Soccer (Football) Rules, Positions & Field Dimensions – Complete Guide

Learn the essentials of soccer (association football) in one place: field measurements, an illustrated pitch layout, player positions, scoring, offside, fouls, restarts and match duration. This independent reference is written for players, parents, teachers and anyone learning the sport. In Australia, the sport is commonly called football or soccer.

Field diagram · Dimensions · Positions · Rules · FAQs

Soccer Field Diagram – Lines and Areas

This original schematic labels the principal field markings. It is not drawn to scale and should not be used as a construction plan.

Soccer Field Dimensions in Metres

There is no single mandatory field length and width for all 11-a-side matches. The Laws provide ranges, while competition organisers may specify dimensions within them. The table below uses the IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27.

Penalty-area and goal-area widths are set by marking distances from the inside of each goalpost, not simply by measuring a rectangle of fixed overall width. Lines belong to the areas they mark. Smaller-sided junior and modified games may use smaller fields and goals.

Soccer Positions and What They Do

A standard team has 11 players on the field, including one goalkeeper. Unlike netball, outfield players are not restricted to fixed positional zones. The roles below describe common tactical responsibilities, not mandatory positions in the Laws.

Common formations

Formations describe how the 10 outfield players are arranged. For example, 4-4-2 usually means four defenders, four midfielders and two forwards; 4-3-3 usually means four defenders, three midfielders and three forwards. The goalkeeper is not counted in these numbers. Formations change during play.

Soccer Rules Explained

1. Starting play and kick-offs

The match begins with a kick-off from the centre mark. A kick-off also restarts play after a goal. Opponents must remain outside the centre circle until the ball is in play, and the ball is in play when kicked and clearly moves.

2. How a goal is scored

A goal counts when the whole ball crosses the whole goal line, between the goalposts and beneath the crossbar, provided the scoring team has committed no offence preventing the goal. The team with more goals wins, unless competition rules provide another outcome.

3. Offside

Being in an offside position is not automatically an offence. In broad terms, an attacker may be in an offside position if they are in the opponents’ half and nearer the opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent when a teammate plays or touches the ball. The player is penalised only if they then become involved in active play in a way covered by the Law, such as interfering with play or an opponent or gaining an advantage. Hands and arms do not count when judging position.

There is no offside offence directly from a goal kick, throw-in or corner kick. The official rule has important additional details, including deliberate play and deflections, so refer to Law 11 for close decisions.

4. Fouls and free kicks

Offences such as careless trips, pushes, kicks and illegal tackles may lead to a direct free kick. Some other offences result in an indirect free kick. The referee decides whether a foul is careless, reckless or uses excessive force where relevant.

5. Penalty kicks

A penalty kick is awarded when a player commits a direct-free-kick offence inside their own penalty area, subject to the Laws. The kick is taken from the penalty mark, 11 metres from the goal line.

6. Handball

Not every contact between ball and hand or arm is an offence. Deliberate handball and certain actions that make the body unnaturally bigger can be penalised. Goalkeepers have special handling permissions within their own penalty area, with restrictions.

7. Throw-ins, goal kicks and corners

When the whole ball crosses a touchline, the opposing team to the last player who touched it normally takes a throw-in. When the ball crosses a goal line without a goal, a goal kick or corner kick is usually awarded according to which team last touched it. Under the 2026/27 Laws, referees can use a visual countdown for deliberate delays to certain restarts.

8. Goalkeeper possession and the eight-second rule

Under the current Laws, a goalkeeper who controls the ball with the hands or arms inside their own penalty area for more than eight seconds can concede a corner kick. The referee visually counts down the final five seconds. This replaced the older six-second/indirect-free-kick approach.

9. Yellow and red cards

A yellow card is a caution for specified misconduct. A red card means a sending-off, for offences such as serious foul play or violent conduct. Two cautions in the same match also result in a sending-off.

10. Substitutions

Substitution numbers depend on competition regulations within the Laws. Many senior competitions allow up to five substitutes during normal time, subject to applicable substitution-opportunity rules. Junior and grassroots competitions may have different arrangements.

How Long Is a Soccer Match?

A standard senior match has two 45-minute halves with a half-time interval normally no longer than 15 minutes. The referee adds allowance for time lost. Knockout competitions may use extra time and a penalty shoot-out if their regulations require a winner.

Soccer Ball Sizes

A size 5 ball is generally used in senior 11-a-side football. Junior programmes may use sizes 3 or 4 depending on age and local competition rules. Check your association’s requirements rather than assuming the same size is suitable for every player.

Soccer vs Football – Is There a Difference?

For this page, soccer and football both mean association football, the 11-a-side game governed by the Laws of the Game. In Australia, the term soccer is sometimes used to distinguish it from Australian rules football, rugby league and rugby union. This guide does not cover those other codes or American football.

Beginner Tips

1. Learn basic passing, first touch and ball control with both feet.
2. Understand your team’s shape, but expect positions to change as play develops.
3. Practise defending without pushing or making dangerous challenges.
4. Watch the offside line when making attacking runs.
5. Check the rules of your local junior or recreational competition.
6. Use suitable boots, shin guards and safe playing surfaces.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many players are on a soccer team?

Up to 11 players per team are on the field in standard soccer, including a goalkeeper. Matches cannot start or continue with fewer than seven players per team under the standard Laws.

What are the dimensions of a soccer field?

Standard 11-a-side fields may be 90–120 metres long and 45–90 metres wide. International-match dimensions are narrower: 100–110 metres long and 64–75 metres wide.

Can any player score a goal?

Yes. Any player, including a goalkeeper, can score a lawful goal, subject to the applicable rules for the restart or play involved.

Can a goalkeeper leave the penalty area?

Yes. A goalkeeper may move outside their penalty area but then follows the same handball restrictions as other players.

What is the offside rule in simple terms?

An attacker cannot gain an unfair advantage by becoming actively involved in play from an offside position when a teammate plays the ball. Merely standing in an offside position is not an offence.

How long is a football match?

Standard senior matches have 90 minutes of scheduled playing time, divided into two 45-minute halves, plus time added for stoppages.

What is the difference between a corner and a goal kick?

Both commonly occur after the ball crosses the goal line without a goal. If the defending team last touched it, the attacking team normally gets a corner; if the attacking team last touched it, the defending team normally gets a goal kick. Other offences can also produce these restarts.

Is a soccer pitch always 105 by 68 metres?

No. That is a widely used field size, but it is not the only permitted dimension under the Laws.

Official Laws and Further Reading

For the authoritative wording and current changes, visit The IFAB – Laws of the Game, including Law 1 (The Field of Play) and Law 11 (Offside). This page summarises the 2026/27 edition rather than reproducing the rule book.

Disclaimer

This guide is for general educational use and is not an official rule book or field-construction specification. Rules, interpretations and competition requirements can change; junior, modified and local competitions may use different arrangements. Check The IFAB and your competition organiser for authoritative requirements. Fosmore is not affiliated with or endorsed by The IFAB or FIFA.