Soccer's popularity in the US hit record highs around the 2026 World Cup, with the share of Americans who actively follow the sport roughly doubling among 18-34-year-olds since 2022. If you're one of the new fans wondering how the game actually works, here's a plain-English guide to the basics.

The objective and the clock

Two teams of 11 players try to score more goals than the other by getting the ball into the opponent's net. A match lasts 90 minutes, split into two 45-minute halves with a 15-minute break at half-time. Unlike sports such as American football or basketball, the clock never stops for stoppages — instead, the referee adds "stoppage time" to the end of each half to make up for time lost to injuries, substitutions and goal celebrations.

The hands rule

Outfield players can use any part of their body except their hands and arms. Only the goalkeeper may use their hands, and only inside their own penalty area.

Fouls, yellow cards and red cards

Most fouls result in a free kick for the other team. If a defender fouls an opponent inside their own penalty area, it's a penalty kick instead. A yellow card is a formal warning for a reckless foul or unsporting behaviour; two yellow cards in one match mean an automatic red. A red card — shown directly for a serious foul, or after two yellows — means immediate ejection, and that team plays the rest of the match with one fewer player.

Offside, explained simply

A player is offside if they're nearer to the opponent's goal line than both the ball and the second-last defender (usually the last outfield defender, since the goalkeeper is normally last) at the moment a teammate passes the ball to them. The rule exists to stop attackers simply camping next to the goal waiting for a pass. It only applies in the opponent's half, and only at the moment the ball is played — not when the player receives it.

What happens if a match is tied?

It depends on the competition. In regular league matches (like the Premier League or MLS regular season), a tie is a completely normal result — both teams get 1 point instead of 3 for a win. But in knockout competitions — like the World Cup or Champions League knockout rounds — a game can't end level. If it's tied after 90 minutes, it goes to 30 minutes of extra time, and then a penalty shootout if it's still level. We break the shootout rules down step by step in our World Cup extra time and penalties guide.

A note on the "away goals" rule

If you've watched older European football coverage, you may have heard of the away goals rule, which used to break ties in two-legged matches by giving the edge to whichever team scored more goals away from home. UEFA scrapped it in 2021 after deciding it unfairly rewarded defensive road trips, and it was never used at the World Cup in the first place — so if a two-legged Champions League tie is level on aggregate today, it simply goes to extra time and penalties, just like a single World Cup knockout match.

Common terms you'll hear

• Clean sheet — a match in which a team doesn't concede a goal.
• Brace / hat-trick — two goals / three goals by one player in a match.
• Derby — a match between two local or historic rivals.
• Promotion / relegation — the bottom teams in one division swap places with the top teams in the division below at the end of each season.
• VAR — Video Assistant Referee, used to review major decisions like goals, penalties and red cards.

Ready to put it into practice? Catch full match highlights from the world's biggest leagues in our Premier League highlights and Champions League highlights, or see who lifted the trophy at the last World Cup in our 2026 World Cup recap.

These rules are set out in the IFAB Laws of the Game, football's official rulebook.

FAQ

How long is a soccer match?

90 minutes, played as two 45-minute halves, plus stoppage time added by the referee at the end of each half to make up for time lost during play.

Why is it called "soccer" in the US but "football" elsewhere?

Both names originated in England — "soccer" comes from "association football," shortened by students in the 1880s. The US adopted "soccer" partly to distinguish the sport from American football.

What is the offside rule in simple terms?

An attacking player is offside if they're closer to the opponent's goal than the ball and the second-last defender at the moment a teammate passes to them.

Can a soccer match end in a tie?

Yes, in regular league play — both teams earn 1 point. In knockout competitions, a tied match goes to extra time and then penalties if needed, since there must be a winner.