Section 5: Rules of Play
Duration of the Match (Law 7)
A match consists of two equal halves of 45 minutes each, with a half-time interval not exceeding 15 minutes. The referee adds time at the end of each half for all time lost due to substitutions, assessment and/or removal of injured players, wasting time, disciplinary sanctions, medical stoppages, VAR reviews, goal celebrations, and any other cause. Penalty kicks awarded at the end of a half are completed even if time has expired.
Goalkeeper Time Limit (New — effective July 2025)
Goalkeepers now have a maximum of 8 seconds to release the ball from their hands. If the goalkeeper holds the ball for longer than 8 seconds, the opposing team is awarded a corner kick. This replaces the previous 6-second rule (which was rarely enforced) and is designed to reduce time-wasting.
Start and Restart of Play (Law 8)
A kick-off starts both halves and restarts play after a goal. The team that wins the coin toss decides which goal to attack in the first half; the other team takes the kick-off. A goal may be scored directly from the kick-off. Dropped ball restarts play when the referee stops play for any reason not mentioned in the Laws.
Ball In and Out of Play (Law 9)
The ball is out of play when it has wholly passed over the goal line or touchline, whether on the ground or in the air, or when play has been stopped by the referee. The ball is in play at all other times, including when it rebounds off a match official, goal post, crossbar, or corner flag post and remains on the field.
Offside (Law 11)
A player is in an offside position if any part of their head, body, or feet is nearer to the opponents' goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent. A player is not in an offside position if they are in their own half of the field or level with the second-last opponent or level with the last two opponents. Being in an offside position is not an offense in itself; an offense occurs only when the ball is played or touched by a teammate and the player in an offside position becomes involved in active play.
Semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) has been adopted in FIFA competitions to provide faster and more accurate offside decisions, using limb-tracking cameras and a sensor in the match ball.
Scoring (Law 10)
A goal is scored when the whole of the ball passes over the goal line, between the goal posts and under the crossbar, provided no offense has been committed by the scoring team. The team scoring the greater number of goals wins. If both teams score an equal number of goals or no goals are scored, the match is a draw. Competition rules may provide for extra time or kicks from the penalty mark to determine a winner.
Set Pieces
- Free Kicks (Law 13): Awarded for fouls and misconduct. Direct free kicks allow a goal to be scored directly; indirect free kicks require the ball to touch another player before a goal can be scored.
- Penalty Kick (Law 14): Awarded when a foul punishable by a direct free kick is committed inside the penalty area. The kick is taken from the penalty mark with only the goalkeeper and kicker in the penalty area.
- Throw-in (Law 15): Awarded when the ball wholly crosses the touchline. The thrower must face the field, have part of each foot on or behind the touchline, and throw the ball with both hands from behind and over the head.
- Goal Kick (Law 16): Awarded when the ball wholly crosses the goal line (not a goal) having last been touched by an attacking player. The ball is kicked from anywhere within the goal area. The ball is in play when it is kicked and clearly moves. Opponents must remain outside the penalty area until the ball is in play.
- Corner Kick (Law 17): Awarded when the ball wholly crosses the goal line (not a goal) having last been touched by a defending player. A goal may be scored directly from a corner kick, but only against the opposing team.