World Cup One-Day Fan Cheat Sheet: Illustrated Guide to Offside, Penalty Kicks, and Field Knowledge

On the soccer field, two teams attack and defend, but attacking players cannot go wherever they want or pass whenever they want; they must also be careful not to commit an offside violation.

2026 World Cup Key News

Central News Agency

(CNA website) The 2026 FIFA World Cup will kick off on the 11th, sparking a global soccer craze. For one-day fans who want to join the excitement but don't understand soccer rules, CNA has compiled relevant information and uses illustrated cards to help you clearly understand professional soccer terminology. Let's cram before the match!

The length of an international soccer field is 100 to 110 meters (110 to 120 yards), and the width is 64 to 75 meters (70 to 80 yards).

● Center Line: Located in the center of the field, dividing the two teams' halves.
● Touchline: The long side of the soccer field.
● Goal Line: The short side of the soccer field, also called the end line, with the goal positioned in the center.

● Center Circle: Used for kickoffs; players from the team not kicking off must be outside the center circle.
● Corner Area: Located at the four corners of the field, with a flagpole. A quarter-circle arc with a radius of 1 meter (1 yard) is drawn from the corner flag. The attacking team takes corner kicks here (see the out-of-bounds rules below).
● Goal Area: If the goalkeeper controls the ball in this area, the attacking team cannot challenge for it. Goal kicks are also taken from this area (see the out-of-bounds rules below).
● Penalty Area: Also known as the penalty box, this is the area where the goalkeeper can touch the ball with their hands.
● Penalty Spot: The spot where the ball is placed for a penalty kick, also called the 12-yard spot (see the penalty kick rules below).
● Penalty Arc: An arc drawn outside the penalty area, 10 yards from the penalty spot.
● Technical Area: Commonly known as the bench area, where coaches, team staff, and substitute players sit in designated seats to watch the match.

Before the match, a coin toss determines which team chooses the goal to attack in the first half, and the other team kicks off. Teams switch sides in the second half. During the kickoff, players from the non-kicking team must be outside the center circle and in their own half.

The 2026 World Cup is expanded to 48 teams for the first time. The format consists of a group stage and a knockout stage. The group stage is divided into 12 groups. The top two teams from each group advance directly to the 32-team knockout stage, along with the eight best third-placed teams. This means that winning the first group match gives a team a good chance to advance.

The knockout stage is a single-elimination format; losing means elimination. Only the losers of the semi-finals play in the third-place match.

A soccer match is divided into two halves of 45 minutes each, with a 15-minute halftime break.

● Injury Time (Stoppage Time)

When the match is stopped due to fouls, substitutions, or player injuries, the clock does not stop. Instead, the time lost is accumulated and added as stoppage time. At the end of each half, the fourth official on the sideline displays the amount of stoppage time. The referee may increase the displayed stoppage time if deemed necessary, but it will not be decreased.

● What Happens in a Draw?

In the World Cup group stage, matches can end in a draw because only points within the group are compared. After advancing to the knockout stage, if the match is tied after regulation, a 30-minute extra time period is played.

● Extra Time (30 minutes, not in group stage)

Extra time consists of two 15-minute halves with no break in between. If the score remains tied, the match goes to a thrilling penalty shootout.

● Penalty Shootout (not in group stage)

Each team selects five players to take penalty kicks. The team with more goals wins. If the score is still tied, the shootout goes to sudden death. The match ends as soon as one team scores and the other misses, with the scoring team winning.

There are three types of kicks on the soccer field, in order of severity: Penalty Kick, Direct Free Kick, and Indirect Free Kick.

A Penalty Kick (also called a "spot kick" in some regions like China) is taken from the penalty spot, 12 yards from the goal. At this time, all players except the defending goalkeeper must retreat outside the penalty area and the penalty arc. Because the scoring rate for penalty kicks is very high, it is considered the ultimate punishment on the soccer field.

● When is a Penalty Kick Awarded?

When a player commits the following offenses inside their own penalty area:

1. Holding, pushing, charging, or jumping at an opponent
2. Kicking, tripping, striking, or head-butting an opponent (including attempted actions)
3. Tackling or challenging for the ball
4. Deliberately handling the ball (except for the goalkeeper within their own penalty area)
5. Impeding an opponent's progress with physical contact
6. Throwing objects at an opponent or match official
7. Biting an opponent or match official, or spitting at them

For a Direct Free Kick, the referee places the ball at the location of the foul. A player from the fouled team takes the kick. All other players must retreat at least 10 yards from the ball. The defending team often forms a "wall" to block the shot, and attacking players must stay at least 1 yard from the wall until the ball is kicked or clearly moves.

● Main Reasons for Awarding a Direct Free Kick

Same as the penalty kick rules above, but the foul occurs outside the offending team's penalty area.

An Indirect Free Kick is similar to a direct free kick, except the kicking team cannot score directly. The ball must first be touched by another player for a goal to count.

● Main Reasons for Awarding an Indirect Free Kick

Goalkeeper:

1. Touches the ball again with their hands after releasing it before it has touched another player
2. Touches the ball with their hands after a teammate deliberately kicks it to them
3. Touches the ball with their hands after a teammate takes a throw-in

Other Players:

1. Playing in a dangerous manner
2. Impeding an opponent's progress without any physical contact
3. Preventing the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from their hands
4. Committing any other offense not previously mentioned for which play is stopped to caution or send off a player
5. Offside violation
6. Dissent, using offensive, insulting, or abusive language and/or gestures, or other verbal offenses

The wall looks useful, so why not put all players in the wall?

During a free kick, the game restarts as soon as the ball is kicked and moves. The attacking team can choose not to shoot and instead pass the ball. If the defending team commits too many players to the wall, it can make defending difficult.

If the ball goes out of play over the touchline, a player from the team that did not touch it last takes a throw-in from the point where it went out.

If the ball goes out of play over the goal line, there are two scenarios:

1. The attacking team last touched the ball: The defending goalkeeper takes a goal kick from the goal area.
2. The defending team last touched the ball (including the goalkeeper): The attacking team takes a corner kick from the nearest corner area.

The ball must completely cross the touchline or goal line to be out of play. The same applies if the ball goes out in the air.

The same rule applies for a goal: the entire ball must cross the goal line for a goal to be awarded.

The purpose of yellow and red cards on the soccer field is to maintain discipline and deter unsportsmanlike behavior, serious foul play, and violent conduct.

When a player (on or off the field, including in the technical area) commits a foul during a match, the referee can show a yellow card as a warning. A cautioned player can continue playing.

If a player's foul is very serious or appears intentional, the referee can show a red card, sending the player off. The player must leave the field and the technical area. The team cannot replace the sent-off player and must continue the match with one fewer player.

If a player receives a second yellow card in the same match, they are shown a red card and sent off.

The effect of red and yellow cards can carry over to the next match. A player sent off may be suspended for the next match.

Main reasons for a yellow card:

1. Delaying the restart of play
2. Dissent by word or action
3. Entering or deliberately leaving the field of play without the referee's permission
4. Failing to respect the required distance when play is restarted with a corner kick, free kick, or throw-in
5. Persistent infringement of the Laws of the Game
6. Unsporting behavior

Main reasons for a red card:

1. Denying the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball (except a goalkeeper within their penalty area)
2. Denying a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity to an opponent whose overall movement is towards the offender's goal by an offense punishable by a free kick (unless it is a non-deliberate handball offense outside the penalty area)
3. Serious foul play
4. Spitting at an opponent or any other person
5. Violent conduct
6. Using offensive, insulting, or abusive language and/or gestures
7. Receiving a second caution in the same match
8. Covering the mouth during a verbal confrontation with an opponent
9. Leaving the field to protest a referee's decision; team officials who incite players to leave also apply

It's not just players who can be carded

Coaches and assistant coaches can also be shown a red card by the referee (usually the fourth official) for abusive behavior towards the referee or players. They must leave the technical area and go to the stands, and they cannot coach for the remainder of the match, with the suspension carrying over to the next match.

On the soccer field, two teams attack and defend, but attacking players cannot go wherever they want or pass whenever they want; they must also be careful not to commit an offside violation.

A player is in an offside position if they meet all three of the following conditions:

1. They are in the opponents' half of the field.
2. They are closer to the opponents' goal line than the ball.
3. They are closer to the opponents' goal line than the second-last opponent.

Simply put, if an attacking player is not the one dribbling the ball, they are in an offside position if they are closer to the goal than the second-last defender. However, being in an offside position is not an offense in itself.

⚽ Why is Offside a Violation?

A player in an offside position is only penalized if, at the moment the ball is played or touched by a teammate, they are, in the opinion of the referee, involved in active play by: interfering with play, interfering with an opponent, or gaining an advantage by being in that position.