PPL 2O - Mr. Hamilton

Soccer Rules – Basic Review

Team / Game

11 players per team unless playing small-sided games. Games are usually two 45 minute halves [30-35 min. in high school]. You must have a minimum of 7 players.

The Ball – A regulation size ball is No. 5. Younger ages and certain leagues (futsal) may use smaller sizes (e.g. size No. 4 and No. 3).

Equipment – The players on a team must all wear the same coloured jersey or shirt, with the exception of the goalie. Usually cleats, shin pads and soccer socks are mandatory.

Referee – The referee enforces the rules of the game. In soccer a referee may let the play continue and not call a foul if (s)he thinks that stopping the play would give an advantage to the team committing the foul (called advantage clause). The referee usually says “play on” when this occurs.

Starting the Game - A kick off starts the game or starts play after a goal has been scored or at the start of a new half. At kickoff all players must be on their team’s half of the field. The ball must be kicked from the center spot and it must be kicked forward at least one full rotation before a teammate can touch it again. The kicker cannot touch twice in a row. No opponent can stand inside the center circle at the time of a kick off. Teammates of the kicking team are allowed inside the circle.

If the referee needs to put the ball back into play with a drop ball (e.g. after an injury) the ball will be dropped between two players, one from each team. The ball cannot be played until it touches the ground. The player involved can touch the ball twice in a row.

Goalkeepers - The goalkeeper is the only player who may play the ball with the hands, but only inside his or her own penalty area. The keeper may not take more than six seconds to release the ball after he or she has once gotten control of the ball. Once they release the ball they cannot pick it up until someone else has played it. They cannot pick up the ball if receiving it from a direct intentional pass from a teammate (headers excluded).

Ball Out of Play - All of the ball must go COMPLETELY past the OUTSIDE EDGE of the touchline or the goal line, either on the ground or in the air to be out of play.

Scoring a Goal - The entire ball must go completely past all of the goal line into the goal (either on the ground or in the air).

Throw In - When the entire ball crosses over the outside of the touch line play stops and a Throw In is awarded the opposing team at the spot the ball went out. The player taking the Throw In must have both feet on the ground BEHIND or ON-TOP-OF the touch line and deliver the ball from behind the head with both hands.

Corner Kick - When the entire ball crosses over the end line without scoring a goal and is last touched by a defending player, play is restarted by an attacking player taking a kick from the corner area nearest where the ball went over the end line.

Goal Kick - When the entire ball crosses over the end line without scoring a goal and is last touched by an attacking player, play is restarted by a defending player taking a kick from anywhere inside the defending goal area.

Offside Penalty

A player is in an OFFSIDE POSITION (but not necessarily guilty of an offside offense) if

  • he or she is ahead of the ball, and
  • he or she is in the opponent's half of the field, and
  • there are fewer than two opponents ahead of him or her (one opponent usually being the goalkeeper).

There is an offside offense only if, in the opinion of the referee, a player in an offside position participates in the play, interferes with an opponent, or otherwise tries to take advantage of his/her offside position. The foul is judged at the time the ball is kicked, not when received. An indirect free kick is awarded to the other team when an offside offense occurs.

We judge offside position by where the player was when the ball was played.

Indirect Free Kick

An indirect free kick is awarded when a minor foul is committed and no scoring opportunity is interfered with. A goal may not be directly scored. This means once the ball is kicked it must hit at least one other player (from either team) before it enters the net.

The referee indicates an indirect free kick by raising his arm above his head. He maintains his arm in that position until the kick has been taken and the ball has touched another player or goes out of play.

Direct Free Kick (DFK)

A direct free kick is awarded on more serious or dangerous fouls or when a goal scoring opportunity is taken away by a foul. A goal may be directly scored on this kick. A direct free kick is also awarded for deliberately handling the ball (except by a goalkeeper in his or her own penalty area).

Note on the "Hand Ball" foul: If the player is not trying to control the ball or is instinctively protecting himself or herself from injury a referee should not make a foul call.

If a referee awards a free kick and he does not hold up his arm it means it is direct.

For both direct and indirect free kicks, the ball must be stationary when the kick is taken. The kicker cannot touch the ball a second time until it has been touched by another player (on either team).

Penalty Kick

The award of a penalty kick is made when a defender inside the defender's penalty area commits a penal foul. This DFK is taken from the penalty spot. All players except the kicker and goalkeeper must be outside the penalty area, behind the ball and at least 10 yards from the penalty spot until the kick has been taken. The ball is in play after it has been kicked forward. The kicker may not re-kick the ball until another player touches it.

Advantage Clause

The referee shall not call any penalty that might, in his/her opinion, give an advantage to the team committing the foul.

Misconduct - Caution (showing of the Yellow Card)

May be issued by the referee for:

  • Unsporting behavior, including particularly hard fouls.
  • Dissent by word or action.
  • Persistent infringing on the Laws of the Game.
  • Delaying the restart of play.
  • Failing to respect the required distance at a corner kick or free kick.
  • Entering or re-entering the field without the referee's permission.
  • Deliberately leaving the field without the referee's permission.

Misconduct - Sending Off (showing of the Red Card)

May be issued by the referee for:

  • Serious foul play.
  • Violent conduct.
  • Spitting at anyone.
  • Denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity by a deliberate hand ball.
  • Denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity in the penalty area in a foul way.
  • Using offensive, insulting or abusive (or threatening) language.
  • Receiving a second caution in the same game.

An ejected player may not be replaced by a substitute and must immediately leave the field.