Modified Soccer Rules So Everyone Can Play!

Regulation soccer rules don't work for everyone.

Young kids, beginners, and players with disabilities will not be successful and are not likely to enjoy the game without some necessary modifications to the rules.

The important thing is, with a few simple changes to the basic rules of soccer,  no one has to stay on the sidelines. 

Depending on the number of players, skill level, available equipment, or the size of your playing area, you can modify the basic rules of soccer to fit your needs. Here are some easy modifications you can make:

Easy ways to modify soccer rules for your group

• Reduce the size of the field: The smaller the field the less tired players will become, the more ball touches each players will get, and the less area players will have to move across.
  
• Adjust the length of the game: Increase or decrease the time according to fitness level of players or the time it may take them to successfully contact the ball.
  
• Use a softer or lighter ball, like a nerf-type ball or a beach ball.
  
• Use a monster-size ball (or a therapy ball, cage ball, etc.) and allow players to use hands or any other part of their body to advance the ball up the field.
  
• Reduce or increase the number of players on each team.
  
• Don't use goalies: Leave the goals unattended to open up more opportunities to score and allow all players to move around the field.
  
• Play on only half of the field with one goal: On each change of possession, the offense takes it back above the penalty area before they can try to score, like in half-court basketball.
  
• Use a ball that's a little flat to keep it from rolling so quickly or so far.
  
• If you have a lot of players, set up more goals so players have more ways to score, and have a couple balls going at once.
  
• Have shooting contests from different areas of the field to see who can score the most goals.
  
• Set up targets and try to knock them over with the ball.
  
• Set up a game indoors with no out of bounds. The ball can be played off of the walls.
• For players with visual impairments, attach a sound box or bells to the net, wrap brightly colored tape or ribbon around the goal, or use a ball with bells in it.
• For players with cognitive disabilities, check out the Special Olympics website for excellent practice and competition ideas.

Giant inflatable soccer ball

Wheelchair soccer ball 47.2"

Beeping foam soccer ball

Read more about soccer rules...  Part 1   Part 2

These are just a few ways to tweak the basic rules of soccer to fit your needs. Maybe they’ll give you some ideas for adapting the game to make it more fun for your group. To find some fun kids sports activities that include modified soccer games, check out our list of free kids games. 

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