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Football Rules and Regulations 2017

A concise list of FIFA Football rules and regulations for football fans. This section helps you understand the basic laws of the beautiful game.

FOOTBALL REGULATION: Football is often called soccer outside the United Kingdom. But, FIFA English Football rules and regulations are synonymous with soccer. So the laws are the same.

These rule descriptions and regulatory explanations derive from the Fédération Internationale de Football Association.

FIFA is the international governing body of the laws of association football. They established their headquarters in Switzerland from 1904.

FIFA currently have more than 200 members around the world.

In 2013 the International Football Association Board (IFAB) comprised the updated 150-page rule book. It is the most recent version of the rules and regulations of football. Full definitions of the regulations are available on the FIFA website.

Our first goal is to shoot you through the most important and basic rules and regulations of football. Check out all the promoted football teams names A to Z and get match ready for the 2017/18 English Premier League (EPL) soccer season.

FIFA Regulations of Football 2017

Aim of the Game Football

There is one simple aim of football. The triumphant team is the one which scores most goals at the end of play. Players score goals by kicking or heading the football ball into the goal net of the opposite team.

Football Rules: Playing Surface

The field of play for soccer rules and regulations must be rectangular in shape.

The playing surface should have clear and marked boundary lines.

The playing field may be a natural or a green colored artificial surface.

The touchlines are the two longest sides of the rectangle and the goal lines are the two shorter sides. The halfway line divides the field into two same-sized halves.

Before the Football Match

• The International Football Association Board (IFAB) currently acknowledges the major rules of football. They are the 17 most basic laws of soccer regulations for any professional or international football match.
• Standard touch line length should be a minimum of 90 meters up to a maximum of 120 meters.
• Goal line width should be at least 45 meters wide but no more than 90 meters in width.
• The goal (8 yards) should be centrally positioned along the goal line. There must be one goal net at each end of the field.
• An upright corner flag (5 feet high) should mark each corner of the field.
• The basic rules and regulations in football competitions allow two teams to play against each other. The number of players in each team should not exceed eleven.
• As a rule, the goalkeeper protects the goal area. The other soccer player positions include defenders, midfield players, wingers, central midfield and attackers.
• Before play begins a coin toss determines which team chooses the initial direction of play.

Football Rules and Regulations for Equipment

There are many differences between the rules of American Football and English Football regulations. One of the biggest differences is the shape of the Ball. You play soccer with a spherical ball made from leather (or similar material).

The circumference of the ball for official sanctioned matches must be 27 - 28 inches. It must also be correctly inflated to an appropriate pressure before the game begins. Soccer youth leagues often use a smaller ball more appropriate for young children.

Players must wear a separate jersey and shorts (not one piece). They will wear socks, shin guards, and boots with studs or cleats for traction. Players' socks must completely cover their shin guards. The referee may send a player off if he deems the soccer equipment to be unsafe or unsatisfactory.

Football Referee Rules and Regulations

• Match referees regulate the 17 rules of football with complete authority. The football referee rules the game while enforcing all the laws of football. They use yellow and red caution cards as signals for fouls and unsporting behaviour.
• Foul play and misconduct results in disciplinary action admonished by the referee.
• Questioning a referee's decision may result in further discipline. The introduction of new FIFA rules for dissent are tackling bad behaviour in the game. The word of the referee is law.
• The role of assistant referees is primarily for assisting the referee in performing his duties.
• Assistant officials also make signals with a flag if they see rule infringements. They will signal to the referee when a ball goes out of play, for fouls, or when a player is in an offside position.
• A soccer penalty kick results from any serious offence committed inside the goal area.

Periods of Play in Soccer Rules

The match gets played over two separate halves. Each half lasts 45 minutes of normal playing time with a 15 minute interval at half-time. The opposite team restarts the game with a kick-off taken at the center of the halfway line if a team scores a goal.

Extra playing time is usually imposed at the referee's discretion for time lost due to injuries and substitutions.

General FIFA Football Rules and Regulations

• The ball is in play at all times unless the referee stops the game or immediately after a goal.
• If a team concedes a goal, they restart play with a kick-off from the center spot.
• A throw-in restarts play after the ball has completely crossed a touchline.
• Goal kicks restart play if the whole ball passes over the goal line outside the goalmouth after touching an attacking player.
• Corner kicks result when the whole ball crosses the goal line after making contact with a player from the defending team (if not a goal).
• Soccer's offside rule ensures there are opponents between the attacking player receiving the ball and the goal.

Football Fouls and Sanctions for Misconduct

A direct free kick gets awarded if a player commits any of these fouls:

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

The direct free kick results in a penalty kick if the offence gets committed by a player in their own penalty area.

An indirect free kick gets awarded if a player commits any of these fouls:

• Jumps at an opponent
• Prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from his/her hands
• Strikes an opponent
• Impedes the progress of an opponent
• Commits any other unmentioned offense

Rules and Regulations of Football Throw In

A throw-in gets 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. They should keep both feet firmly planted on the ground to avoid making a 'foul throw'.

If these conditions are not met, play gets stopped and results with a throw-in to the opposing team. Players are not allowed to score directly off a throw-in.

The Goal Kick in Soccer Regulations

A goal kick gets 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 to kick the ball back into play.

FIFA Football Rules: The Corner Kick

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

Scoring Goals in Soccer Rules

According to the simple rules of football UK, a goal results when the ball enters the goalmouth and crosses the goal line. FIFA Law 12 and goal rules directives on soccer govern team and player goal celebrations in the official rule book of football.

Winning a Game of English Football Rules

The team which has scored the most goals once the game is over gets declared the winner.

According to the basic rules and regulations for football if the scores are equal at the end of play then the match is a draw. Some football competition rules allow extra time (30 minutes) or a penalty shoot-out to determine the winner.

Advanced Rules and Regulations in Football

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English Football in the News

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FIFA Rules, Regulations and Legislation in Football
Last Updated 2017