I.

INTRODUCTION

Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a

ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word football is understood to refer to
whichever form of football is the most popular in the regional context in which the
word appears. Sports commonly called 'football' in certain places include:
association football (known as soccer in many countries); gridiron football
(specifically American football or Canadian football); Australian rules football;
rugby football (either rugby league or rugby union); and Gaelic football. These
different variations of football are known as football codes.
Various forms of football can be identified in history, often as popular peasant
games. Contemporary codes of football can be traced back to the codification of
these games at English public schools during the nineteenth century. The expanse of
the British Empire allowed these rules of football to spread to areas of British
influence outside of the directly controlled Empire, though by the end of the
nineteenth century, distinct regional codes were already developing: Gaelic football,
for example, deliberately incorporated the rules of local traditional football games
in order to maintain their heritage.

II.

HISTORY

The contemporary history of the world's favourite game spans more than 100
years. It all began in 1863 in England, when rugby football and association football
branched off on their different courses and the Football Association in England was
formed - becoming the sport's first governing body.
Both codes stemmed from a common root and both have a long and intricately
branched ancestral tree. A search down the centuries reveals at least half a dozen
different games, varying to different degrees, and to which the historical
development of football has been traced back. Whether this can be justified in some
instances is disputable. Nevertheless, the fact remains that people have enjoyed
kicking a ball about for thousands of years and there is absolutely no reason to
consider it an aberration of the more 'natural' form of playing a ball with the hands.
On the contrary, apart from the need to employ the legs and feet in tough
tussles for the ball, often without any laws for protection, it was recognised right at
the outset that the art of controlling the ball with the feet was not easy and, as such,
required no small measure of skill. The very earliest form of the game for which
there is scientific evidence was an exercise from a military manual dating back to
the second and third centuries BC in China.
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This Han Dynasty forebear of football was called Tsu' Chu and it consisted of
kicking a leather ball filled with feathers and hair through an opening, measuring
only 30-40cm in width, into a small net fixed onto long bamboo canes. According
to one variation of this exercise, the player was not permitted to aim at his target
unimpeded, but had to use his feet, chest, back and shoulders while trying to
withstand the attacks of his opponents. Use of the hands was not permitted.
Another form of the game, also originating from the Far East, was the
Japanese Kemari, which began some 500-600 years later and is still played today.
This is a sport lacking the competitive element of Tsu' Chu with no struggle for
possession involved. Standing in a circle, the players had to pass the ball to each
other, in a relatively small space, trying not to let it touch the ground.
The Greek 'Episkyros' - of which few concrete details survive - was much
livelier, as was the Roman 'Harpastum'. The latter was played out with a smaller ball
by two teams on a rectangular field marked by boundary lines and a centre line. The
objective was to get the ball over the opposition's boundary lines and as players
passed it between themselves, trickery was the order of the day. The game remained
popular for 700-800 years, but, although the Romans took it to Britain with them,
the use of feet was so small as to scarcely be of consequence.

III.

FIRSTS

Clubs
Sports clubs dedicated to playing football began in the 18th century, for
example London's Gymnastic Society which was founded in the mid-18th century
and ceased playing matches in 1796.
The first documented club to bear in the title a reference to being a 'football
club' were called "The Foot-Ball Club" who were located in Edinburgh, Scotland,
during the period 182441. The club forbade tripping but allowed pushing and
holding and the picking up of the ball. In 1845, three boys at Rugby school were
tasked with codifying the rules then being used at the school. These were the first
set of written rules (or code) for any form of football. This further assisted the spread
of the Rugby game.
Competitions
One of the longest running football fixture is the Cordner-Eggleston Cup,
contested between Melbourne Grammar School and Scotch College, Melbourne
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every year since 1858. It is believed by many to also be the first match of Australian
rules football, although it was played under experimental rules in its first year.
The first football trophy tournament was the Caledonian Challenge Cup,
donated by the Royal Caledonian Society of Melbourne, played in 1861 under
the Melbourne Rules.
The oldest football league is a rugby football competition, the United Hospitals
Challenge Cup (1874), while the oldest rugby trophy is the Yorkshire Cup,
contested since 1878. The South Australian Football Association (30 April 1877)
is the oldest surviving Australian rules football competition.
The oldest surviving soccer trophy is the Youdan Cup (1867) and the oldest
national soccer competition is the English FA Cup (1871). The Football League
(1888) is recognised as the longest running Association Football league.
The first ever international football match took place between sides representing
England and Scotland on March 5, 1870 at the Oval under the authority of the
FA. The first Rugby international took place in 1871.

IV.

RULES AND REGULATIONS

Field surface
Matches may be played on natural or artificial surfaces, according to the rules
of the competition. The colour of artificial surfaces must be green. Where artificial
surfaces are used in either competition matches between representative teams of
member associations affiliated to FIFA or international club competition matches,
the surface must meet the requirements of the FIFA Quality Concept for Football
Turf or the International Artificial Turf Standard, unless special dispensation is given
by FIFA.
Field markings
The field of play must be rectangular and marked with lines. These lines
belong to the areas of which they are boundaries. The two longer boundary lines are
called touch lines. The two shorter lines are called goal lines. The field of play is
divided into two halves by a halfway line, which joins the midpoints of the two touch
lines. The centre mark is indicated at the midpoint of the halfway line. A circle with
a radius of 9.15 m is marked around it. Marks may be made off the field of play,
9.15 m from the corner arc and at right angles to the goal lines and the touch lines,
to ensure that defending players retreat this distance when a corner kick is being
taken.
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 The goal area

Two lines are drawn at right angles to the goal line, 5.5 m from the inside of
each goalpost. These lines extend into the field of play for a distance of 5.5 m and
are joined by a line drawn parallel with the goal line. The area bounded by these
lines and the goal line is the goal area.
The penalty area two lines are drawn at right angles to the goal line, 16.5 m
from the inside of each goalpost. These lines extend into the field of play for a
distance of 16.5 m and are joined by a line drawn parallel with the goal line. The
area bounded by these lines and the goal line is the penalty area. Within each penalty
area, a penalty mark is made 11 m from the midpoint between the goalposts and
equidistant to them. An arc of a circle with a radius of 9.15 m from the centre of
each penalty mark is drawn outside the penalty area.
Goals
A goal must be placed on the centre of each goal line. A goal consists of two
upright posts equidistant from the corner flagposts and joined at the top by a
horizontal crossbar. The goalposts and crossbar must be made of wood, metal or
other approved material.
Number of Players
A match is played by two teams, each consisting of not more than eleven
players, one of whom is the goalkeeper. A match may not start if either team consists
of fewer than seven players.
Number of substitutions
o Official competitions
Up to a maximum of three substitutes may be used in any match played in an official
competition organised under the auspices of FIFA, the confederations or the member
associations. The rules of the competition must state how many substitutes may be
nominated, from three up to a maximum of twelve.
o Other matches
In national A team matches, up to a maximum of six substitutes may be used. In
all other matches, a greater number of substitutes may be used provided that:
the teams concerned reach agreement on a maximum number
the referee is informed before the match If the referee is not informed, or if no
agreement is reached before the match, no more than six substitutes are allowed.
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 The authority of the referee

Each match is controlled by a referee who has full authority to enforce the
Laws of the Game in connection with the match to which he has been appointed.
Powers and duties- The Referee:

enforces the Laws of the Game

controls the match in cooperation with the assistant referees and, where applicable, with
the fourth official
ensures that any ball used meets the requirements of Law 2
ensures that the players equipment meets the requirements of Law 4
acts as timekeeper and keeps a record of the match
stops, suspends or abandons the match, at his discretion, for any infringements of the
Laws
stops, suspends or abandons the match because of outside interference of any kind
stops the match if, in his opinion, a player is seriously injured and ensures that he is
removed from the field of play. An injured player may only return to the field of play
after the match has restarted
allows play to continue until the ball is out of play if a player is, in his opinion, only
slightly injured
ensures that any player bleeding from a wound leaves the field of play. The player may
only return on receiving a signal from the referee, who must be satisfied that the
bleeding has stopped
allows play to continue when the team against which an offence has been committed
will benefit from such an advantage and penalises the original offence if the anticipated
advantage does not ensue at that time
punishes the more serious offence when a player commits more than one offence at the
same time
takes disciplinary action against players guilty of cautionable and sending-off offences.
He is not obliged to take this action immediately but must do so when the ball next goes
out of play

Periods of play
The match lasts two equal periods of 45 minutes, unless otherwise mutually
agreed between the referee and the two teams. Any agreement to alter the duration
of the periods of play (e.g. to reduce each half to 40 minutes because of insufficient
light) must be made before the start of play and must comply with competition rules.
Players are entitled to an interval at half-time. The half-time interval must not
exceed 15 minutes. Competition rules must state the duration of the half-time
interval. The duration of the half-time interval may be altered only with the consent
of the referee.
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 Offside position
It is not an offence in itself to be in an offside position. A player is in an offside
position if:
he is nearer to his opponents goal line than both the ball and the second-last
opponent A player is not in an offside position if:
he is in his own half of the field of play or
he is level with the second-last opponent or
he is level with the last two opponents
Offence
A player in an offside position is only penalised if, at the moment the ball
touches or is played by one of his team, he is, in the opinion of the referee, involved
in active play by:
interfering with play or
interfering with an opponent or
gaining an advantage by being in that position
Disciplinary sanctions
The yellow card is used to communicate that a player, substitute or substituted
player has been cautioned.
The red card is used to communicate that a player, substitute or substituted player
has been sent off. Only a player, substitute or substituted player may be shown
the red or yellow card.
The referee has the authority to take disciplinary sanctions from the moment he
enters the field of play until he leaves the field of play after the final whistle.
A player who commits a cautionable or sending-off offence, either on or off the
field of play, whether directed towards an opponent, a team-mate, the referee, an
assistant referee or any other person, is disciplined according to the nature of the
offence committed.

GLOSSARY

unimpeded= not prevented

referee= the person who arbitrate a football game
soccer= the football played in US

development of football = progression, advancement of the football game

kicking=to strike with the foot

opponents= oppozing players

football club= footballing organization

tournament= a competition in which football teams play for the final prize

teams= group of football players who cooperate for winning

field of play = the ground on which is played the football game

goalpost= upright bar indicating goal area

goalkeeper=the player who defends the goal

substitutes= the replacement used in place of other football player