Fouls and Misconduct

Fouls and misconduct are penalised as follows:

Direct Free Kick
A direct free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any of the following six offences in a manner considered by the referee to be careless, reckless or using excessive force:

kicks or attempts to kick an opponent
trips or attempts to trip an opponent
jumps at an opponent
charges an opponent
strikes or attempts to strike an opponent
pushes an opponent
A direct free kick is also awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any of the following four offences:
tackles an opponent to gain possession of the ball, making contact with the opponent before touching the ball
holds an opponent
spits at an opponent
handles the ball deliberately (except for the goalkeeper within his own penalty area)
A direct free kick is taken from where the offence occurred.* (see preface)

Penalty Kick
A penalty kick is awarded if any of the above ten offences is committed by a player inside his own penalty area, irrespective of the position of the ball, provided it is in play.

Indirect Free Kick
An indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a goalkeeper, inside his own penalty area, commits any of the following offences:

takes more than six seconds while controlling the ball with his hands, before releasing it from his possession
touches the ball again with his hands after it has been released from his possession and has not touched any other player
touches the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a team-mate
touches the ball with his hands after he has received it directly from a throw-in taken by a team-mate
An indirect free kick is also awarded to the opposing team if a player, in the opinion of the referee, commits any of the following offences:

plays in a dangerous manner
impedes the progress of an opponent
prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from his hands
commits any other offence, not previously mentioned in Law 12, for which play is stopped to caution or dismiss a player

The indirect free kick is taken from where the offence occurred.

Disciplinary Sanctions
Only a player or substitute or substituted player may be shown the red or yellow card.

Cautionable Offences
A player is cautioned and shown the yellow card if he commits any of the following seven offences:

is guilty of unsporting behaviour
shows dissent by word or action
persistently infringes the Laws of the Game
delays the restart of play
fails to respect the required distance when play is restarted with a corner kick or free kick
enters or re-enters the field of play without the referee's permission
deliberately leaves the field of play without the referee's permission

Sending-Off Offences
A player is sent off and shown the red card if he commits any of the following seven offences:

is guilty of serious foul play
is guilty of violent conduct
spits at an opponent or any other person
denies an opponent a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball (this does not apply to a goalkeeper within his own penalty area)
denies an obvious goal-scoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the player's goal by an offence punishable by a free kick or a penalty kick
uses offensive, insulting or abusive language
receives a second caution in the same match

A player who has been sent off must leave the vicinity of the field of play and the technical area.

DECISIONS OF THE INTERNATIONAL F.A. BOARD

A player who commits a cautionable or sending-off offence, either on or off the field of play, whether directed towards an opponent, a team-mate, the referee, an assistant referee or any other person, is disciplined according to the nature of the offence committed.
The goalkeeper is considered to be in control of the ball by touching it with any part of his hand or arms. Possession of the ball includes the goalkeeper deliberately parrying the ball, but does not include the circumstances where, in the opinion of the referee, the ball rebounds accidentally from the goalkeeper, for example after he has made a save.
Subject to the terms of Law 12, a player may pass the ball to his own goalkeeper using his head or chest or knee, etc. If, however, in the opinion of the referee, a player uses a deliberate trick while the ball is in play in order to circumvent the Law, the player is guilty of unsporting behaviour. He is cautioned, shown the yellow card and an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team from the place where the infringement occurred. * (see preface)
A player using a deliberate trick to circumvent the Law while he is taking a free kick, is cautioned for unsporting behaviour and shown the yellow card. The free kick is retaken.
In such circumstances, it is irrelevant whether the goalkeeper subsequently touches the ball with his hands or not. The offence is committed by the player in attempting to circumvent both the letter and the spirit of Law 12.
A tackle from behind, which endangers the safety of an opponent, must be sanctioned as serious foul play.
Any simulating action anywhere on the field, which is intended to deceive the referee, must be sanctioned as unsporting behaviour.

The Field of Play - Here you can find almost all official Rules about Soccer. One of these important rule is the definiton of the Field that is used to play Soccer. Here are the detailed information.

The Ball - The ball is: spherical made of leather or other suitable material of a circumference of not more than 70 cm (28 ins) and not less than 6 8 cm (27 ins) not more than 450 g (16 oz) in weight and not less than 410 g (14 oz) at the start of the match of a pressure equal to 0.6 - 1.1 atmosphere (600 - 1100 g/cm2) at sea level (8.5 lbs/sq in 15.6 lbs/sq in). Looking for other technical Information?

The Number of Players - A match is played by two teams, each consisting of not more than eleven players, one of whom is the goalkeeper. A match may not start if either team consists of fewer than seven players. Looking for more information?

The Players' Equipment - Safety: A player must not use equipment or wear anything which is dangerous to himself or another player (including any kind of jewellery). Want to get more information?

The Referee - The Authority of the Referee: Each match is controlled by a referee who has full authority to enforce the Laws of the Game in connection with the match to which he has been appointed. Want to read more about the Refree Rules?

The Assistant Referees - Two assistant referees are appointed whose duties, subject to the decision of the referee, are to indicate: when the whole of the ball has passed out of the field of play which side is entitled to a corner kick, goal kick or throw-in, when a player may be penalised for being in an offside position etc. Do you look for more information?

Duration of the Match - The match lasts two equal periods of 45 minutes, unless otherwise mutually agreed between the referee and the two participating teams. Any agreement to alter the periods of play (for example to reduce each half to 40 minutes because of insufficient light) must be made before the start of play and must comply with competition rules. Do you want to read more about official soccer rules? That is the right adress!

The Start and Restart of Play - A coin is tossed and the team which wins the toss decides which goal it will attack in the first half of the match. The other team takes the kick-off to start the match. Need some more information?

The Ball In and Out of Play - The ball is out of play when: it has wholly crossed the goal line or touch line whether on the ground or in the air play has been stopped by the referee. For more Information...

The Method of Scoring - A goal is scored when the whole of the ball passes over the goal line, between the goalposts and under the crossbar, provided that no infringement of the Laws of the Game has been committed previously by the team scoring the goal. Want some more information?

Offside Rule - Offside Position: It is not an offence in itself to be in an offside position. A player is in an offside position if: he is nearer to his opponents' goal line than both the ball and the second last opponent. Looking for more information?

Free Kicks - For both direct and indirect free kicks, the ball must be stationary when the kick is taken and the kicker does not touch the ball a second time until it has touched another player. For more information...

The Penalty Kick - A penalty kick is awarded against a team which commits one of the ten offences for which a direct free kick is awarded, inside its own penalty area and while the ball is in play. A goal may be scored directly from a penalty kick. Are you still looking for more information?

The Throw-In - A throw-in is a method of restarting play. A goal cannot be scored directly from a throw-in. Are you lookinf gor more information about this Rule?

The Goal Kick - A goal kick is a method of restarting play. A goal may be scored directly from a goal kick, but only against the opposing team. For more information...

The Corner Kick - A corner kick is awarded when: the whole of the ball, having last touched a player of the defending team, passes over the goal line, either on the ground or in the air, and a goal is not scored in accordance with Law 10. Looking for more Information?

Determine the Winner of a Match - The Golden Goal and taking kicks from the penalty mark are methods of determining the winning team where competition rules require there to be a winning team after a match has been drawn. Are you looking for more information?