Complete Football Rules & Laws Explained – Full Guide (2026 Edition)

 

⚽ Introduction

Football (soccer) is the most popular sport in the world played by millions of people. Its rules are officially called the “Laws of the Game,” set by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) and applied universally in every match — from local games to the FIFA World Cup. Wikipedia



📋 List of the 17 Official Laws of Football

Football is governed by 17 Laws, each covering a different part of the game: Wikipedia

  1. Law 1 – The Field of Play

  2. Law 2 – The Ball

  3. Law 3 – The Players

  4. Law 4 – The Players’ Equipment

  5. Law 5 – The Referee

  6. Law 6 – The Other Match Officials

  7. Law 7 – The Duration of the Match

  8. Law 8 – The Start and Restart of Play

  9. Law 9 – The Ball In and Out of Play

  10. Law 10 – Determining the Outcome of a Match

  11. Law 11 – Offside

  12. Law 12 – Fouls and Misconduct

  13. Law 13 – Free Kicks

  14. Law 14 – The Penalty Kick

  15. Law 15 – The Throw-in

  16. Law 16 – The Goal Kick

  17. Law 17 – The Corner Kick Wikipedia

🏟️ Law 1 — The Field of Play

  • The field must be rectangular with markings such as touchlines, goal area, penalty area, centre circle, etc.

  • Grass or approved artificial surface is allowed and should be in safe condition. www.thefa.com


⚽ Law 2 — The Ball

  • Must be spherical and made of suitable material.

  • Standard circumference: 68–70 cm.

  • Weight: 410–450 g at the start of the match.

  • Pressure: 0.6–1.1 atm.

  • If the ball becomes defective, play is stopped and restarted with a dropped ball. www.thefa.com


👥 Law 3 — The Players

  • Each team can have 11 players (10 outfield + 1 goalkeeper).

  • Minimum: 7 players to start or continue a match.

  • Substitutions allowed (number varies by competition). Wikipedia


👕 Law 4 — The Players’ Equipment

Players must wear:

  1. Jersey/shirt

  2. Shorts

  3. Socks

  4. Shin guards

  5. Football boots
    No dangerous equipment or jewellery allowed. www.thefa.com


🧑‍⚖️ Law 5 — The Referee

  • The referee is the ultimate authority on the field.

  • Enforces all Laws and makes final decisions during play. Wikipedia


🧑‍⚖️ Law 6 — The Other Match Officials

  • Includes assistant referees, fourth official, video assistants (VAR) if used.

  • They help enforce rules and manage game conduct. Wikipedia


⏱️ Law 7 — Duration of the Match

  • Standard match is two halves of 45 minutes each.

  • Extra time or penalty shoot-outs may apply in knockout games.

  • Additional time (stoppage time) is added for injuries and delays. Wikipedia


🏁 Law 8 — Start & Restart of Play

  • The game begins with a kick-off at the center.

  • Restarts also include dropped balls after stoppages. Wikipedia


🔄 Law 9 — Ball In & Out of Play

  • The ball is in play until it fully crosses the boundary lines or referee stops play.

  • If it crosses completely over the touchline or goal line, it’s out. Wikipedia


🥅 Law 10 — Determining Match Outcome

  • The team with more goals wins.

  • Draws are possible unless competition rules require extra time. Wikipedia


🔺 Law 11 — Offside

  • A player is in an offside position if nearer to the opponent goal than the ball and second-last defender when the ball is played to them, and gaining advantage.

  • Offside becomes an offence only if interfering with play/players. Wikipedia


❌ Law 12 — Fouls & Misconduct

  • Direct free kicks awarded for serious fouls (kicking, tripping, handball, etc.).

  • Misconduct can result in yellow (caution) or red (send-off) cards. Wikipedia


🆓 Law 13 — Free Kicks

  • Direct Free Kick: Can score directly on goal.

  • Indirect Free Kick: Must touch another player before scoring. Wikipedia


⚖️ Law 14 — Penalty Kick

  • Awarded for direct free kick offences inside the penalty area.

  • Taken from the penalty spot (12 yd / 11 m) with only GK defending. Wikipedia


📤 Law 15 — Throw-in

  • Given when the ball fully crosses the touchline.

  • Must be thrown with both hands from behind the head while both feet stay on the ground. Wikipedia


🥅 Law 16 — Goal Kick

  • Awarded when the attacking team last touches the ball before it crosses the goal line without a goal.

  • Taken from within the goal area. Wikipedia


📍 Law 17 — Corner Kick

  • Awarded when the defending team last touches the ball before it crosses the goal line without a goal.

  • Taken from the corner arc. Wikipedia


⚖️ Who Decides These Rules?

The International Football Association Board (IFAB) is the body that decides, updates, and announces changes to these rules every year. Wikipedia



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