Basic Rules of Soccer

So your children want to play soccer. You want them to participate in sports and you have encouraged them to do so. Now that you have accomplished getting them involved you will want to make sure to not embarrass them during their games. One way to do this is be familiar with the basic rules of the game. Here are some of the basic rules of soccer.

Basic Rule of Soccer #1- Hand Usage

One of the rules almost every person knows about soccer is that you are not allowed to use your hands. There are some points to clarify on this rule. The hand rule includes any part of the player’s body from the finger tips to the shoulder. If a ball hits a players hand unintentionally it is up to the referee if it was “Ball to hand” which is legal or “Hand to ball” which is illegal.

The goalie is the only person allowed to use their hands, but they are not allowed to use their hands when a pass comes directly from one of their teammates.

Basic Rule of Soccer #2- Kick-Off

A kick-off is how a soccer game is started and restarted. There are different times that a kick-off occurs. They are at the beginning of the game, after a goal has been scored, at the beginning of the second half, and at the beginning of a period of extra time.

A kick-off consists of placing the ball in the center of the field while all players stand on their side of the field. The kicker is from the opposite team that scored.

Basic Rule of Soccer #3- Throw-in

When a ball is kicked out of bounds it will result in a throw-in. To achieve a proper throw-in, the player must have both feet on the ground and throw the ball with both hands over the head. The player is allowed to jump or move before throwing the ball in, but both feet must be on the ground as the ball is thrown in.

Basic Rule of Soccer #4- Corner Kick and Goal Kick

When a ball goes out of bounds at either end of the field it will result in a corner kick or a goal kick. The type of kick is determined by which team kicks the ball out. When an offensive player kicks the ball out it results in a goal kick. When a defensive player kicks the ball out it results in a corner kick.

A goal kick will take place from anywhere in the goalie box by any player. A corner kick is taken from the corner closest to where to ball left the playing field.

Basic Rule of Soccer #5- Fouls

Even though soccer can be very rough and has a lot of contact involved, there are fouls in the game of soccer. A foul occurs when the elbows or hands come up and is always a judgment call from the referee. A foul often results in a direct kick from the opposing team.

These are some basic rules of soccer to help get you more acquainted with the game before your child is too embarrassed.

Resources: Soccer for Parents