2026 World Cup: All the Soccer Laws You Need to Know

Whatever happens on the field, the 2026 World Cup will be a historic tournament. Soccer’s most significant competition will feature 48 teams for the first time, and the action will be spread across three host nations: USA, Mexico and Canada.

If you are not a soccer expert but have an interest in the upcoming event, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will run through the laws of the game to help you get a better understanding of the most popular sport on the planet.

History of the Laws of the Game

Games involving kicking an object around have existed for centuries in different parts of the world, but soccer as we know it traces its roots back to the mid-19th century. In 1863, an attempt was made in England to formalize soccer games played at public schools.

However, at the first few meetings the attendees were split between those who endorsed hacking (essentially kicking an opponent) and those who condemned it. The former group ultimately went on to create rugby, while the latter were soccer’s original founders. 

In December 1863, the Laws of the Game were published. From 1886 onwards, the laws were administered by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). And after FIFA was founded in 1904, it immediately adopted the IFAB laws.

Laws 1-4: The Field, Ball and Players

Law 1: The Field of Play

The field of play must be rectangular, marked with clear boundary lines. A halfway line divides the field in two, with a center circle in the middle. At each end there is a penalty area and a goal. For international matches, the field must have a length between 100 and 110 meters, and a width between 64 and 75 meters.

Law 2: The Ball

The ball must be spherical, made of suitable material, and of a circumference between 68 and 70 centimeters. The balls used at the 2026 World Cup will be tested by the FIFA Quality Programme for Footballs. In all FIFA competitions including the World Cup, the ball must not contain any form of commercial advertising. 

Law 3: The Players

A soccer match consists of two teams, each with 11 players - 10 outfielders and one goalkeeper. Each team must have a minimum of seven players on the pitch at one time for the game to continue. Teams are permitted to make a maximum of five substitutions in no more than three substitution windows.

Law 4: The Players’ Equipment

Jewelry is not permitted on the field of play and must be removed before the match. Each player must wear a shirt with sleeves, shorts, socks, shinguards, and appropriate footwear. The two teams must wear different color kits with no clash between them. The goalkeepers must wear a color which distinguishes them from the outfield players and the match officials.

Laws 5-8: Referee, Officials and Duration

Law 5: The Referee

The referee is responsible for enforcing the Laws of the Game on the field. The referee has the final say and their decisions must be followed by both teams. The referee can take disciplinary action against any players who are deemed to have committed misconduct during the match. They carry a whistle, a watch, red and yellow cards, and a notebook. 

Law 6: The Other Match Officials

The referee administers the game with support from two assistant referees, a fourth official, and a video assistant referee. The assistant referees are primarily responsible for judging offside offenses. The fourth official oversees substitutions. The video assistant referee reviews the on-field decisions with reference to video replays, but the final decision remains with the on-field referee. 

Law 7: The Duration of the Match

A soccer match lasts for 90 minutes, divided into two halves of 45 minutes. Time is added on by the match officials at the end of each half to make up for time lost to injuries and other stoppages, such as timewasting, substitutions, celebrations and VAR checks. The half-time interval lasts for 15 minutes.

Law 8: The Start and Restart of Play

A kick-off is used to begin both halves of the game. A coin toss decides which team takes the kick-off at the start of the first half, with the opposition then beginning play at the start of the second half. A kick-off is also used to restart play after a goal, taken by the team that has just conceded. 

Laws 9-12: Outcomes, Offside and Fouls

Law 9: The Ball In and Out of Play

The ball is considered out of play when the entire ball has crossed over the goalline or touchline, when the referee has stopped the game, or when the ball hits the referee. At all other times the ball is considered to be in play. 

Law 10: Determining the Outcome of a Match

The object of soccer is to score more goals than your opponent. A goal is scored when the entire ball crosses the goalline between the two posts and underneath the crossbar. The ball does not have to touch the net to count as a goal. At the end of the match, the winner is the team which has scored the most goals. 

Law 11: Offside

A player is offside when he/she has fewer than two opponents between himself/herself and the opposing goal. Being offside is not an offense in itself, but the player is penalized if he/she is in an offside position and is deemed to be interfering with play. You cannot be offside from a throw-in, a goal kick or a corner kick.

Law 12: Fouls and Misconduct

There are numerous different types of fouls, including pushing, kicking, holding, impeding, pulling or tripping an opponent. The match officials ultimately decide what is a foul and what is not. It is also an offense to handle the ball, unless you are the goalkeeper and are inside your own penalty area. A yellow card is shown for minor offenses and a red card is shown for more serious transgressions. Receiving two yellows is equal to a red.

Laws 13-17: Free Kicks, Penalties and Throw-ins

Law 13: Free Kicks

A free kick is awarded when an opposing player has committed an offense. A direct free kick allows a player to shoot directly at the goal. An indirect free kick means the ball must touch another player before a goal can be scored. The ball must be stationary before the free kick is taken, and opponents must be a minimum of 9.15 meters away from the ball.

Law 14: The Penalty Kick

If a direct free kick offense occurs inside the guilty team’s penalty area, a penalty kick is awarded to the opposition. Only two players are allowed inside the penalty area for a penalty kick: the taker and the goalkeeper. The goalkeeper must wait on the goal line and the kicker can only touch the ball once. 

Law 15: The Throw-in

If the ball exits the field over one of the touchlines, a throw-in is used to restart play. A throw-in is awarded to the opponents of the player who last touched the ball before it exited the field. The taker must throw the ball into the field with two hands from behind and over the head. 

Law 16: The Goal Kick

If the ball exits the field over the goal line but not into the goal itself, and the last touch was from the attacking team, play is restarted with a goal kick. Any player of the defending team can take the goal kick, but it must be taken from inside the goal area. The taker is only permitted one touch.

Law 17: The Corner Kick

If the ball exits the field over the goal line but not into the goal itself, and the last touch was from the defending team, play is restarted with a corner kick. The ball is placed in the corner area and the taker is only permitted one touch.