Spitting at an opponent or any other person
• Denying the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball (the goalkeeper being an exception)
• Denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the player’s goal by an offense punishable by a free kick or a penalty kick
• Using offensive or abusive language and/or gestures
• Receiving a second caution (yellow card) in the same match

LAWS AND RULES (Laws 9, 10 and 11)

Law 9: The Ball In and Out of Play

Ball out of play

The ball is out of play when:

• it has wholly passed over the goal line or touchline on the ground or in the air
• play has been stopped by the referee

Ball in play

The ball is in play at all other times, including when it rebounds off a match official, goalpost, crossbar or corner flagpost and remains in the field of play.

 

Law 10: The Method of Scoring

A goal is scored when the entire ball has crossed the goal line within the frame of the goal. At the end of the match, the team with the most goals is the winner, barring the circumstantial necessity for extra time.

Law 11: Offside

When an attacking player receives the ball while on his opponents half, he must be level or behind the second to last defender (the last typically being the goalkeeper). However, this rule only applies if he is involved with the play. To get a better understanding of the offside rule, please see the guide section for a more detailed explanation.

LAWS AND RULES (Law 7 : The Duration of the Match and Law 8 : The Start and Restart of Play)

 

Law 7: The Duration of the Match

A soccer match is comprised of two 45-minute halves, with extra time added for each at the referee’s discretion. The halves are separated by a half-time period not to exceed 15 minutes. The extra time generally corresponds with the referee’s determination of how much time was taken up due to substitutions and injuries. The amount of extra time is announced and displayed at the half line at the end of each 45-minute period. Although soccer does have an allotted time limit, it is ultimately up to the referee’s as to when to end a match.

 

Law 8: The Start and Restart of Play

Kick-off is generally determined by a coin toss, whereby the winning team can either choose to start with the ball or choose which goal they would like to attack. The losing team is then afforded whatever choice the winner does not elect to take. Kick-off occurs at the start of each half, and after each goal scored, and is taken at the center of the halfway line. If a team scores a goal, the opposing team is given the kick-off to restart the match.

LAWS AND RULES (Law 5 : The Referee and Law 6 : The Assistant Referees)

The referee (Law 5) :

The authority of the referee

Each match is controlled by a referee who has full authority to enforce the Laws of the Game in connection with the match.

Decisions of the referee

Decisions will be made to the best of the referee`s ability according to the Laws of the Game and the spirit of the game and will be based on the opinion of the referee who has the discretion to take appropriate action within the framework of the Laws of the Game.

The decisions of the referee regarding facts connected with play, including whether or not a goal is scored and the result of the match, are final.

The referee may only change a decision on realising that it is incorrect or on the advice of another match official, provided play has not restarted or the referee has signalled the end of the first or second half (including extra time) and left the field of play or terminated the match.

If a referee is incapacitated, play may continue under the supervision of the other match officials until the ball is next out of play.

Referee’s Equipment

COMPULSORY EQUIPMENT

• Whistle(s)
• Watch(es)
• Red and yellow cards
• Notebook (or other means of keeping a record of the match)

 

The assistant referees :

 

Other match officials (two assistant referees, fourth official, two additional assistant referees and reserve assistant referee) may be appointed to matches. They will assist the referee in controlling the match in accordance with the Laws of the Game but the final decision will always be taken by the referee.

The match officials operate under the direction of the referee. In the event of undue interference or improper conduct, the referee will relieve them of their duties and make a report to the appropriate authorities.

With the exception of the reserve assistant referee, they assist the referee with offences and infringements when they have a clearer view than the referee and they must submit a report to the appropriate authorities on any serious misconduct or other incident that occurred out of the view of the referee and the other match officials. They must advise the referee and other match officials of any report being made.

The match officials assist the referee with inspecting the field of play, the balls and players’ equipment (including if problems have been resolved) and maintaining records of time, goals, misconduct etc.

Competition rules must state clearly who replaces a match official who is unable to start or continue and any associated changes. In particular, it must be clear whether, if the referee is unable to start or continue, the fourth official or the senior assistant referee or senior additional assistant referee takes over

Assistant referees

They indicate when:

• the whole of the ball leaves the field of play and which team is entitled to a corner kick, goal kick or throw-in
• a player in an offside position may be penalised
• a substitution is requested
• at penalty kicks, the goalkeeper moves off the goal line before the ball is kicked and if the ball crosses the line; if additional assistant referees have been appointed the assistant referee takes a position in line with the penalty mark

The assistant referee’s assistance also includes monitoring the substitution procedure.

The assistant referee may enter the field of play to help control the 9.15m (10 yards) distance.

 

LAWS AND RULES (Law 3 : The Players and Law 4 : Players’ Equipment)

The players (Law 3) : 

Matches are generally played by two teams of 11 to a side. The goalkeeper is included in the 11-player total. If a team cannot field at least seven players at match time, the game is a forfeit. Teams of fewer than 11 a side can often be seen in youth leagues where smaller teams are used as a developmental tool.

FIFA-sanctioned matches are generally limited to three substitutions per match, with the exception of friendly matches. Most youth leagues allow an unlimited number of substitutions, which must also be listed on the game card prior to the beginning of the match, otherwise those players are ineligible.

Substitutions may only enter at the halfway line, upon the referee’s approval, and after the player being subbed out has left the pitch.

The goalkeeper may be substituted with anyone on the pitch or any eligible substitute on the bench during a game stoppage.

 

Players’ Equipment (Law 4) :

Safety

A player must not use equipment or wear anything that is dangerous.

All items of jewellery (necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings, leather bands, rubber bands, etc.) are forbidden and must be removed. Using tape to cover jewellery is not permitted.

The players must be inspected before the start of the match and substitutes before they enter the field of play. If a player is wearing or using unauthorised/dangerous equipment or jewellery the referee must order the player to:

• remove the item
• leave the field of play at the next stoppage if the player unable or unwilling to comply

A player who refuses to comply or wears the item again must be cautioned.

Compulsory equipment

The compulsory equipment of a player comprises the following separate items:

• a shirt with sleeves
• shorts
• socks – tape or any material applied or worn externally must be the same colour as that part of the sock it is applied to or covers
• shinguards – these must be made of a suitable material to provide reasonable protection and covered by the socks
• footwear

Goalkeepers may wear tracksuit bottoms.

A player whose footwear or shinguard is lost accidentally must replace it as soon as possible and no later than when the ball next goes out of play; if before doing so the player plays the ball and/or scores a goal, the goal is awarded.

Colours

• The two teams must wear colours that distinguish them from each other and the match officials
• Each goalkeeper must wear colours that are distinguishable from the other players and the match officials
• If the two goalkeepers’ shirts are the same colour and neither has another shirt, the referee allows the match to be played.

Undershirts must be the same colour as the main colour of the shirt sleeve; undershorts/tights must be the same colour as the main colour of the shorts or the lowest part of the shorts – players of the same team must wear the same colour.

LAWS AND RULES (Law 2 : The Ball)

All balls must be:

• spherical
• made of suitable material
• of a circumference of between 70cm (28ins) and 68cm (27ins)
• between 450g (16oz) and 410g (14oz) in weight at the start of the match
• of a pressure equal to 0.6 – 1.1 atmosphere (600 – 1,100g/cm2) at sea level (8.5 lbs/sq in – 15.6 lbs/sq in)

All balls used in matches played in an official competition organised under the auspices of FIFA or confederations must bear one of the following:

• FIFA Quality PRO
• FIFA Quality
• IMS – INTERNATIONAL MATCH STANDARD

Balls carrying previous quality marks such as “FIFA Approved”, “FIFA Inspected” or “International Matchball Standard” may be used in aforementioned competitions until 31 July 2017.

Replacement of a defective ball

If the ball becomes defective:

• play is stopped and
• restarted by dropping the replacement ball where the original ball became defective

If the ball becomes defective at a kick-off, goal kick, corner kick, free kick, penalty kick or throw-in play the restart is re-taken.

If the ball becomes defective during a penalty kick or kicks from the penalty mark as it moves forward and before it touches a player, crossbar or goalposts the penalty kick is retaken.

The ball may not be changed during the match without the referee’s permission.

Additional Balls

Additional balls which meet the requirements of Law 2 may be placed around the field of play and their use is under the referee’s control.

LAWS AND RULES (Law 1 : The Field of Play)

Field surface :
The field of play must be a wholly natural or, if competition rules permit, a wholly artificial playing surface except where competition rules permit an integrated combination of artificial and natural materials (hybrid system).
The colour of artificial surfaces must be green.

Where artificial surfaces are used in competition matches between representative teams of national football associations affiliated to FIFA or international club competition matches, the surface must meet the requirements of the FIFA Quality Programme for Football Turf or the International Match Standard, unless special dispensation is given by The IFAB.
Field markings :
The field of play must be rectangular and marked with continuous lines which must not be dangerous. These lines belong to the areas of which they are boundaries.

Only the lines indicated in Law 1 are to be marked on the field of play.

The two longer boundary lines are touchlines. The two shorter lines are goal-lines.

Dimensions :
The touchline must be longer than the goal-line.

Regulation lengths are:

• Touch line: Minimum 90 meters (100 yards), maximum 120 meters (130 yards)
• Width (goal line): Minimum 45 m (50 yds), maximum 90 m (100 yds).
• At each end of the field is an eight-yard-wide goal centered along the goal line.
• Six yards from each goal post along the goal line and six yards out into the field (perpendicular to the goal line) is the goal box.
• Extending 18 yards from each goal post along the goal line and 18 yards out into the field (perpendicular to the goal line) is the penalty box.
• In each of the four corners of the field is a five-foot-high corner flag.