Soccer Guides / Laws of the game explained
Laws of the game explained
Offside, fouls, handball, VAR, penalties and every restart, explained in plain English and matched to the current IFAB Laws.
Soccer has just 17 Laws, written and updated every year by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). They are short, but the details decide matches. These guides explain each important Law the way you would explain it to a friend watching their first game, and they note the newest changes in the 2026/27 edition.
LawsExtra time and penalty shoot-outsHow knockout matches are settled when the score is level, who can take a kick in a shoot-out, and why the order of kickers matters.
LawsFouls, yellow cards and red cardsWhat separates a careless foul from a reckless one, when the referee must show a card, and which offences mean an automatic red.LawsHandball, the Law fans argue about mostNot every touch with the hand is an offence. Here is how referees decide, where the arm starts, and why some accidental touches still cancel a goal.
LawsOffside explained simplyOffside is not about where a player is, it is about where they are at the moment a teammate plays the ball and whether they then get involved. Here is the whole Law in plain English.
LawsReferees and match officialsWho does what on match day, from the referee and assistants to the fourth official and the VAR team, plus the signals that help you follow the game.
LawsRestarts, free kicks, throw-ins, corners and goal kicksEvery way play restarts, from kick-offs and dropped balls to the new five-second countdowns for throw-ins and goal kicks.
LawsSubstitutions and concussion substitutesHow many players a team can bring on, the three-window rule, the new ten-second exit rule and how permanent concussion substitutes protect players.
LawsThe basics: field, ball, players and match lengthThe numbers every fan should know, from the size of the goal and the penalty spot to how long a match lasts and how many players each team needs.
LawsThe penalty kick, every rule in one placeWhere the keeper must stand, when a feint is legal, what happens if someone steps in early, and the newest rule on accidental double touches.
LawsVAR explained, what it can and cannot changeThe video assistant referee can only step in for a short list of match-changing situations. Here is the list, the process, and what changed in the 2026/27 Laws.