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Soccer is an easy sport to understand once you learn the basic rules. Here are a few of the most important ones to know:

Soccer matches last 45 minutes. The clock doesn’t stop for injuries, substitituions, or if the ball goes out of play. Overtime periods last 15 minutes. If the game is still tied at the end of overtime, players take turns with penalty kicks to determine the winner.

If the ball goes out of play, it is thrown back in by the team that did not touch the ball last. This is why you will sometimes see players trying to kick the ball off of the other team and out of bounds.

No one can touch the ball with their hands except for goalies and players who are throwing the ball into play. Touching the ball forfeits control of it to the other team. This only applies to deliberate touching of the ball; if a hand or arm accidentally touches the ball, there is no penalty.

If players touch the ball deliberately or aggressively foul another player, the opposite team gets to take a penalty kick. The ball is set up in front of the goal and the team can try and score.

If the ball leaves the field on the short end of the court, by the goals, then it is not thrown in. If the defensive team kicked the ball out, the offense will kick the ball back in from the corner of the field. If the offensive team sent the ball out-of-bounds, the defensive team will kick it down the field from within the goalie’s box.

Only eleven players are allowed on the field per team. In official rules, a limited number of substitutions are allowed, but most youth and casual clubs relax this rule for the enjoyment of players.

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