Football rules for beginners: the basics explained simply

Each team starts with 11 players, including one goalkeeper. The goalkeeper is the only player who can handle the ball, and only inside their own penalty area. A match can't start or continue if a team has fewer than seven players, for example after several red cards.

Outfield players are usually described by their roles: defenders, midfielders and forwards. Formations such as 4-3-3 or 3-5-2 are tactics, not rules; nothing in the Laws says where players must stand, apart from the offside rule and restarts.

A goal is scored only when the whole ball crosses the goal line between the posts and under the crossbar. If any part of the ball is still on or above the line, it isn't a goal. Goal-line technology tells the referee instantly in the competitions that use it.

A goal doesn't count if the attacking team committed an offence just before it, such as a foul, a handball by the scorer or an offside. These are exactly the situations VAR checks; see VAR explained.

The ball is out of play when it has wholly crossed a touchline or goal line, or when the referee stops play.

• Throw-in: when the ball goes over a touchline (the long side), the team that didn't touch it last throws it back in with both hands, from behind and over the head, with part of each foot on or behind the line. You can't score directly from a throw-in.
• Goal kick: when the attacking team puts the ball over the goal line (outside the goal), the defending team restarts from anywhere in its goal area. The ball is in play as soon as it's kicked and clearly moves.
• Corner kick: when the defending team puts the ball over its own goal line, the attackers take a corner from the corner arc. A goal can be scored directly from a corner.

Recent changes aimed at time-wasting: since 2025/26, a goalkeeper who holds the ball for more than eight seconds concedes a corner. From 2026/27 the referee can also start a five-second countdown on a slow throw-in (the throw goes to the opponents) or a slow goal kick (a corner to the opponents).

A foul is an offence against an opponent, such as tripping, pushing, kicking, holding, a careless or reckless tackle, or deliberately handling the ball.

There are two kinds of free kick:

• Direct free kick: for the physical fouls listed above and handball. A goal can be scored directly from it.
• Indirect free kick: for technical offences such as offside, dangerous play without contact, or impeding an opponent. The ball must touch another player before a goal can count. The referee signals it with an arm raised above the head.

Opponents must stand at least 9.15 m from the ball at a free kick. If the attacking team gets a better chance by carrying on, the referee can play advantage instead of stopping play.

A penalty is awarded when a defender commits a direct-free-kick offence (a foul or a handball) inside their own penalty area. The kick is taken from the penalty mark, 11 m out. Only the taker and the goalkeeper are allowed in the area; the goalkeeper must have at least part of one foot on or in line with the goal line when the kick is taken.

Penalties during a match are different from a penalty shoot-out, which only decides knockout ties after a draw; see extra time and penalties.

A sent-off player can't be replaced, so the team plays the rest of the game a player down. Competitions also give suspensions for red cards and for collecting a set number of yellow cards.

Some competitions now use an "only the captain" approach, where only one player per team may approach the referee to ask about a decision.

In most top competitions each team can make up to five substitutions, using no more than three stoppages during play, plus half-time (changes at half-time don't use up a window). In extra time, each team gets one extra substitute and one extra window. Some competitions also allow additional permanent concussion substitutes.

A substitution only happens when play is stopped, with the referee's permission. Since 2026/27, the player being substituted has ten seconds to leave the field after the board goes up; if they take longer, the substitute can't come on until the first stoppage after one minute of play has passed.

A match is two halves of 45 minutes with a half-time break of up to 15 minutes. The referee adds stoppage time at the end of each half for goals, substitutions, injuries, VAR checks and time-wasting. Full details are in how long is a football match.

Most football bets are settled on the score after 90 minutes plus stoppage time, not after extra time or penalties. A late goal in the 95th minute counts; a goal in extra time usually doesn't count for match result markets. If you're new to betting on matches, start with 1X2 betting, which explains exactly how the full-time result is settled. You can follow how the rules play out in real matches on our live scores and match schedule.