Soccer guide
Soccer rules for beginners
New to soccer? The game looks simple, but a few rules can confuse new families. This guide explains how a game works, what happens when the ball goes out and what usually changes in youth leagues.
The goal of the game
Two teams try to score by getting the ball into the other team's goal. The team that scores more goals wins. A goal counts when the whole ball crosses the goal line between the posts and under the crossbar. If both teams finish with the same number of goals, the game is a draw (a tie), though some tournaments use extra time or a tiebreaker to pick a winner. Your league will tell you which applies.
Players move the ball with their feet, legs, chest and head. Only the goalkeeper may use hands and arms during play, and only inside their own penalty area (field players use their hands only to throw the ball in). For a quick tour of who plays where, see soccer positions explained.
How a game is organized
- In standard rules, each team has 11 players on the field, including one goalkeeper. Youth leagues often use smaller teams on smaller fields, especially for younger ages. The number varies by league and age group, so check with yours.
- A game is played in halves (some youth leagues use quarters). In standard adult rules a game has two halves of 45 minutes. Youth game lengths are shorter and vary by age group, so check with your league.
- The game starts with a kickoff from the center of the field, and also restarts with a kickoff after each goal and at the start of the second half.
- One referee usually runs the game, sometimes with assistant referees. In many youth games a single referee does it all.
When the ball goes out of play
The ball is out of play when all of it crosses a boundary line, on the ground or in the air, or when the referee stops play. The restart depends on where and how it left.
| Situation | Restart |
|---|---|
| Ball crosses a sideline | Throw-in for the team that did not touch it last |
| Ball crosses the end line, last touched by the attacking team | Goal kick for the defending team |
| Ball crosses the end line, last touched by the defending team | Corner kick for the attacking team |
| A foul or handball | Free kick for the other team (a penalty kick if it happens in the defender's own penalty area and the foul is a direct free kick offense) |
On a throw-in, the player holds the ball with both hands and throws it from behind and over the head, with both feet on the ground or on the line. Many youth leagues are flexible with beginners, and some allow a redo after a bad throw.
Fouls and misconduct
Soccer is a contact sport, but only fair contact is allowed. A player may not kick, trip, push, hold or charge into an opponent in a careless or dangerous way, and may not deliberately touch the ball with the hand or arm (the goalkeeper excepted inside the penalty area). The referee awards a free kick to the other team.
- A direct free kick can be kicked straight into the goal.
- An indirect free kick must touch another player before it can count as a goal.
- A penalty kick is a free shot against the goalkeeper alone, taken from a marked spot, awarded for certain fouls by the defending team inside its own penalty area.
- A yellow card is a caution. A red card sends a player off. Cards are used for serious or repeated misconduct.
The offside rule, in plain English
Offside is the rule that confuses parents most. The basic idea is that an attacker should not wait near the opponent's goal for a long pass. In standard rules, a player is in an offside position if they are in the opponent's half and closer to the opponent's goal line than both the ball and the second-to-last opponent at the moment a teammate plays the ball to them. Being in that position is not a foul by itself. The player is penalized only if they become involved in the play. Offside is also judged against opponents, not teammates.
A player cannot be offside on their own half, from a throw-in, from a goal kick, or from a corner kick. Many youth leagues, especially for younger children, do not enforce offside at all. Ask your league, and see soccer terms for new parents for more vocabulary.
What changes in youth soccer
- Smaller teams, smaller fields and smaller goals for younger players.
- Shorter games, and often unlimited substitutions so everyone plays.
- Some leagues do not keep standings for the youngest ages, so the focus stays on learning.
- Rules about heading the ball differ by organization and age. Many U.S. youth programs ban or limit heading for younger players, so ask your league what applies to your child.
Getting ready for a first season? Read how to prepare for soccer season, and find every guide at the soccer hub.
In BlackForge Sports: BlackForge Sports is live for youth baseball today and soccer is on our roadmap. Join the early-access list and tell us you want soccer next, and we will let you know when it is ready. Get early access →
Frequently asked questions
How do you score a goal in soccer?
A goal counts when the whole ball crosses the goal line between the posts and under the crossbar.
Who can use their hands in soccer?
Only the goalkeeper, and only inside their own penalty area. Throw-ins are the other time the hands are used, by field players.
How long is a youth soccer game?
It varies by league and age group, so check with yours. Standard adult games have two halves of 45 minutes.
What is offside in simple terms?
An attacker is in an offside position if they are in the opponent's half and closer to the opponent's goal line than both the ball and the second-to-last opponent when a teammate passes to them. They are penalized only if they get involved in the play.