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Football Rules and Regulation 2018

FIFA Laws of the Game (LOTG) explain all the rules and regulations of football. Check out this summarised list of soccer rules and regulation to help you understand the action.

FOOTBALL REGULATIONS: Most people call it soccer outside the United Kingdom. Even so, FIFA football rules and regulations are synonymous with soccer rules.

The laws of football (association football) are the same as those used in the game of soccer. This guide focuses on explaining FIFA rules 2018.

Where do the rule descriptions and regulatory explanations derive from? In fact they come from the Fédération Internationale de Football Association.

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

FIFA has more than 200 members around the world. In 2013, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) comprised an updated 150-page rule book.

Full definitions of soccer regulations are available on the FIFA website. You can also read the unabridged version of FIFA rules and regulations PDF 2018/19 online.

Here's the deal:

Our first goal is to shoot you through the most important and basic rules and regulations in football. But, you can also check out the promoted football teams names A to Z. This will ensure you are match ready for the 2018/19 English Premier League (EPL) soccer season.

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.

FIFA Regulations of Football 2018

1. Football Rules: The Field of Play

A field of play for soccer rules and regulations must be rectangular in shape. A playing surface should have clear and continuous marked boundary lines.

The field surface may be completely natural or it can be a green colored artificial surface. Some hybrid systems combine artificial and natural materials for the field of play.

The touchlines make up the two longest boundary lines of the rectangle. Whereas, the goal lines will form the two shorter boundary lines. The halfway line divides the field into two same-sized halves.

Football Pitch Measurements

• Standard touch line length should be a minimum of 90 metres and up to a maximum of 120 metres.
• Goal line width should be at least 45 metres wide but no more than 90 metres in width.
• The distance between the white goalposts is 7.32 metres (8 yards). The lower edge of the crossbar should measure 2.44 metres to the ground (8 feet).
• The goal must be in a central position on the goal line and there needs to be one goal located at each end of the field.
• There must be a flagpost and a flag positioned at each corner of the pitch. The upright post should be at least 1.5 metres high (5 feet) and not have a pointed top.

Note: The touchline length for international matches measures 100-110 metres and 64-75 metres for goal lines.

Some competition matches may use goal line technology. If so, the organisers of the competition must ensure the system meets the requirements and specifications of GLT.

FIFA football laws govern commercial advertising on the field of play. Further prohibitions also apply to logos and emblems. There must be a video operation room and at least one referee review area in football matches using VAR.

Note: The football equipment facts and facilities section has extra information. It covers the rules on GLT, VAR, logos, and commercial advertising.

2. FIFA Rules: The Ball

The international standard on football ball weight and sizes comes from FIFA Law 2. Check the integrity required for all approved match balls used in association football games.

3. The Players

Before a Football Match Begins

• 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. One of the team members must be a goalkeeper.
• 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.
• The maximum number of substitutes allowed in a match differs between competitions. Games played in the Premier League allow a manager to make up to three (3) changes per game. Even so, the referee must have the names of all substitute players before the start of the match.
• One of the player will take on the role of team captain. Despite having no special privileges, the captain has some responsibility for the team's behaviour on the field.

4. FIFA Rules and Regulations for Equipment

There are notable differences between the rules of American Football and English football regulations. One of the biggest contrasts is the shape of the Ball.

You play soccer with a spherical ball made from leather (or similar composite material). The circumference of the ball for official sanctioned matches must measure between 27 and 28 inches. It must also be correctly inflated to an appropriate pressure before the game begins.

Note: As a rule, soccer youth leagues use a smaller ball more appropriate for young children.

Players must wear a separate jersey and shorts (not one piece). They must also wear socks, shin guards, and boots (with studs or cleats for traction). Socks must completely cover the shin guards.

The referee may send a player off if he deems the soccer equipment to be unsafe or unsatisfactory.

5. 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.
• Soccer penalty kicks result from any direct free kick offence committed inside their penalty area or off the field (outlined in Laws 12 and 13).

6. Additional Match Officials

• Other football match officials can include:
  • Two assistant referees.
  • A fourth official.
  • Two additional assistant referees.
  • A reserve assistant referee.
  • A video assistant referee (VAR).
  • At least one assistant VAR (AVAR).
• The role of assistant referees is primarily for assisting the referee in performing their 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 moves into an offside position.

7. Soccer Rules: Duration of the Match

A match gets played over two separate halves. Each half lasts 45 minutes of normal playing time with a fifteen (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.

The referee can extend the half if a player needs to take or retake a penalty kick. In most cases, an abandoned match would get replayed at a later date.

8. Starting and Restarting Play

General FIFA Football Rules and Regulation

• 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).

9. Ball In Play and Out of Play

• The ball is in play at all times unless the referee stops the game or immediately after a goal.
• The ball is out of play when:
  • It has wholly passed over the goal line or touchline on the ground or in the air.
  • The referee stops play for any other reason.

10. The Outcome of a Match

Scoring Goals in Soccer Rules

According to the rules of football UK, a goal results when the ball enters the goalmouth and crosses the goal line.

Law 12 and the goal rules directives on soccer govern FIFA rules on goal celebrations according to the official rule book of football.

Winning a Game of English Football Rules

According to the rules and regulations for football, the team which has scored the most goals once the game is over gets declared as the winner.

But, 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 shootout competition to determine the winner.

11. Offside Offences

The offside offence is a technical rule infraction in association football. A different section explains how the soccer offside rule ensures there are opponents between the attacking player receiving the ball and the goal.

12. 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

13. Free Kicks

There are two categories of free kick - called 'direct' and 'indirect'. A player can take a direct free kick and aim it 'directly' into the opponent's goal.

Note: The ball is not required to make contact with another player beforehand with direct free kicks.

14. The Penalty Kick

The referee will award a penalty kick if (either):

• A player commits a direct free kick offence inside their own penalty area.
• Off the field as part of play outlined in FIFA Laws 12 and 13.

Note: According to football penalty rules players can score a direct goal when taking penalties as a spot kick.

15. 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 (both):

• Release the ball with both hands simultaneously.
• 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.

16. 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.

17. 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.

Advanced Rules and Regulations in Football

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FIFA Rules and Regulations of Football in the United Kingdom
Last Updated 2018