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WorksheetsSoccer Rules: Fundamentals and Basic Play
Total questions: 78
Worksheet time: 42mins
The duration of a standard soccer match is:
60 minutes
70 minutes
80 minutes
90 minutes
Each half of a soccer match lasts for:
35 minutes
40 minutes
45 minutes
50 minutes
The governing body of world football is:
IOC
FIFA
IAAF
UEFA
The first FIFA World Cup was held in:
1928
1930
1934
1940
The maximum number of substitutions allowed in a standard match are:
2
3
5
7
The size of a standard soccer ball (circumference) is approximately:
60–65 cm
68–70 cm
72–75 cm
80–85 cm
The referee shows a red card to:
Warn the player
Indicate a goal
Send off a player from the field
Call for substitution
Offside occurs when a player is:
Behind the halfway line
Ahead of the ball and the second last opponent when the ball is played to him
In his own half during play
Holding the ball in hand
The kick awarded when a foul is committed inside the penalty area is:
Goal kick
Corner kick
Free kick
Penalty kick
The distance of the penalty mark from the goal line is:
8 yards
10 yards
11 yards
12 yards
The dimensions of a standard football goal are:
6m × 2m
7.32m × 2.44m
8m × 3m
5m × 2m
When the ball crosses the sideline, the play is restarted with a:
Corner kick
Goal kick
Throw-in
Free kick
Which part of the body is a player (except the goalkeeper) not allowed to use?
Head
Shoulder
Chest
Hands
The number of officials (referee + assistant referees) usually conducting a match is:
2
3
4
5
The FIFA World Cup is held every:
2 years
3 years
4 years
5 years
The term “hat-trick” in soccer refers to:
Three consecutive passes
Three yellow cards
Three goals scored by a player in a match
Three fouls in one half
The 2022 FIFA World Cup was held in:
Russia
Qatar
France
Brazil
Which player has won the most FIFA Ballon d’Or awards (as of 2024)?
Cristiano Ronaldo
Lionel Messi
Neymar Jr.
Luka Modrić
A foul in soccer can only be committed when:
The ball is out of play
The ball is in play
The referee signals a throw-in
During half-time
A direct free kick is awarded when a player:
Handles the ball deliberately
Plays the ball while lying on the ground
Is in an offside position
Takes more than four steps with the ball
A penalty kick is awarded when a direct free kick foul is committed:
Anywhere on the field
Outside the goal area
Inside the penalty area by the defending team
During extra time
A yellow card is shown to a player as:
A caution for misconduct
A signal to leave the field
Permission to take a free kick
A warning to the referee
A red card means:
A warning for the player
The player must leave the field immediately
The referee restarts play
A substitution must be made
How many yellow cards lead to a red card in a single match?
1
2
3
4
A dangerous play (like a high kick near an opponent’s head) results in:
Direct free kick
Indirect free kick
Penalty kick
Goal kick
Serious foul play usually involves:
Time wasting
Violent tackle endangering an opponent
Arguing with the referee
Offside violation
A player is sent off (red card) for:
Delaying restart of play
Entering field without permission
Using offensive, insulting, or abusive language
Dissent by words or actions
A player deliberately handles the ball to stop a goal. The referee should:
Award a goal kick
Show a yellow card only
Award a penalty kick and show a red card
Allow play to continue
A goalkeeper handles the ball outside the penalty area. The result is:
Penalty kick
Direct free kick
Indirect free kick
Drop ball
Which of the following is NOT a cautionable offence?
Persistent infringement of the Laws
Unsporting behavior
Violent conduct
Dissent by word or action
A player tackles an opponent carelessly — the correct decision is:
Play on
Indirect free kick
Direct free kick
Penalty kick (if inside penalty area)
A player removes his shirt while celebrating a goal. The referee should:
Ignore it
Award a yellow card for unsporting behavior
Show a red card
Caution both teams
If a substitute or substituted player commits misconduct off the field, the referee should:
Ignore it
Stop play and caution or send off the player
Spitting at an opponent or any other person results in:
Yellow card
Red card
Warning
Indirect free kick only
Dissent by word or action towards the referee is punished by:
Verbal warning
Yellow card
Red card
Indirect free kick only
When a player denies an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO) by handling or foul, the referee should:
Show a yellow card only
Award a free kick and show a red card
Show no card
Give an indirect free kick
Reckless tackle means:
No contact is made
The player acts with disregard to the danger to or consequences for an opponent
It’s a fair challenge
It results in automatic red card
The advantage rule allows the referee to:
Ignore a foul completely
Let play continue if it benefits the fouled team
Cancel a goal scored
Award a penalty to the defending team
A player is in an offside position if, at the moment the ball is played to them, they are:
In their own half
Ahead of both the ball and the second-last defender
Level with the goalkeeper
Outside the penalty area
A player is not in an offside position if they are:
Ahead of the ball
In their own half of the field
Closer to the goal line than the second-last defender
Interfering with play
Which of the following conditions must be met for a player to be penalized for offside?
The ball touches the player’s hand
The player is actively involved in play
The player is behind the halfway line
The player scores from a penalty
A player is in an offside position, but no offence occurs when they:
Interfere with an opponent
Receive the ball directly from a goal kick
Receive the ball from a teammate’s pass
Attempt to play the ball
A player cannot be offside when receiving the ball directly from:
Corner kick
Throw-in
Goal kick
All of the above
The offside position is judged at the moment:
The player receives the ball
The player passes the ball
The ball is played or touched by a teammate
The ball crosses the goal line
Who decides if a player is offside?
Referee only
Linesman (Assistant Referee)
Both referee and assistant referee
Team captain
When a player is penalized for being offside, the opposing team is awarded:
Direct free kick
Indirect free kick
Drop ball
Throw-in
A player standing in an offside position but not interfering with play should be:
Penalized
Cautioned
Ignored (no offence)
Shown a yellow card
A player in an offside position who receives the ball from an opponent’s deliberate play (not a rebound) is:
Offside
Not offside
Always penalized
Cautioned
A goalkeeper is counted as one of the:
(a)
Which of the following situations results in an offside offence?
Receiving the ball from a goal kick
Receiving the ball after a rebound off the post
Receiving the ball from a throw-in
Receiving the ball from a corner kick
If a player is in an offside position and a defender deliberately plays the ball, the attacker is:
Offside
Not offside
Sent off
Warned by the referee
A player is level with the second-last defender. The decision is:
Onside
Offside
Depends on the referee’s opinion
Yellow card
The assistant referee signals an offside offence by:
Raising both hands
Raising the flag straight up, then pointing it across the field
Blowing a whistle
Showing a card
Which part of the body is considered when judging offside position?
Hands and arms
Head, body, or feet (excluding hands and arms)
Only feet
Entire body including arms
A player in an offside position receives the ball from a deflection off a defender. The referee should:
Allow play to continue
Penalize for offside
Award a penalty
Give a throw-in
The primary purpose of the offside rule is to:
Make scoring easier
Prevent goalkeepers from leaving their area
Prevent attackers from gaining unfair advantage
Allow faster play
An offside offence is punished from:
The place where the ball was played
The place where the offside player was positioned when offence occurred
The halfway line
The penalty spot
A player in an offside position who scores after the ball rebounds off the goalkeeper has:
Committed an offside offence
Not committed an offence
To be cautioned
To retake the shot
A goal is scored when:
The ball crosses the goal line halfway
The ball touches the goalpost and returns
The whole ball crosses the goal line between the goalposts and under the crossbar
The referee signals a goal
The team that scores more goals during a match is declared:
The winner
The runner-up
The defending side
The home team
If both teams score an equal number of goals, the match is:
Forfeited
Drawn
Decided by penalty kicks
Abandoned
If no goals are scored in a match, the result is:
1–0
0–0 draw
Tie-breaker required
Replay match
A goal cannot be scored:
From a penalty kick
From a goal kick into the opponents’ goal
From an indirect free kick without touching another player
From open play
A goal is disallowed if:
The scorer is in an offside position when the ball was played
The ball hits the post
The goalkeeper moves early
The ball curves into the net
In knockout matches, if the scores are level at the end of normal time, what is played next?
The standard duration of extra time is:
5 minutes
10 minutes each half
15 minutes each half
20 minutes each half
If the score remains level after extra time, the match is decided by:
Toss of a coin
Replay match
Kicks from the penalty mark
Referee’s decision
In a penalty shoot-out, each team initially takes:
3 kicks
4 kicks
5 kicks
6 kicks
During a penalty shoot-out, if both teams have scored the same number after 5 kicks each, what happens?
Replay match
Sudden death kicks continue
Toss of a coin
Match ends in a draw
Only players who are on the field of play at the end of the match are eligible to:
Watch the penalty kicks
Take part in the penalty shoot-out
Replace injured players
Referee the kicks
In a penalty shoot-out, teams take alternate kicks:
Yes, alternating between teams each time
No, one team takes all kicks first
Only after referee decides
Based on coin toss for each kick
A goal scored directly from the kick-off is:
Not allowed
Allowed
Allowed only if referee signals
Considered an own goal
A goal scored directly from a throw-in is:
Allowed
Disallowed
Allowed only if it touches another player
Allowed as an own goal
A goal scored directly from a corner kick is:
Not allowed
Allowed
Allowed only after referee’s signal
Results in a retake
A goal scored directly against the kicker’s own team from a free kick, corner kick, or throw-in results in:
Goal awarded
Corner kick to the opponents
Own goal
Indirect free kick
In penalty kicks to decide a match, can a goalkeeper be substituted before the shoot-out?
Yes, if substitution limit not reached
No, substitutions are not allowed
Only with referee’s permission
Only if goalkeeper is injured and eligible substitute is available
The referee decides when a penalty shoot-out ends when:
The stadium lights go off
One team has scored more goals than the other cannot reach
After 10 kicks each
After both teams agree to stop
During a penalty shoot-out, if the ball rebounds from the crossbar and enters the goal after spin, the referee should:
Disallow the goal
Allow the goal
Order a retake
End the shoot-out
