Football is the most popular sport in the world. Played on every continent, there is never a shortage of football betting markets for punters to analyse.

The best players are celebrities in their own right, and major clubs have supporter bases in the millions.

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Variations on football are plentiful, including American Football and Aussies Rules, but soccer is our focus here. 

The modern version of the Beautiful Game can be traced back to the 1800s.

While the rules have adapted considerably since then, and the sport seen in current live betting is almost unrecognisable, the general framework is still the same. 

Object Of The Game

The aim of the game is to score more legal goals than your opponent in 90 minutes. Matches are split into two 45-minute halves.

Referees also have the option to add on ‘injury time’ at the end of each half, however, and drawn matches can go to extra time and potentially penalty shootouts. 

Size Of The Teams

Football teams include 11 players on the pitch at any one time. One player is dedicated as the goalkeeper and wears a different kit.

They are the only player allowed to use their hands, though they play by the same rules as other players if they are outside the penalty area.

The use of substitutes varies between competitions. Until recently, it was the norm for professional matches to allow three substitutes per team during the 90 minutes, but that has been increased to five.

Once a player has been subbed off, they are unavailable for the remainder of the match. The introduction of more subs has altered the strategy in European football predictions.

Football Pitch And Equipment

Unlike other sports, football pitches are not of fixed dimensions. They vary considerably. Even in the Premier League, the length and width of pitches are not the same.

Generally, they are around 100 metres long and 60 metres wide. Matches are played on grass, though the top-level stadiums will often combine real grass with artificial fibres.

Each football pitch includes a six-yard box around the goals, which is contained in the 18-yard box (known as the penalty area).

There is also a centre circle, dissected by a halfway line with a centre spot. This is where kick offs take place each time the match restarts.

An adult size five football has a circumference between 69 and 71 centimetres. The weight is between 410 and 450 grams.

The technology involved in creating and developing footballs has changed them massively over the last few decades.

Goalkeepers also use gloves to protect their hands and provide grip when saving the ball. Studded boots are used by players on grass, and shinpads are required. 

Offside Rule

The offside rule is designed to stop attacking players goal-hanging. When a pass is played, there must be two opponents in front of the attacker.

If the attacker is goal-side of the last defender, for instance, they will be considered offside. This has long been a controversial and much-debated rule in football.

A player cannot be deemed offside if they are in their own half. 

Since the introduction of VAR, technology has been used to decide if a player is offside. Governing bodies have attempted to make it can objective call.

Offside Law and football laws

This rule has been tweaked often in the sport’s history. More change is inevitable in the coming years. 

For now, the FA describes a player as offside if ‘any part of the head, body or feet is nearer to the opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent’. 

Arms and hands are not considered, even for goalkeepers. Instead, the ‘upper boundary of the arm is in line with the bottom of the armpit’.

How To Score In Football

To score a goal in football, the whole of the ball must cross the line. Goal-line technology was introduced in 2014, helping to clear up some of the controversy over close calls.

Goals are eight feet high and eight yards wide. Players can score a goal with any part of their body apart from their arms and hands. 

Key Football Rules

  • Football matches are 90 minutes long, split into two 45-minute halves. Two 15-minute periods are used for extra-time if a winner needs to be decided, followed by a penalty shootout.

  • There is a maximum of 11 players on each team (10 outfielders, one goalkeeper). A minimum of seven players must be on the pitch for each team. There is a lead referee with two linesmen (sometimes called ‘assistant referees’). 

  • The ball is spherical and should have a circumference between 69 and 70 centimetres. The weight can vary slightly.

  • Specific substitute regulations can alter by competition. In general, managers are allowed three or five subs per match. Once a player has been taken off, they are unavailable for the rest of the fixture.

  • Pitches must be between 91.44 and 118.89 metres long. The width has to be between 45.72 and 91.44 metres. There should be a six-yard box and penalty area at each end, plus a centre circle and centre spot. Each 18-yard box should have a penalty spot 12 yards from goal.

  • Referees can hand out yellow and red cards, these are usually given out for fouls or unsportsmanlike behaviour. On occasion, a straight red will be shown, meaning the player is out of the match. If a player gets two yellows, they are also sent off.

  • Throw ins are awarded if the ball goes off either side line. The team which did not touch it last will have possession. If the ball goes behind the goal line, it is either a goal kick or corner kick. 

  • The whole ball must cross the whole of the line for a goal to be awarded. 

  • Teams are awarded free kicks if a foul is committed by their opponents. Direct free kicks allow an immediate shot on goal. Indirect free kicks require a pass before the team can shoot.

  • Outfield players can use all parts of their body to play the ball except from their arms and hands. Goalkeepers can use their arms and hands in the 18-yard box, providing the ball was not passed to them by a teammate’s foot.


*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*

Sam is a sports tipster, specialising in the Premier League and Champions League.

He covers most sports, including cricket and Formula One. Sam particularly enjoys those on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean – notably MLB and NBA.

Watching, writing and talking about sports betting takes up most of his time, whether that is for a day out at T20 Finals Day or a long night of basketball.

Having been writing for several years, Sam has been working with 888Sport since 2016, contributing multiple articles per week to the blog.