Rules of Soccer
The Federation Internationale de Football Association, based in Switzerland, is the world soccer governing body and is responsible for the rules of soccer, formally known as the Laws of the Game. There are seventeen different soccer rules that govern play, and within these many different technicalities that apply to different situations. Most simply defined, the rules are as follows:
1. The first rule defines the field of play. The field must be rectangular and the length is greater than the width. The minimum length is 100 yards with the maximum being 130 yards. The width has to be at least 50 yards but can be no more than 100 yards. The rules of soccer also demand that the field be divided into two halves, with the center marked with a line and within the middle of that, a circle that must measure 10 yards across. Side boundaries must also be marked and a goal area present on both ends of the field.
2. The soccer ball must have a spherical shape and be made of leather or another acceptable material, usually synthetic. The ball must be at least 27 inches in circumference but never more than 28 inches. The second rule also mandates that if a ball is defective or bursts open during play, the referee must stop the match and replace the ball, dropping the new ball at the same place where the first ball was removed.
3. Soccer games are referred to as matches, and this rule additionally defines the team composition within the match. Matches are played between two teams of eleven players each, with one player designated as the goalkeeper. In official competition teams are only allowed to have three subs but in a regular match, up to five are permitted.
4. The goalkeeper must wear clothes that have different colors than that of the other players or referees.
5. The fifth rule states that each match must have a referee who controls play and who has the authority to enforce each of the laws of the game.
6. There must be two assistant referees who are given very specific areas in which to make judgments. These include decisions on whether the ball has gone out of bounds, which side is entitled to a corner kick, goal kick, or throw-in, if a player is offside, when a sub is requested, and if a misconduct has occurred. Assistant referees also can decide if an offense has been committed when they are closer to the play than the referee or during a penalty kick.
7. The duration of a match is set at two equal periods of 45 minutes each. There should be a break at half-time but it must not exceed 15 minutes.
8. This rule defines the start or restart of play. Each match is started with a coin toss. The winner can decide which goal end it wants for the first half, with the opposing team taking the kick-off to start the match. The team which won the toss takes the kick-off at the start of the second half. The team changes ends in-between the first and second half.