Football (Soccer) Rule Changes Needed to Improve the World Game

Ways to Improve Soccer (Football) for Teams, Players, Fans

Now that the final games of the 2010 FIFA World Cup are to be played it is time to review how the world game could be improved through a number of rule changes. Soccer is indeed a world game with 300,000 soccer clubs worldwide, comprised of 240 million players, 30 million of which are women. Let's make it better for players, teams and fans!

What are the Main Problems with Soccer and What are the Solutions?

Soccer is very popular with young people who get frustrated with draws and penalty shoot-outs
Soccer is very popular with young people who get frustrated with draws and penalty shoot-outs. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:M%C3%A4dchen_beim_Fu%C3%9Fballspielen.JPG

Increase the width of the goals by one meter (3.28 feet)

Increase the width of the goals so more goals are scored, many from fuuther out
Increase the width of the goals so more goals are scored, many from fuuther out. Source: Public Domain

This would increase the number of goal scored and increase the number of long range shots which is what the fans want and would provide for fairer outcomes.

The counter arguments are:

► The goal is already a good size and most goal keepers can't stop a good high powered shot.

► Further, having a bigger goal would mean a goalkeeper could have no chance of saving penalty shots, and so wider goals would fundamentally change how the game is played.

However one extra meter is only a 12% increase.

Something has to be done to increase the number of goals scored for the fans and to provide fairer results where the best team wins.

This would also reduce the number of draws, especially 0-0 draws which are boring after 90 minutes and 20 minutes extra time.

Many current games are boring, with defensive tactics to the fore. The outcome can be a lottery, depending on a single 'lucky' goal.

The outcomes need to be fairer. Wider goals and higher scores would make this happen.

Players given a 'yellow-card' should leave the field for 10 minutes, with the existing penalties still applied.

This would reduce the number of blatant fouls that are marring the game. Players can deliberately block a player shooting for goal or deliberately aim to injure a key player without an immediate penalty if they are not sent off.

The penalty shoot-out is grossly unfair and while 'entertaining' many fans are left angry and frustrated by it.

There are several better options for resolving draws:

Other suggestions:





Soccer could be vastly improved with simple rule changes
Soccer could be vastly improved with simple rule changes. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Caleb_Mendez_Soccer_09.jpg
Too many games are won or lost because of one or two disputed referee decisions. Larger goals and higher score would remove this unfair lottery for the outcomes. Source
Too many games are won or lost because of one or two disputed referee decisions. Larger goals and higher score would remove this unfair lottery for the outcomes. Source: Public Domain
The average number of goals scored in soccer has plateaued at around 2 per game. This is far too few for players and fans to enjoy the game
The average number of goals scored in soccer has plateaued at around 2 per game. This is far too few for players and fans to enjoy the game
Widening the soccer goals by a yard on each side would boost the number of goals score and would be better for fans and players
Widening the soccer goals by a yard on each side would boost the number of goals score and would be better for fans and players Source: Original Image - Janderson99
The offside rule in soccer effectively compresses most of the play into the defending team's half of the field. Cancelling the offside rule would open up play as it has done in field hockey.
The offside rule in soccer effectively compresses most of the play into the defending team's half of the field. Cancelling the offside rule would open up play as it has done in field hockey. Source: Original Image - Janderson99