Children’s and adult soccer rules. Soccer is a complicated sport with basic rules. The goal is to get the ball into the goal of the opposite team. I’m sure you already knew that. There are a few more rules you should be aware of.
With each level of play, the rules become increasingly complicated and technical. They are, nevertheless, relatively basic even at the professional level. FIFA, or the International Federation of Football, is in charge of the game’s formal rules. The official regulations may be amended in their application for players under the age of 16, female soccer players, senior players (over 35 years of age), and players with disabilities, according to them.
How long does a game last?
A game should last no more than 90 minutes according to fundamental soccer rules. Two 45-minute halves (that’s how the pros do it…with a 15-minute halftime break)
Youth games last 15-30 minutes in each half, with a 7-10 minute halftime break.
HANDS OFF! Okay, I know you already knew this, but just in case you didn’t, here it is. Only the goalkeeper is allowed to use his or her hands. Hand ball is defined as any region of your body between your fingers (including your nails) and your upper arm. It is actually permissible to use your shoulder! A word regarding goalkeepers. If the ball is purposefully kicked back to the goaltender by one of his teammates, the goalie is not allowed to use his hands. This rule dates back around 25 years. When defenders were under pressure in the past, they would pass the ball back to their goalkeeper to keep it in their hands (this was a good rule change for spectators). Most youth leagues under the age of ten don’t enforce this regulation because it isn’t always a deliberate pass back.
If the ball crosses the side line and is out of bounds, it is a throw in. The throw-in goes to the team that did not touch the ball last before it crossed the line. Two things can happen if the ball reaches the finish line. It’s a corner kick if the team defending that end line touches it out. It’s a goal kick if the team attacking that end kicks it out.
The result of a standard soccer match is either a win, a defeat, or a draw. When the referee calls the game off and one team has scored more goals than the other, that team is declared the winner. A losing team is one that has scored fewer goals at the end of a game. When both sides have the same number of goals at the end of the game, it is called a draw.
If a match ends in a draw during tournament play or a deciding match, such as the World Cup Semi-finals, the game continues. They will usually play two fifteen-minute extra time halves. If the match remains a draw, a penalty shoot-out will be held to decide the winner.
OffSides
This is the law that causes the most problems for new fans. Here’s a quick rundown.
Offsides refers to a player who is attacking. The offsides rule does not apply to the team that is not in possession of the ball. When the ball is played, a player is offsides if they are closer to the defending team’s goal or end line than both the ball and the opponents’ second last player (passed to or passed into an area in which the player engages in play). The margin of offsides has been contested since the advent of VAR (Video Assisted Refereeing). Traditionally, the human eye would not call an offsides that was too close to call. Goals are called back by VAR following a 3-5 minute offside line review. Because of this, soccer purists have been the most vocal opponents of VAR. It disrupts the game’s natural humanistic flow.
