The soccer rules and regulations FIFA provides have evolved over the long history of the game. Implementation of these rules allows the game to be played in a well controlled environment. Of course there is the odd head butt but that is an aberration and the teams concerned normally ensure that this does not happen!
FIFA rules of soccer allow considerable leeway to clubs if they want to frame rules that are relevant to their local conditions. As a result, players are not constrained by the rules and clubs can gradually make their rules similar to FIFA soccer rules as their players’ skills improve.
FIFA has created a total of 17 sections for its laws. These break-up the game into 17 parts of play. You can see these as falling into two natural groups. The first group covers the environment – these can be listed as the laws pertaining to the Field of Play, laws that govern the ball, laws concerning numbers of players, their equipment, referees and their assistants and the duration of the game.
The second group of FIFA soccer rules covers the conduct of the game itself. These cover starting play, rules governing the ball being in play, scoring, offsides, fouls and other cases of poor conduct. What’s more, besides goal kick soccer rules FIFA also has rules for kicks, throws in, corner and penalty kicks etc.
The rule book produced by FIFA is of course available in many languages and runs into more than 70 pages of clearly drafted rules and an additional 44 pages of questions and answers.
Racism has over the years become quite a serious issue in football. Football rules and regulations FIFA lays down are extremely strict in the matter. If an official or even a spectator that supports a team behaves in a racist manner, the team can be fined three points or even be disqualified.
Not only can the teams be disqualified but the parent governing body can also be banned for two years, if racism can be proved. Many people feel that the laws are too strict. Why should, for example, the team be penalized if the spectators misbehave?
While these FIFA rules of soccer may soon be reviewed, they do show the seriousness with which FIFA takes its anti-racism stance.
Did you know that soccer rules and regulations FIFA enforces are more closely followed in Europe as compared to the United States ? While FIFA explicitly allows this, clubs in the US suffer because their players have to later on revert to formal FIFA rules that they may not be very conversant with.