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The objective is for one team to manoeuvre a ball into the opposing team’s goal more times than their opponents do into their own goal, by propelling it with the feet or any other part of the body except for the arms or hands.
Two teams of 11 players, including a goalkeeper, play two 45 minute periods with a half time rest of not more than 15 minutes. Substitute players are allowed determined by the rules of a particular competition.
If there is a tie at the end of regulation time, different rules apply depending upon the particular competition. Typically in a league or first cup game, it is declared a drawn game, whereas in a second cup game two 15 minute periods of extra time are played followed by a penalty shoot-out.
The game is played on a pitch measuring between 90m and 120m long and 45m to 90m metres wide, with the goals in the centre at both ends of the playing surface. There are markings on the pitch relating to other rules of the game.
Football is universal because its equipment and rules are simple and because of global coverage of the World Cup and Olympics etc. No other international event is followed so closely, mainly due to television broadcasting of matches since 1958. As an example, 1.7 billion viewers watched the Brazil and France World Cup Final in 1998.
Competitions are ranked according to importance (world, continental, national) and to whether they involve national or club teams.
The Federation International de Football Associations (FIFA) organises the World Cup for national teams and, since January 2000, also the World Club Cup.
A referee, assisted by two assistants patrolling a boundary sideline covering a half of the pitch, controls the match and the clock, and is ultimately the absolute authority. The referee keeps track of stoppages in play and may extend the periods beyond the regulation 45 minutes to make up for delays due to injuries, player changes, etc.
There are a number of tactical formations used in football involving different roles of strikers, midfielders, defenders and sweepers. The goalkeeper is the only player who can handle the ball in a defined zone called the penalty area, which is so called because fouls committed by defenders inside it warrant a penalty kick by an allocated attacking player - with only the goalkeeper to prevent scoring.
An offside is a particular rule of the game, applying when a player is closer to the opposing goal line than the ball unless at least one defender is between the attacker and the goal.
The referee awards a yellow card warning when a player commits a serious foul, persistently breaks the rules, does not respect the referee’s decision, delays the start of play, is argumentative or shows unsportsmanlike conduct. A player is expelled from the game by the referee awarding a red card if they commit a very serious foul, is violent, uses abusive, offensive or insulting language, or receives a second yellow card during the game.
Equipment
Apart from the players’ kit, the regulation size, weight and inflated leather or synthetic ball is the essential requirement for soccer.
Players wear shirt, shorts, socks, boots and usually shinpads.
Each team has at least two different strips, their traditional colours for home play and a separate away kit. The player’s number must appear on the back of the shirt. The goalkeeper’s shirt is different in colour, with padded elbows, and he/she often wears special gloves.
Boots are made of leather, soft rubber and/or plastic with normally screw-in studs of different lengths for different field conditions.
History
The roots of soccer go back to the Greeks and Romans who called the game “sphaira” and “ollis” respectively. In the Renaissance Period in Italy, a more elaborate version called “calico” was played.
Football as we know it today was invented in England in 1848. The first club, Sheffield Football Club, was formed in 1863 and the first competition, the Football Association (FA) Challenge Cup was organised in 1872. FIFA was founded in 1904 and now has 203 members.
A demonstration sport in the Olympics of 1900 and 1904, football became an official Olympic event in 1908.
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