Rules of Beach Soccer Explained. Everything You Need to Know

Beach soccer is a quite popular kind of sport that appeared in the mid-20th century. The sport resembles traditional football but has its own peculiarities at the same time. The competitions take place at beaches where agility, ball possession technique, and speed are of the greatest importance. So, here is the exhaustive information about the given kind of sport.

Field

The field should be covered with sand. The surface should be smooth and without stones and all other objects that can lead to players’ injuries. When it comes to international competitions, there should be a minimum of 40 cm of sand on the field.

The field is a rectangle of 35-37 meters long and 26-28 meters wide. Special lines are said to be the borders of the field. The longer lines are sidelines, while the shorter ones are goal lines. These 10-cm-wide lines should be made of firm fabrics of the blue color. The field is subdivided into two equal parts with an imaginary center line that combines two red flags from the middle of the sidelines. The middle of the imaginary center line introduces the place where teams start and resume a play.

9 meters from the goal lines along the sidelines, there are two yellow flags that mark the borders of the penalty areas. It is this imaginary line between the yellow flags that hosts a penalty mark. It should be in the middle of the goals.

As for goals, they should be perfectly centered on the goal lines. They are represented by two horizontal posts and one crossbar that unites them. The goals should be colored with fluorescent and yellow color. The goals have the following characteristics: the distance between the posts is 5.5 meters, while that between the crossbar and sand surface is 2.2 meters. Also, the posts and the crossbar should be of the same diameter ranging 10-20 cm.

Ball

First of all, all the balls for beach soccer competitions should be approved by FIFA. The ball should be spherical and meet the following characteristics:

• made of leather or any other synthetic material;
• wearproof;
• waterproof.

The ball perimeter of a circle should be 68-70 cm, while the weight be 400-440 g.

If the ball turns to be defective during a game, the game should be stopped and the ball replaced. If the ball happens to be defective after it crosses the field borders, it should be just replaced.

For a single match of the international competitions, a minimum of 12 balls is required. 1 ball is in the play, while all the others are distributed among boys/girls who are to deliver them. Once the ball crosses a field line, a boy/girl who is closer to that place should deliver the ball to a player.

Number of Players

Matches are held between two teams with 5 players in each. One of these players in each team should perform as a goalkeeper. Each team can have up to 5 substitute players who can take the field at any moment of any match.

Each team is allowed to make as many substitutions as they want. Moreover, even a player that has just been substituted can reenter the field later. Of course, if the substitutions are made according to the official rules. Thus, a substitute player should make a corresponding signal about his intention to take the field by raising a plate with the number of a player he intends to substitute. Any substitution can be made only within the substitution zone and after a referee’s permission. A substitution is said to be over when a player leaves the field and his partner takes it.

It can sometimes happen that a goalkeeper needs to be substituted. In this case, the team should notify the referee of their intentions. If a goalkeeper gets injured, he can be substituted by both another goalkeeper or a field player. In the latter case, a field player should put on a goalie sweater.

A player takes the field before his partner leaves it, the game is stopped and the substitute player gets a yellow card and his team is punished with a free kick from the center of the field. Should the same player commit the same foul, he gets a blue card and is sent off for 2 minutes, while his team is forced to play outnumbered.

A match can begin only if there are at least 4 players in each team. If it happens that a team has fewer than 3 players (the goalkeeper including) on the field, the match should be stopped whatever a current score. Such a match ends in 10:0 to the team that does not lack players.

Equipment

The player’s equipment should not constitute a danger for him and for all the other players. The beach soccer wear consists of the following items:

1. Shorts. If there is underwear under the shorts, it should be of the same color with them.
2. Players are allowed to wear socks or/and elastic fixators of ankle joints.
3. Footwear is prohibited.
4. Players are allowed to have plastic sunglasses.
5. T-shirt or sweater. The back should have a number (1 to 22) of a highly contrastive color to that of the T-shirt.
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If the opposing teams have the equipment of the same or similar colors, a Home team should change the wear. When a game is held on a neutral venue, a coin toss is applied to determine a team that will change the wear. When it comes to international competitions, a front part of the shorts should bear the number of (15*7.5 cm).

As for the goalkeepers, they should have the wear of a unique color for a single match. Also, the goalkeepers are allowed to put on trousers instead of shorts.

Referees

Every beach soccer match is third by two referees who should control the abidance by the rules. With this, they have strict rights and obligations:

• they make signals for the teams to start and continue a match, record fouls, penalty kicks, and so on;
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• watch the time;
• issue yellow, blue, and red cards;
• stop a match in particular cases;
• controls the players’ equipment and the quality of balls.

Among the two referees, one is the chief referee, and the other is the second one. If they fail to make a unanimous decision concerning the same situation, the decision of the chief referee is said to be prevailing.

There is also the third referee and the timekeeper. They sit behind the sideline near the center line. The timekeeper is responsible for controlling the time of a match and penalties. As for the third referee, this official records the names of goal scorers, penalized players, notifies teams of their players being sent off, as well as supervises the substitutions.

Match Duration

A beach soccer match consists of three 12-minute periods with 3-minute intervals between them. The time can be stopped when a goal is scored, a penalty or a free kick is awarded or when players expend time intentionally.

The time can be extended if a penalty or a free kick awarded. In this case, the final whistle will happen if:

• a goal is scored or a goalkeeper catches the ball;
• the ball crosses the field line;
• the ball hits the post or the crossbar and fails to lead to a goal;
• the ball touches one of the players and fails to lead to a goal.

If the regulation time ends in a draw, the extra time represented by a 3-minute period should start. If the period also fails to identify a winner, the penalty shootout is held. Thus, a team that will manage to score more penalties will be said to be a winner.

Process of Play

Prior to the beginning of a match, the first referee throws up a coin in front of both captains in order to determine which team will be first to kick off and for the teams to choose field ends. The right to begin a match is given to a team the captain of which manages to guess a coin toss result. Their opponents then choose a field end and will obtain the right to make the kick off in the second period.

The right to make the kick off in the third period and in the extra time, if any, is decided with the help of a coin toss. Identically, if the penalty shootout is held, it is a coin toss that is used to determine the order for the teams.

The kick off happens at the beginning of every period and after a goal being scored. The given process implies some requirements that are as follows:

• all the players should be on their field ends;
• members of the opposing team may stay at least 5 meters from the ball and can enter the other field end only after the ball is brought into the game;
• the ball should stay immobile in the center spot of the field;
• the referee blows the whistle for the players to start a match;
• a player should touch the ball either to send it by air or to make it roll over the sand;
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• after that, his partners are allowed to pass or shoot on target;
• the player who was first to touch the ball is not allowed to touch it once again unless one of his partners or opponents touches it.

Goal

A goal is said to be scored when the ball completely crosses the goal line between the posts and under the crossbar. The only exception arises when a goal is either intentionally or purposefully is scored with the help of players’ hand.

A goalkeeper may not score a goal by throwing the ball into play with his hands. If this happens, the opposing team should make a goal kick. Also, a goalkeeper may not score a goal if he releases the ball from his hands and kicks it with his foot before the ball touches the sand. On the other hand, if a goalkeeper controls the ball with his feet, he may score a goal.

A team that has managed to score more goals is declared to be a winner.

Fouls

Every foul can result in corresponding consequences. Thus, a free kick is awarded in the following cases if a player:

• beats and attempts to beat an opponent;
• sweeps or attempts to sweep the opponent’s leg;
• pushes an opponent;
• jumps over an opponent;
• holds an opponent using his hands;
• spits at an opponent;
• intentionally touches the ball with his hands;
• prevents an opposing goalkeeper from to bring the ball into play;
• intentionally throws sand into opponents or referees.

A penalty kick is awarded if a player makes a foul within his own goal area. A player, against whom the foul was committed, should shoot a penalty kick. The exception is only when this player gets seriously injured.

Different fouls can be penalized with corresponding cards. Thus, a yellow card is a kind of warning for a player. A blue card means a player is sent off from the field for 2 minutes. During this period, his team is playing outnumbered. The power play can end prematurely if a penalized team conceded a goal. Also, when a player commits a serious or dangerous for others foul, he can get a red card. In this case, a player is sent off up to the end of a match, while a substitute player can take the field in 2 minutes only.

Types of Kicks

When it comes to a direct free kick, the following requirements should be met:

• no player is allowed to form a defensive wall;
• a free kick should be performed by a player, against whom the foul was committed (the only exception was mentioned above);
• the ball should stay immobile and the player may not touch it for the second time unless a different player touches it;
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• it is impossible to score an own goal from a free kick; if it happens that the ball crosses the goal line of player’s own team, a corner kick for the opponents is awarded.

If a free kick is going to be performed on the end of the defensive team, all the players except for a defensive goalkeeper and a player who is going to perform the free kick should be within the field borders and behind the ball. Also, all these players should be at least 5 meters from the ball.

When it comes to a free kick that an attacking team is going to perform from its end, the general requirements are the same with a slight addition. No player is allowed to stay within the area between the ball and the goal (a triangle limited by the ball and the posts).

A penalty kick is awarded for the fouls committed within the goal area. This kick is a good opportunity for an attacking team to score a goal. The ball should be placed 9 meters from the goal and in the middle between its posts. A defensive goalkeeper should stay face-to-face with the player who is going to perform the penalty. Before the moment when the player touches the ball, a goalkeeper may not leave the goal line.

All the other players should be outside the goal area at least 5 meters from the ball. The referee cannot let the penalty be performed until all the players hold the positions according to the requirements above.

A kick-in is a way to continue a match after the ball crosses a sideline. Any player who is on the field (including a goalkeeper) is able to perform a kick-in. It is important that a goal cannot be scored directly from a kick-in. However, if it happens that the ball crosses the goal line after a kick-in without touching a player; a goal clearance for a defensive team is awarded.

A goal clearance is a way to bring the ball into play after it crosses a goal line outside the posts and over the crossbar. To bring the ball into play, a goalkeeper takes the ball in his hands and throws it from any place within his goal area. A goalkeeper is not allowed to touch the ball for the second time unless a different player touches it. It should take no more than 5 seconds for a goalkeeper to perform a goal clearance.

A goalkeeper may not take the ball in his hands for the second time after a pass, headed pass or kick-in unless the opponent touches the ball before it. If this rule is violated, a free kick from the center of the field is awarded.

A corner kick is a way to continue a match after the ball crosses the goal line outside the posts and over the crossbar from a player of the defensive team. This type of kicks provides the opportunity to score a goal directly. To perform a corner kick, it is necessary to place the ball on the sand in the area where the goal line and the sideline match. Defensive players should stay at least 5 meters from the ball.