Overview

Football (commonly called soccer in North America) is played on a rectangular pitch with a goal at each end.
Two teams of eleven players attempt to outscore the other by getting the ball into the opponent’s goal.
Below are five core rules that explain how matches are structured and how play is governed.

5 Basic Rules of Football

Match Duration

A standard match lasts 90 minutes, split into two halves of 45 minutes each, with a halftime break (typically ~15 minutes).
The referee may add stoppage time to each half to compensate for injuries, substitutions, VAR checks, and other delays.
In knockout situations where a winner is required, matches may go to extra time (two 15-minute halves = 30 minutes) and,
if still tied, a penalty shootout to decide the winner.

Ball Handling

Outfield players must not use their hands or arms to control the ball during play.
The goalkeeper may handle the ball only within the penalty area (18-yard box).
Goalkeepers cannot pick up a ball deliberately kicked to them by a teammate’s foot; such a back-pass must be played with the feet.
Play restarts with throw-ins when the ball crosses the touchline and with goal-kicks or corner-kicks when it crosses the goal line.

Offside

A player is in an offside position if they are nearer to the opponent’s goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent (usually the last defender)
at the moment the ball is played to them. Being in an offside position is not an offense on its own — the player must also be involved in active play
for a whistle to be blown. Modern match technology (e.g., VAR) is frequently used to assist close offside decisions.

Number of Players

Each team fields 11 players (including one goalkeeper). A match therefore starts with 22 players on the pitch.
Substitutions are allowed under competition rules; injured players may receive treatment off the field and later return if permitted by the referee.

Free Kicks & Penalties

Fouls and handballs result in either a free kick or a penalty depending on where the offense occurred.
– Fouls inside the penalty area generally award a penalty kick to the opposing team.
– Fouls outside the area typically result in a direct or indirect free kick.
An indirect free kick requires the ball to touch another player before a goal can be scored (common for technical offenses such as a goalkeeper handling a deliberate back-pass).

Conclusion

These five points cover the fundamentals of how football matches are played and managed. They are a compact guide for new fans or aspiring players.
For complete and binding rules—especially for competitions and refereeing procedures—consult the official competition regulations or the Laws of the Game.

This document is a summary and educational in nature.
© Basic Rules of Football