Football, Association, Rules of

I

Introduction

Football, Association, Rules of, 11-a-side field game played with a spherical ball. Association football is distinguished from American football, Canadian football, Rugby Union, and Rugby League in that it is primarily played with the feet; only the goalkeeper, within the penalty area, may handle the ball. It also differs from American football in that, because it is continuous, players must improvise their tactics as play proceeds, constantly shifting their positions to receive or intercept passes.

All that is needed to play the game is a ball, goals (which may be represented by chalk marks drawn on the playing area), and, for those who can afford or desire them, sports kits consisting of shirts, shorts, socks, and football boots. It can even be played barefoot. This simplicity and informality is one reason for the worldwide popularity of the game (see Football, Association, History of). Because tackling is not as violent as in other forms of football, and a round ball is more easily controlled than an oval one, the game can be enjoyed by younger players.

II

Rules and Regulations

The object of the game is to score more goals than one’s opponents by propelling the ball into the opposing side’s goal.

The pitch is usually grass but the game can be played on other surfaces including, in some competitions, artificial surfaces. The pitch may not be more than 130 yd (119 m) in length by 100 yd (91 m) in width, and not less than 100 yd (91 m) in length by 50 yd (46 m) in width. The goals consist of two uprights 8 yd (7.32 m) apart, joined by a crossbar 8 ft (2.44 m) above the ground, and backed by a net. The ball is round, with a circumference of 27 to 28 in (68 to 71 cm) and weighs 14 to 16 oz (396 to 453 g). A game is controlled by a referee with the help of two assistant referees (formerly known as linesmen). There are normally two 45-minute halves with a half-time interval of a minimum of 5 minutes (although generally 15 minutes). To decide cup matches or replayed cup matches that are drawn after 90 minutes, extra time, usually of 15 minutes each way, may be played. In some cases the first goal scored in extra time, known as the “golden goal”, decides the match. Some competitions also allow for a penalty kick decider (a shoot-out) to determine the winner. In order to score a goal the whole of the ball must pass between the goal posts, under the crossbar and across the goal line. The whole of the ball must cross the whole of the line.

Each team’s goalkeeper must wear clothing that distinguishes him or her from teammates and opponents. The traditional positions and line-up of five forwards, three half-backs, two full-backs and a goalkeeper have long since been abandoned in modern tactics in favour of flexible formations and alignments. Substitutes are allowed, but once a player has been replaced that player may not re-enter the game. Each competition has its own rules to regulate how many substitutes per team are allowed. For internationals it is usually three, selected from five named before the match, but this can vary. The Premiership in England currently follows the three from five convention though other domestic competitions allow three from three.

A game begins with a kick-off: the ball is placed on the centre spot and then kicked forward by one of the attackers. After a goal the game restarts in the same way. Every time a kick-off occurs the teams are in their respective halves of the field and cannot enter the opposing team’s half until the ball is kicked into play. The ball is in play when it is kicked and moves forward. The player taking the kick-off may not touch the ball again until it has been touched by another player. The ball only goes out of play when it wholly crosses the boundaries of the field—on the ground or in the air. When the ball goes over the touchline it re-enters the field by means of a throw-in. This is taken by a member of the team not responsible for putting it out of play. At the point where the ball crossed the line the thrower takes the ball in both hands and throws it from behind and over the head. At the moment of throwing the player must face the pitch with both feet on the ground.

When the ball leaves the field of play over the goal line it is brought back into play either by means of a goal kick, if last touched by an attacker, or by a corner kick, if last touched by a defender. At a goal kick a player on the defending side (usually the goalkeeper) restarts the game by kicking the ball from either half of his goal area and the ball is in play when it has passed out of the penalty area. At a corner kick the kick must be taken at the end of the defending side’s goal line nearest to where the ball went out of play. The player taking the kick may not play the ball a second time until it has been touched by another player; and defenders must be at a distance of 10 yd (9.15 m) until the ball has been kicked.

The most complex of the 17 basic laws of the game is that which concerns offside (Law 11). This states that a player is offside if nearer the opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent and is interfering with play or an opponent, or gaining an advantage by being in that position, at the moment the ball is last played. However, there are the following exceptions: (1) from restarts, namely goal kicks, corner kicks and throw-ins, but not free kicks; (2) if a player is in his or her own half of the field; (3) if the ball was last played to him or her by an opponent.

Infringements are penalized by free kicks and penalty kicks. Free kicks may be either direct or indirect. A goal may be scored directly from a direct free kick but not from an indirect free kick. At the latter a second player must play the ball after the kicker before a goal can be scored. A direct free kick is awarded for more serious offences and if these occur in the penalty area a penalty kick is awarded. All free kicks (except penalties) are taken where the infringement occurred unless they take place in the goal area. If that is the case then the attacking side takes the indirect free kick from that place on the goal-area line which is parallel to the goal line and is nearest the infringement. For the defending side the free kick can be taken anywhere inside the goal area. Opponents must be at least 10 yd (9.15 m) from the ball at the moment a free kick is taken. But often the attacking side will take a free kick without waiting for this rule to operate. Referees can play an advantage and not award a free kick if it is to the advantage of the attacking team to play on.

A direct free kick is awarded for more serious offences such as those committed in a careless, reckless manner or for use of excessive force. The six offences or fouls are: (1) tripping or trying to trip an opponent; (2) jumping at an opponent; (3) pushing an opponent; (4) charging an opponent; (5) kicking or trying to kick another player; and (6) striking or trying to strike another player. Other offences include spitting at another player and deliberately handling the ball—that is, carrying, propelling, or striking the ball with hand or arm. If any of the above are committed by the defending team in their own penalty area the referee will award a penalty to be taken from the penalty spot. A goal may be scored directly from the penalty and the only players allowed in the penalty area until the ball has been kicked are the player taking the kick and the goalkeeper.

Indirect free kicks are awarded for the following main offences: (1) dangerous, rather than violent, play; (2) impeding the progress of an opponent; (3) preventing the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from his hands; (4) time-wasting by the goalkeeper; (5) the goalkeeper taking more than four steps while in possession of the ball; (6) when a player deliberately kicks the ball to the goalkeeper who then touches it with his or her hands or handles the ball twice without an opponent touching it if the keeper is not attempting to save the ball; (7) unsporting conduct; (8) technical offside.

If offences are serious enough, a referee can caution a player (show the yellow card) if the player: (1) leaves or enters the field of play without permission from the referee; (2) persistently infringes the laws; (3) dissents by word or action from any decision by the referee; (4) is guilty of unsporting behaviour such as kicking the ball away after the award of a free kick, encroaching from a defensive wall, or standing in front of the ball to prevent a free kick being taken.

A referee can show a player the red card and send him or her off the field if: (1) a defending player intentionally impedes an opponent unlawfully when the opponent has an obvious opportunity of scoring a goal; (2) a player is guilty of violent conduct or serious foul play, including spitting; (3) a defending player other than the goalkeeper in his or her own penalty area intentionally handles the ball to prevent a goal or prevent a goalscoring opportunity; (4) a player uses offensive, insulting, or abusive language to anyone on the field of play; (5) a player persists in misconduct after receiving a caution; (6) a player tackles an opposing player from behind.

III

Team Formations

Strategy and tactics are highly variable and there have been many combinations since the early years of the 20th century. Now, a team is broadly classified as comprising attackers, midfield players, and defenders. In the earlier stages experiments were made with 1-1-1-8, 1-1-2-7, and 1-1-3-6 combinations in which the goalkeeper was the first player in the sequence. In 1925 the offside law was changed so that the number of opponents required to be between the attacker and the goal line was reduced from three to two. As a result there evolved what came to be called “WM” formation of 1-3-2-2-3, and so named because if you looked from the back it formed a “W” and from the front formed an “M”. In Switzerland there developed the verrou (“bolt”) system with the line-up of 1-1-3-2-4. The Swiss also devised the principles of the catenaccio (“door chain”) formation. Basically defensive, it positions a sweeper behind four backs, three midfielders and two strikers. The Italians perfected the catenaccio formation and experimented with three other alignments: 1-1-3-3-3, 1-1-3-4-2, and 1-1-4-3-2. In the 1950s the Hungarians evolved a 1-4-2-4 system and the Brazilians made modifications to this. British systems had variations such as 1-4-4-2. The Dutch experimented with what they described as “total football” in which every player is required to be capable of attacking or defending as demanded by the situation. This made enormous demands on the players. A variation of the catenaccio system was developed in Germany where the sweeper became a libero (“free player”) who could attack from the back. Experiments with other formations were made in the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) who played with one front man and five in midfield: 1-4-5-1. Another USSR line-up was with two sweepers to give a 1-2-3-3-2 formation. Many teams in Britain adopted what is known as the front screen where one sweeper plays in front of a line of four, thus making 1-4-1-3-2. There is also the diamond formation whereby four midfield players are positioned to make a diamond pattern with the line-up of 1-4-1-2-1-2. Very often the defensive alignment comprises either a man-for-man arrangement (a catenaccio in which each defender is allocated an attacker whom the defender follows everywhere) or a zonal system in which a player is allotted an area of the field and marks anyone who enters that area.