Soccer Rules

To ensure fair play in all of the lands, the world’s governing body of football, FIFA, have laid down a set of rules for all to follow. Instead of letting people of the different regions of the world to mold the game to their liking, they have actually made football a global language by fixing the basics of football.

Here is a preview of some of the most important rules of the game. For the complete list, see: Soccer Rules.

• The ball in and out of play

  For the ball to be called out of play, the whole of the ball needs to cross the whole of the line either in the air or along the line. If the ball rebounds off a goalpost or a corner flag, it is still in play.

  If the ball crosses one of the sidelines, a throw in is awarded to the opponents of the team who made the last touch. If the ball cross either of the touch-lines, if the attacking team had the last touch, it will be a goal-kick otherwise, it will be a corner kick.

• Offside

  Easily confused, a player is considered to be in an offside position if he closer to the goal-line than the ball and the last opponent before the goalkeeper. It is termed as an offence when the ball is played to that player. Usually, the linesman raises his flag as a call for offside. The other team is awarded a free-kick.

• The throw in

  When the ball crosses one of the sidelines, a throw in is awarded when the ball goes out of play over the sidelines. The opponents of the team who made the last touch takes the throw in.

  It’s not as simple as it sounds, the throw has to be made with both arms coming from above the head and both feet on the ground outside the field of play.

For a more detailed view of the complete list of the rules of soccer, see: Soccer Rules.