Rules
How the game is officiated Offside A rule that prevents attackers from waiting behind the last defender to receive a pass.
→ VAR Video Assistant Referee — a technology system that reviews major decisions using multiple camera angles.
→ Penalty Kick A direct shot at goal from the penalty spot, awarded when a foul occurs inside the penalty area.
→ Free Kick A set piece where a team is awarded possession and allowed to kick the ball from where a foul occurred.
→ Yellow Card A formal caution shown to a player for a foul or misconduct — two yellows in one match equals a red card.
→ Red Card Immediate dismissal from the match for serious foul play, violent conduct, or receiving two yellow cards.
→ Handball When the ball strikes a player's hand or arm in a way the rules consider illegal, resulting in a free kick or penalty.
→ Stoppage Time Extra minutes added at the end of each half to compensate for time lost to injuries, substitutions, and delays.
→ Corner Kick A set piece taken from the corner of the pitch when the defending team last touches the ball before it crosses their goal line.
→ Own Goal When a player accidentally puts the ball into their own net, giving a goal to the opposing team.
→ Tournament
Format, awards, and structure Group Stage The opening phase of the World Cup where teams are divided into groups and play round-robin matches to determine who advances.
→ Knockout Rounds The elimination phase of the World Cup where losing teams are immediately eliminated and winners advance to the next round.
→ Extra Time Two additional 15-minute periods played when a knockout match is level after 90 minutes.
→ Penalty Shootout A tie-breaking method where teams alternate taking penalty kicks after a knockout match remains level after extra time.
→ Clean Sheet When a goalkeeper and defense keep the opposition from scoring any goals in a match.
→ Golden Boot The award given to the top goal scorer at the World Cup tournament.
→ Golden Glove The award given to the best goalkeeper at the World Cup tournament.
→ Golden Ball The award for the best overall player at the World Cup tournament, voted on by media and football officials.
→ Round of 32 The new first knockout round at the 2026 World Cup, where 32 teams compete and 16 advance.
→ Aggregate Score The combined score across two legs of a tie — used in league knockouts but not at the World Cup.
→ Culture & Skills
The language of the game Hat Trick When one player scores three goals in a single match.
→ Brace When a player scores exactly two goals in a single match.
→ Derby A match between two rival teams — usually from the same city, region, or country — with heightened intensity and historical significance.
→ Nutmeg When a player passes the ball between an opponent's legs to regain possession on the other side.
→ Bicycle Kick An acrobatic overhead kick where the player throws both legs into the air, scissoring them to strike the ball behind and above their head.
→ Tactics
How teams play Set Piece A pre-planned dead ball situation — corner kicks, free kicks, and throw-ins — that teams rehearse in training.
→ Counterattack A quick attacking move that exploits the space left by an opposition team that has committed players forward.
→ Pressing A high-intensity defensive tactic where the team without the ball aggressively closes down opponents to win possession quickly.
→ False 9 A striker who drops deep into midfield to receive the ball instead of staying forward as a traditional center-forward.
→ 