Watching Your First Football Match: A Spectator Guide

Start with the match in front of you

You do not need to recognise every infringement to enjoy a match. Start by following the ball, identifying which goal each team attacks and noticing how play restarts.

This guide uses The IFAB’s 2026/27 Laws of the Game, as displayed in its official online laws when reviewed. It describes standard association football; no particular league or tournament is assumed. Youth, veterans, disability and grassroots competitions may modify matters such as team size, playing time, return substitutions and temporary dismissals. Check the competition’s rules before applying the adult format to a children’s match. IFAB General Modifications.

Read the score, then follow possession

Standard teams have up to eleven players each, including a goalkeeper. The aim is to score more goals than the other team. A goal requires the entire ball to cross the goal line between the posts and beneath the crossbar, with no scoring-team offence. IFAB Law 3.1 and Law 10.1–10.2.

The numbers beside the team names show their goals. Identify the team labels before reading the score; broadcast layouts vary. Possession means having control of the ball. There are no scheduled attacking turns: watch passes, interceptions and challenges to see control change. A backward pass can help a team keep possession while teammates find space.

Follow the halves and added time

The standard match has two 45-minute halves, with a half-time interval of no more than 15 minutes. The referee allows additional time in each half for time lost through injuries, substitutions, disciplinary action, celebrations and other delays. A displayed added-time figure is a minimum: further delays can extend it. The referee keeps the official time. IFAB Law 7.1–7.3 and Law 5.3.

For example, an added-time board showing four minutes means at least four additional minutes, rather than a guaranteed whistle exactly four minutes later. A display such as 90+2 indicates time beyond the normal 90 minutes; it does not by itself mean extra time.

A kick-off starts each half. Teams change ends at half-time, and the team conceding a goal takes the subsequent kick-off. IFAB Law 8.1. See match length, half-time and substitutions.

When play stops, look for the restart

The whole ball must cross a boundary line to be out, whether on the ground or in the air. A ball still overhanging the line has not completely crossed it. Play also stops when the referee stops it. IFAB Law 9.1.

The table covers common restart situations, rather than every exception. For close boundary decisions, see ball in and out of play.

Recognise a few useful signals

An arm held above the referee’s head for a free kick indicates an indirect free kick. Another player must touch the ball before it can enter the opponents’ goal for a goal to count. IFAB Law 13.1.

A visible finger countdown while a goalkeeper holds the ball marks the final five seconds of the eight-second handling limit. Exceeding eight seconds results in a corner. IFAB Law 12.3.

In a match using VAR, the referee’s rectangular television signal indicates a review or its conclusion; wait for the decision that follows. IFAB VAR protocol, section 4.

For more gestures and flag positions, see referee signals and assistant referee flags.

Understand fouls, cards and advantage

Contact does not automatically mean a foul. For challenges covered by Law 12, a careless challenge can bring a free kick without a card; a reckless one requires a caution; excessive force requires a sending-off. Not every touch of the ball against a hand or arm is handball.

A yellow card communicates a caution. A red card communicates a sending-off, including after a second caution in the same match. IFAB Law 12.1 and 12.4. Read fouls and cards or the handball explainer for detail.

Sometimes the referee lets play continue after an offence because the affected team benefits. This is advantage: for example, a teammate collects the ball and can continue a promising attack. If the expected benefit does not arise immediately or within a few seconds, the referee can return to the offence. IFAB Law 5.3. See advantage explained.

Offside: watch when the pass is played

For a typical pass, look at the attacker’s position when their teammate plays the ball, rather than when they receive it. An attacker is in an offside position if a relevant part of their head, body or feet is in the opponents’ half and nearer the goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent. Hands and arms do not count; being level is onside.

Position alone is not an offence. The player must become actively involved, such as playing the pass or interfering with an opponent. An offside offence brings an indirect free kick. There is no offside offence from receiving a throw-in, goal kick or corner directly. IFAB Law 11.1–11.4.

For example, an attacker can run beyond the defenders after a teammate plays a pass without being offside, provided their position at the relevant moment was onside. Rebounds and deliberate defensive play need more care: see the offside guide.

Why everyone may be waiting

A pause can involve injury assessment, a substitution, disciplinary action or a video review. The referee may also suspend play because of outside interference. IFAB Law 7.3 and Law 5.3.

Substitution allowances depend on the competition. Do not assume every match permits the same number of changes or return substitutions. IFAB Law 3.2.

VAR is not universal. It requires an approved implementation and FIFA permission. Where used, video checks can delay a restart, and the referee retains the final decision. A check does not necessarily involve a visit to the pitchside screen or a changed decision. IFAB Law 5.4 and VAR protocol, sections 3–4.

Does a draw mean the match is over?

Equal goals mean a draw unless the competition requires a winner and specifies a tie-breaking procedure. Extra time and shoot-outs are not automatic.

When used, extra time consists of two equal periods of no more than 15 minutes each. It is separate from added time for stoppages. A shoot-out takes place after the match: teams alternate kicks, normally up to five each, stopping early if the outcome is already settled. If still level after five each, they continue until one leads after equal numbers of kicks. Read the shoot-out tally separately from the match score. IFAB Law 10.2–10.3.

Check the competition’s regulations to find out whether a drawn match ends there, proceeds to extra time, or uses another permitted procedure. See extra time, added time and penalty shoot-outs.