Beginner's Guide

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football rules

beginners

guide

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<p>Watching the games but still not sure how it all works? This article is a quick guide that explains the basic rules of football in a way that everyone can understand.</p>



<h2>How many minutes does a football match last?</h2>

<p>A standard football match has <strong>2 halves of 45 minutes</strong>, with a 15-minute break in between. At the end, the referee can add a few minutes of extra time to make up for time lost due to substitutions, injuries, or video reviews.</p>



<h2>How do you win a match?</h2>

<p>The object of the game is simple: <strong>score more goals than your opponent</strong>. The ball must pass entirely over the goal line, between the goalposts and under the crossbar, to be considered a goal.</p>



<h2>What is offside?</h2>

<p>Offside is the rule that prevents attackers from "sitting around" near the opponent's goal. A player is offside if, at the moment of the pass, he is closer to the opponent's goal than the ball and than the <strong>penultimate</strong> opponent player (usually the last defender + goalkeeper).</p>

<p>If the referee sees offside, play stops and the ball goes to the opponent, through a free kick.</p>



<h2>Fouls, free kicks and penalties</h2>

<ul>

<li><strong>Foul</strong> – when a player hits, pushes or tackles an opponent illegally.</li>

<li><strong>Free kick</strong> – awarded to the fouled team; opponents must be at least 9.15 meters from the ball.</li>

<li><strong>Penalty</strong> – awarded if the foul occurs inside the penalty area. The kick is taken from 11 meters, only with the goalkeeper in front.</li>

</ul>



<h2>Yellow and red cards</h2>

<ul>

<li><strong>Yellow</strong> – warning for rough tackles or unsportsmanlike behavior.</li>

<li><strong>Red</strong> – direct expulsion or two yellow cards. The team is left with one player less.</li>

</ul>



<h2>Competitions: championships and cups</h2>

<p>At the club level, you have championships (like national leagues) where everyone plays with everyone, and cups, where you play in a knockout format. In national teams, the most famous competitions are the <strong>World Cup</strong> and the <strong>European Championship</strong>.</p>



<h2>What's next?</h2>

<p>Now that you know the basic rules, the next step is to see how well you master them. On <strong>TestFootball.com</strong> you will find tests and quizzes about football to test your knowledge and learn at the same time.</p>

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Beginner's Guide: The Basic Rules of Football