Football Rules Explained for Parents: the 2026/27 Laws Made Simple

Who writes the rules, and what changes in youth football

The rules of football are called the Laws of the Game. They are written by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) and updated every summer. The 2026/27 edition took effect on 1 July 2026. The FA applies them in England and adds its own rules for younger age groups, which leagues then put into their handbooks.

From 2026/27 the formats are: 3v3 at U7, 5v5 at U8–U9, 7v7 at U10–U11, 9v9 at U12–U13 and 11v11 from U14. The smaller formats use simplified rules. For the full picture of pitch sizes and ball sizes, see youth football formats by age.

The offside rule explained

Offside only applies from 9v9 upwards. A player is in an offside position if, at the moment a teammate plays the ball, any part of their head, body or feet is in the opponents' half and nearer to the goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent. The goalkeeper usually counts as one of those two opponents. Arms and hands do not count.

Being in an offside position is not an offence. The referee only penalises it if the player then becomes involved: playing or touching the ball, blocking the goalkeeper's view, challenging an opponent for the ball, or gaining an advantage from a rebound. The decision is about where the player was when the pass was played, not where they are when they receive it.

• No offside from a throw-in, goal kick or corner kick. This catches out many parents.
• Level is onside. If the attacker is level with the second-last opponent, play continues.
• Own half is safe. A player cannot be offside in their own half.
• The sanction is an indirect free kick where the offence happened.

Handball: what counts and what does not

Not every touch on the arm is handball. For the Law, the arm starts at the bottom of the armpit, so a ball hitting the shoulder is not handball. An offence happens when a player deliberately touches the ball with the hand or arm, or when the arm has made the body unnaturally bigger, for example a defender stretching both arms out to block a cross.

A ball that hits an arm held close to the body, or an arm used to break a fall, is not normally an offence. A goal scored directly from an attacker's hand or arm is disallowed, even if the touch was accidental. Goalkeepers can handle the ball in their own penalty area, except from a deliberate kick by a teammate or directly from a teammate's throw-in.

In youth football, referees often have to judge this at full speed with no assistant. Children's arms move when they run and turn. If the referee does not give it, it is usually because the arm was in a natural position.

Advantage, fouls and restarts

Advantage

When a foul happens but the fouled team keeps a good attack going, the referee can play advantage: arms out forward and a call of 'play on'. If the expected advantage does not come within a few seconds, the referee can go back and give the free kick. A player can still be booked at the next stoppage. New for 2026/27: if advantage is played after a foul that denied an obvious goalscoring chance and a goal is then scored, the offender is not cautioned.

Direct and indirect free kicks

Most fouls, such as tripping, pushing or holding, lead to a direct free kick, which can be scored straight from. A foul by a defender in their own penalty area gives a penalty. An indirect free kick, signalled by the referee's raised arm, needs a second touch before a goal counts. It is given for offside, dangerous play without contact, and some goalkeeper offences. In English 5v5 and 7v7, a deliberate header in a match is also penalised with an indirect free kick.

Restarts and the new countdowns

• Goalkeeper holding the ball: since 2025/26 a goalkeeper who keeps the ball in the hands for more than eight seconds concedes a corner kick. The referee shows a visual five-second countdown.
• Throw-ins and goal kicks (2026/27): the countdown idea now applies here too. If the referee thinks a team is delaying, a five-second count follows. A late throw-in goes to the opponents; a late goal kick becomes a corner.
• Dropped ball: goes to the team that would have had the ball, including the team that would have taken the restart if the ball had gone out.
• Substitutions: a player being replaced has ten seconds to leave the pitch. This rule is written for senior international matches; grassroots competitions follow their own substitution rules.

Yellow cards, red cards and sin bins

A yellow card (caution) is shown for things such as unsporting behaviour, persistent fouling, delaying a restart or not respecting the distance at a free kick. Two yellow cards in one match mean a red. A red card (sending-off) is shown for serious foul play, violent conduct, spitting, offensive language, or denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity with a deliberate handball or, in many cases, a foul.

In English grassroots football, dissent is dealt with by a temporary dismissal, known as a sin bin. Sin bins have been used across grassroots football since 2019/20. In adult football the player sits out for ten minutes; youth football uses shorter periods, set by the competition. A second sin bin in the same match leads to the player taking no further part.

Many youth leagues do not show cards at the youngest ages and deal with problems through a word with the coach. Check your league handbook. One change to note for the future: IFAB has made its 'only the captain' approach compulsory for all competitions from 1 July 2027, so only the captain may speak to the referee about decisions.

Football rules explained for parents: using them on match day

1. Learn the format your child plays. Shouting 'offside' at a 7v7 match does not help anyone, because there is none.
2. Remember the referee sees from a different angle. In youth football the referee is often a teenager or a parent volunteer.
3. If you disagree with a decision, say nothing during the match. Ask the coach afterwards, calmly, if it still matters.
4. Explain decisions to your child on the way home only if they ask. Keep it short and neutral.

For more on behaviour around the pitch, see our article on fair play in youth football. Clubs that run their own events will also find the tournament rules and regulations guide useful.

Frequently asked questions