Understanding Football: Rules and Gameplay

• Football, also known as association football or soccer, is a team sport with a spherical ball between two teams of 11 players.
• Played on a rectangular field called a pitch, with a goal at each end.
• The game is played by millions in over 200 countries and dependencies, making it the world's most popular sport.

Objective

• The aim is to score by getting the ball into the opposing goal.
• Players mainly use their feet to strike or pass the ball; they can use any body part except their hands and arms.
• Only the goalkeeper can use their hands, but only within their penalty area.
• The team with the most goals wins; a tie leads to a draw, extra time, or a penalty shootout, depending on the competition's format.

Gameplay Rules

• A match lasts 90 minutes, split into two 45-minute halves with a 15-minute break.
• A referee oversees games and enforces the Laws of the Game.
• Two assistant referees help the referee, particularly with offsides, out of bounds, and fouls.
• The fourth official assists with administrative tasks like substitutions.
• The offside rule prevents players from lingering in an offside position when a teammate plays the ball.
• A player is offside if nearer to the opponent's goal line than both the ball and the second-to-last opponent (usually the goalkeeper).
• Fouls and misconduct are penalized with free kicks, penalty kicks, or yellow/red cards.
• A yellow card is a caution, while a red card leads to immediate expulsion; two yellow cards equal a red card.

Equipment

• The ball's circumference is 68–70 cm (27–28 in), and it weighs 410–450 g (14–16 oz).
• Players must wear jerseys, shorts, socks, footwear, and shin guards.
• Goalkeepers wear gloves.

Governing Body and Major Competitions

• FIFA (International Federation of Association Football) is the international governing body.
• FIFA organizes the FIFA World Cup every four years.
• Other major competitions include the UEFA European Championship (Euro), Copa América, Africa Cup of Nations, AFC Asian Cup, and CONCACAF Gold Cup.
• Club-level competitions include the UEFA Champions League, Copa Libertadores, and various domestic leagues.

History

• Football dates back to ancient times.
• Modern football began in England in the mid-19th century after standardization.
• The Football Association (FA) formed in 1863, leading to the codification of rules.
• Football spread globally, becoming the world's most popular sport by the 20th century.

Tactics and Formations

• Football tactics and formations affect defensive and offensive team organization.
• Formations dictate player positioning, while tactics are strategies for specific goals.
• Common formations: 4-4-2, 4-3-3, and 3-5-2.
• Tactics include pressing, counter-attacking, and playing out from the back.

Key Skills

• Passing involves accurately distributing the ball.
• Shooting focuses on directing the ball towards the goal with power and precision.
• Dribbling is maneuvering the ball while running.
• Tackling involves dispossessing opponents of the ball.
• Heading is using the head to control or direct the ball, often in aerial duels and set pieces.

The Field

• The game is played on a rectangular pitch.
• Pitch dimensions for international matches are typically 105 meters (115 yards) long and 68 meters (74 yards) wide but can vary.
• Goalposts are at each end, connected by a crossbar, with a net attached.