{"id":20021,"date":"2025-08-27T12:57:09","date_gmt":"2025-08-27T10:57:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/turftank.com\/us\/?post_type=academy&p=20021"},"modified":"2025-08-27T12:55:06","modified_gmt":"2025-08-27T10:55:06","slug":"the-rules-of-football","status":"publish","type":"academy","link":"https:\/\/turftank.com\/us\/academy\/the-rules-of-football\/","title":{"rendered":"What are the rules of football?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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[Quick Guide] What are the rules of football?<\/h1>\n<\/div><\/div>
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Academy<\/span><\/a><\/div>

Do you love the excitement of NFL football on Sundays? Do you want to understand the game better? Here’s a guide to understanding everything about America’s favorite sport. The rules of football can seem confusing at first, but after reading this post, you will have a good understanding of how the game works. We will cover everything from scoring to penalties, so that by the end of this post, you’ll be able to understand the basics and be ready for the big game!<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

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How long is a football field?<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>

A football field is 100 yards<\/strong> long and 53.33 yards<\/strong> wide. The field is divided into two halves, each 50 yards long. There are also two end zones, each 10 yards<\/strong> deep. In total, a football field is 120 yards<\/strong> long and 53.33 yards<\/strong> wide.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

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TURF TANK PRO TIP:
\n<\/i><\/b>Figuring out the correct dimensions of the field is a difficult job when done manually. The Turf Tank autonomous line marking robot paints a football field all by itself, without a manual operator<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Football Field Painter<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

Basic rules of football<\/h2>\n

In football, the object of the game is to score more points than the opposing team, by carrying the ball into the opposing team’s end zone or by kicking the ball through the opponent’s goalposts.<\/span><\/p>\n

In football, there are two teams of 11 players each. Even though only 11 players from each side are allowed on the field at once, a team is actually made up of 46 players for a gameday. During the season a team is allowed to have 53 players actively playing in their roster. This means 7 people will be inactive on a gameday, since a team for a gameday consists of 46 players<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The team with more points at the end of the game wins.<\/span><\/p>\n

The offense, which is the team controlling the oval-shaped football, attempts to advance down the field by running with or passing the ball, while the defense, which is the team without control of the ball, aims to stop the offense’s advance and to take control of the ball for themselves. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

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\"Football<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

How long is a football game?<\/h2>\n

A football game lasts for sixty minutes and is divided into four quarters. Each quarter lasts fifteen minutes. There are two halves in a football game, and each half is divided into two quarters.<\/span><\/p>\n

The game starts with the kickoff, when the defending team kicks the ball from their 35-yard line to the offensive team.<\/span><\/p>\n

Even though the game officially lasts for 60 minutes, there are several occasions throughout the match when the clock must be stopped, such as when a player commits a foul, or a team scores a point, which in reality will extend the duration of the game.<\/span><\/p>\n

If one team scores more points than the other team at the end of regulation time, that team is declared the winner.<\/span><\/p>\n

If the score is tied after 60 minutes<\/em>, the game moves to overtime. In the postseason, overtime periods last 15 minutes and continue until a winner is decided. In the regular season, overtime is a single 10-minute period<\/strong>, and if the score remains tied when it ends, the game ends in a tie.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

\"Georgia<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

How do you get points in American football?<\/h2>\n

There are four ways a team can score points in football, each awarding a different amount of points. A team can gets points in football through touchdowns, extra points, fields goals, and safeties.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

\n\n \n
Touchdown<\/td>\n Field Goal<\/td>\n Safety<\/td>\n Field Goal after touchdown<\/td>\n Touchdown after touchdown<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6 points<\/td>\n 3 points<\/td>\n 2 points<\/td>\n 1 point (Extra point)<\/td>\n 2 points (Extra point)<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n<\/table><\/div>
\n \n \n \n \n \n
Touchdown<\/th>\n 6 points<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
Field Goal<\/th>\n 3 points<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
Safety<\/th>\n 2 points<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
Field Goal after touchdown<\/th>\n 1 point (Extra point)<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
Touchdown after touchdown<\/th>\n 2 points (Ekstra point)<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n<\/table><\/div>
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Touchdown<\/span><\/h4>\n

A touchdown is worth six points and is the most common way to score in football. A touchdown is scored when a team either carries the ball into the opposing team\u2019s end zone or catches a pass in the end zone. <\/span><\/p>\n

The team in possession of the ball needs to move the ball forward by at least 10 yards while they are on the offense. They have 4 chances, or downs, to do so. If they manage, the count resets and now they get another four downs to push the ball another 10 yards.<\/span><\/p>\n

If the offensive team didn’t manage to move the ball after 4 downs, a turnover, or a change in possession of the will happen, and the team which previously defended will now be on the offense and vice-versa.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

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Field goal<\/span><\/h4>\n

If a team cannot score a touchdown, they may try to score a field goal. A field goal is worth three points and is scored when the ball is kicked through the opponent’s goalposts from anywhere on the field.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Extra point<\/span><\/h4>\n

After a touchdown, the scoring team has an opportunity to score 1 or 2 more points.<\/p>\n

For 1 point<\/strong>, the ball is snapped from the 15-yard line, and the kicker must send it through the goalposts.<\/p>\n

For 2 points<\/strong>, the offense can run or pass the ball into the end zone, a play known as a two-point conversion.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

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Safety<\/span><\/h4>\n

A safety is worth two points and is scored when the opposing team commits a foul in their own end zone or when the ball carrier is tackled in their own end zone.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now that you know how American football works, tune in to your favorite team’s next game and enjoy! Understanding the game will make it even more enjoyable. And who knows, maybe you’ll be inspired to become a player yourself!<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

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FAQ<\/strong><\/h6>\n<\/div><\/div>

Frequently Asked Questions<\/h3>\n<\/div><\/div>