Soccer in 5 minutes — the basics

Soccer is two teams of 11 players trying to score more goals than the other in 90 minutes. The team with more goals wins. You can use any part of your body except your hands and arms — except the goalkeeper, who can use their hands inside their own penalty area.

The 30-second version

• Two teams of 11.
• Two halves of 45 minutes each. Halftime in between.
• Score by getting the ball completely over the goal line, between the posts, under the crossbar.
• No hands or arms (except the goalkeeper, in their own box).
• Most goals at the end wins.

That's it. Everything else is a detail.

The basic positions

Each team has 11 players. They're usually split into four groups:

• Goalkeeper (1) — the only player who can use their hands, but only inside their own penalty area. Wears a different-coloured jersey. Most important player on a defending team.
• Defenders (3-5) — the back line. Job: stop the other team from scoring. Centre-backs handle the middle, full-backs/wing-backs handle the wings.
• Midfielders (3-5) — the middle of the field. Job: link defence and attack, control the tempo, run a lot.
• Forwards (1-3) — the attackers. Job: score goals. Often called strikers or wingers depending on where they play.

A common setup is 4-3-3: 4 defenders, 3 midfielders, 3 forwards. Or 4-4-2: 4 defenders, 4 midfielders, 2 forwards. The numbers add up to 10 outfield players + 1 goalkeeper = 11.

The match structure

• First half: 45 minutes.
• Stoppage time: a few minutes added at the end to make up for time lost.
• Halftime break: 15 minutes.
• Second half: 45 minutes.
• Stoppage time again at the end.

In group-stage matches, that's it — even if the score is tied. In knockout matches, a tied score after 90 minutes means extra time (two 15-minute halves) and possibly a penalty shootout.

How to score

The ball must completely cross the goal line, between the posts, under the crossbar. Any part of the ball still touching the line means no goal. Modern matches use goal-line technology — sensors that buzz the ref's watch the moment the whole ball is over.

You can score with any part of your body except your hand or arm. Most goals come from kicks; headers are common; chest, knee, back, and even shin goals all count.

The big rules to know

A few things will catch a new fan off guard:

• Offside. Roughly: an attacker can't be ahead of the second-to-last defender when a teammate plays the ball forward. There's a full explainer here.
• Fouls. Pushing, tripping, holding, dangerous tackles, and handball are fouls. The fouled team gets a free kick (or penalty if inside the box).
• Cards. Yellow card = warning. Red card = sent off, team plays a man down. Two yellows in one match = red.
• Corner kick. When a defender knocks the ball out over their own goal line, the attacking team gets a kick from the corner.
• Throw-in. When the ball goes out over the sideline, the team that didn't touch it last throws it back in with both hands.
• No hands. Only the goalkeeper, only inside their own penalty area.

A simple flow of a match

Imagine watching a match from kickoff:

1. Whistle. Team A kicks off from the centre circle.
2. They pass the ball around midfield. The other team tries to win it.
3. A long ball forward. An attacker chases. He's offside — flag goes up. Free kick to Team B.
4. Team B builds an attack. Their striker is fouled in the box. Penalty.
5. Striker scores: 1-0.
6. Halftime arrives. Both teams head to the dressing room.
7. Second half. Team A pushes for the equaliser. They get a corner. The cross is headed in. 1-1.
8. Final whistle blows. 1-1 draw — both teams get a point if it's a group stage match.

Common confusion for new fans

• "He didn't shoot, why is the goalkeeper calling for the ball?" The keeper claims any ball coming into the box. They can use hands — they're protecting their goal.
• "Why are they passing backwards?" Building an attack. Soccer is a possession sport — going backwards opens space to go forward later.
• "Why is the score 1-0 normal?" Soccer is a low-scoring game. A 1-0 result is common because scoring is hard against organised defenses.
• "He's not running, why is he in the team?" Some positions don't need constant sprinting. Centre-backs and goalkeepers conserve energy for key moments.

What fans usually get wrong

• A "goal" is not just the ball going past the keeper. It must fully cross the line.
• Stoppage time is added to both halves, not just the second.
• The goalkeeper cannot use hands outside the penalty area — even if it's their own ball.

Official rule basis

The basic structure of soccer is set by the IFAB Laws of the Game, the official rulebook FIFA adopts for all competitions. The 17 laws cover everything from match duration to fouls to offside. FIFA tournament regulations add competition-specific rules like the 5-substitution allowance, extra time format, and tiebreakers.