
<p>Soccer is one of the simplest sports there is. Kick the ball into the goal, score one point at a time, and don’t touch the ball with your hands. There are some more nuanced laws of the game, but overall the sport is fairly straightforward and simple. So the rules should be the same everywhere soccer is played, right? Well, not exactly.</p>



<h2>Breaking the rules: soccer in America</h2>



<p>You can’t talk about variant soccer rules without mentioning what we Yanks have tried to do with the sport over the years. </p>



<p>Other codes that stemmed from the sport, both here and abroad, like rugby, Australian rules, and American football, essentially eventually became entirely different games.</p>



<p>But here in the States, we’ve tried to “Americanize” soccer itself on more than one occasion. </p>



<p>Thinking the sport was too dull for American audiences, several rule changes were attempted to spice up the game. In the original NASL, the offside line was a new marking on the field 35 yards from goal. This was instead of the traditional midfield boundary where players could traditionally be considered offside.</p>



<p>They also did not have games end in ties. Instead, all matches tied at the end of regular time went to a shootout.</p>



<p>But not a standard spot-kick shootout. Instead, the NASL had players run up towards the keeper, similar to hockey shootouts. The keeper could come off his line, too. The shootout started from the 35-yard line, having to get off a shot before a shot clock expired. </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-full"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="314" height="445" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20231120_WST_471533_nasl.webp&amp;width=314&amp;height=445" alt="" class="wp-image-298529" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2020/03/nasl.jpg 314w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2020/03/nasl-300x425.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2020/03/nasl-150x213.jpg 150w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2020/03/nasl-200x283.jpg 200w" sizes="(max-width: 314px) 100vw, 314px"></figure></figure></div>



<p>In addition, the NASL utilized a countdown clock instead of the traditional upwards-moving time system. </p>



<p>An unusual points system was also adopted. Teams would get bonus points for goals scored each game, in addition to points for wins. Sometimes as many as six points for wins were given out.<br><br>In the 1990s, MLS initially carried over some of these rule changes, but eventually got rid of the quirks and now aligns much closer to the traditional game.</p>



<h5>A big soccer rule not followed in America</h5>



<p>While it’s not a rule about the 90-minute game itself, one big FIFA rule that has never been implemented in the USA is the use of promotion and relegation to determine which teams play in which division. Most league systems in the world utilize some variation of this mechanism. </p>



<h2>Soccer is not the same everywhere</h2>



<p>While most leagues today utilize an almost identical set of <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/beginners-guide-to-soccer-rules/">soccer rules</a>, sometimes you will see slight variations from league to league.</p>



<p>Especially in lower divisions or youth leagues, you can see adjustments to how long games are, how games are settled, and so on.</p>



<p>Some leagues allow more or less substitutes during games. Occasionally hockey-style on-the-fly and unlimited subs are allowed. The “sin-bin” or “yellow card+” is a rule that has also been trialed. For not-quite-red-card offenses, a player can be sent off for 10 minutes and then return to the game. This is similar to the rugby rule or a hockey power play.</p>



<p>Notably, American high school and college soccer still use a countdown clock that stops when the ball goes out of play. Games end with a loud horn at 0:00 like other American sports, with no added injury time.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.mlsnextpro.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MLS NEXT Pro</a>, the MLS third division reserve league, does not have ties and settles regular season games with a penalty shootout if needed. Concussion substitutes are allowed, and red card suspensions are served by the player only during the next game versus the same opponent.</p>



<p>And of course, the modern game features differences in how games are officiated. Most major leagues now include the use of VAR, the video assistant referee. There are also semi-automated offsides and goal checks. But smaller leagues that don’t have the right infrastructure (or budget) for this technology don’t use the systems.</p>


Can soccer leagues have different rules?

Do all soccer leagues use different rules? Mostly - but there are some differences you might stumble on as we explain.

Can soccer leagues have different rules? - World Soccer Talk

featured


<p>Telemundo paid tribute to Grant Wahl in a very classy way in their World Cup closing montage on Sunday.</p>



<p>The former <a href="https://www.si.com/soccer/2022/12/10/grant-wahl-fox-tribute-rob-stone-saturday-world-cup-matches" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FOX Sports</a> reporter died suddenly after suffering an <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/grant-wahl-death-caused-by-aortic-aneurysm-says-wife-20221214-WST-412310.html">aortic aneurysm</a> during the World Cup quarterfinal between Argentina and Netherlands. </p>



<p>In its tribute to writer, author and analyst Grant Wahl, Telemundo Deportes revealed a message at the end of their World Cup Final closing montage.</p>



<h2>Telemundo pays tribute to Grant Wahl in World Cup montage</h2>



<p>Lead announcer Andrés Cantor had the final say, live on Telemundo Deportes:</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-youtube"><iframe loading="lazy" title="La Copa Mundial de la FIFA Catar 2022 ha llegado a su fin | Telemundo Deportes" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YPadah2QpSg?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
</div></figure>



<p>It’s customary for broadcasters to show a World Cup Final closing montage at the end of their month-long broadcast. For instance, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/bbcs-world-cup-closing-montage-captures-greatest-moments-20221219-WST-412856.html">BBC had an incredible one</a>. Telemundo’s was just as good, too.</p>



<p>So, during Telemundo’s World Cup Final closing montage, the Spanish-language broadcaster had the following message for viewers in the United States:</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><div><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="670" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/WST_20221220_WST_413000_tribute-to-grant-wahl-telemundo-1200x670.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=670" alt="tribute to Grant Wahl" class="wp-image-413009" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/12/tribute-to-grant-wahl-telemundo-1200x670.jpeg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/12/tribute-to-grant-wahl-telemundo-300x168.jpeg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/12/tribute-to-grant-wahl-telemundo-768x429.jpeg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/12/tribute-to-grant-wahl-telemundo.jpeg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></div></figure>



<p>It read:</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p>“In memory of our colleague and friend:</p><p>Grant Wahl – R.I.P.”</p></blockquote>



<p>Wahl, who was a <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/grant-wahl-tribute-a-trailblazer-for-us-soccer-20221212-WST-412107.html">trailblazer in US soccer</a>, was 49 when he died. May he rest in peace.</p>



<h2>FOX Sports tribute to Grant Wahl</h2>



<p>Other than a 60 second tribute from FOX Sports presenter Rob Stone, FOX Sports have been very quiet about his death on television.</p>



<p>The former FOX Sports reporter had been critical of FOX’s decision to not report on off-the-field controversies at Qatar. And with Qatar being the lead sponsor for FOX’s coverage of the World Cup, it appeared that FOX Sports were reluctant to give Wahl a fitting tribute beyond what Stone shared.</p>



<p>After Grant Wahl left FOX Sports, it gave him the opportunity to be more vocal and critical in his analysis. As an independent reporter, like us at World Soccer Talk, he was able to speak his mind without interference from his previous employer such as FOX Sports.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Fitting tribute to Grant Wahl by FOX Sports. Rob Stone getting choked up, as many of us are. <a href="https://t.co/RrDSc3AP4s">https://t.co/RrDSc3AP4s</a></p>— World Soccer Talk (@worldsoccertalk) <a href="https://twitter.com/worldsoccertalk/status/1601581083870793732?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2022</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p><em>Photo credit: IMAGO / Sportimage</em></p>


Telemundo Deportes paid tribute to Grant Wahl in the closing montage at the end of the 2022 World Cup Final, live on television.

Classy Telemundo pays tribute to Grant Wahl - World Soccer Talk

Classy Telemundo pays tribute to Grant Wahl


<p>So, the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/mistakes-cost-young-us-eliminated-by-netherlands-in-world-cup-20221203-WST-411058.html">Netherlands knocked the USA out</a> of the World Cup group stage, but the party isn’t over for American soccer fans. We still have much to celebrate.&nbsp;</p>



<p>We’ve got the joy of watching the remaining superstars and rising stars battle it out on the field. And who doesn’t love the multicultural pageantry of fans, wrapped in all manner of feathers, face paint, and crowns, as they chant, drum, and cheer? Not to mention the balm of international pluralism on display around the globe, all too rare in our polarized world.&nbsp;</p>



<h2>The power of fandom</h2>



<p>But more important to soccer fans living on U.S. soil is this: In a country where American football and basketball usually reign supreme, until the last whistle blows on December 18, world soccer holds the spotlight. And you, dear soccer fan, hold the power.</p>



<p>What power, you ask? The power of fandom.</p>



<p>Five years ago, we set out on a quest to understand how sports fandom operates, the results of which appear in our new book <a href="https://fanshavemorefriends.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Fans Have More Friends</em></a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>What drives a person to wake up at 5 am on a workday to watch a game contested halfway round the world? Team loyalty? Maybe. Passion for the game? To a degree. Connection to other fans? Absolutely.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The number one driver of fandom is belonging. It is every fan’s incentive to engage.&nbsp;</p>



<h2>What the research shows</h2>



<p>According to our research, sports fandom operates as a social superconductor, allowing fans to make meaningful connections and deepen existing bonds with others. These connections reach across team loyalties and social categories such as age, race, nationality, class, religion, and gender.</p>



<p>Nowhere do we see this more clearly than among world soccer fans. Put a soccer fan in any taxicab in Sao Paulo, St Louis, or Stockholm and one mention of the name Leo Messi will spark a passionate conversation. Stop in at a sports bar with a World Cup game on, and you’ll meet a veritable United Nations of fans.</p>



<p>What does this connectedness mean for fans? For starters, fans have more friends. On average a non-fan has 21.1 friends, while dedicated sports fans average 35.6 friends. Fans also report that they “greatly value” these friendships more than non-fans do. Sports give fans more opportunities to engage with these friends, too; non-fans average 204 social interactions per month, while the most active fans average 454 interactions.&nbsp;</p>



<h2>Positive impacts of fandom</h2>



<p>All these interactions have a powerful impact on fans’ lives.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Among highly engaged sports fans, 61% strongly agree that they “feel close to people,” as opposed to 37% of non-fans. In fact, across five wellness markers —happiness, satisfaction, optimism, gratitude, and confidence — people’s overall wellness scores rise as their involvement in sports fandom increases.</p>



<p>Most fans recognize that sports knowledge is social capital waiting to be spent. Usually, in the US, a moderately interesting take on an NFL matchup will bring greater social returns at the company holiday party than your most impressive Premier League analysis.&nbsp;</p>



<p>But not during World Cup season. This, my friends, is our time to shine.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Coworkers swept up in World Cup mania? Share what you know about the upcoming match. See your neighbor wearing a Brazil jersey? Strike up a conversation and see where it goes. Friends taking a new interest in the game? Invite them to a watch party and grow your soccer tribe.</p>



<p>However you decide to activate it, your fandom is your social superpower. And that’s something to celebrate, even after your team’s World Cup dream ends.</p>



<p><em>Photo credit: IMAGO / ZUMA Wire</em></p>



<p><em><a href="https://benvalenta.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ben Valenta</a> is the co-author of <a href="https://amzn.to/3Y4oH0u" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fans Have More Friends</a> and the SVP of Strategy &amp; Analytics for FOX Sports. In his previous life as a consultant, he advised an incredible array of clients, including: Nike, the NFL, Anheuser-Busch InBev, YouTube, ESPN, National Geographic, MSNBC, NBC News, Livestrong, the New York Knicks, and the New York Rangers. He likes to surf and ride bikes and wrestle with his kids in Venice, California.</em></p>



<p><em>David Sikorjak is the founder of <a href="https://www.dexterityconsulting.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dexterity Consulting</a>, a strategy and analytics consultancy that artfully blends research, analysis, and empathy to transform how brands think. Prior to that, he was an executive at Publicis, NBC, and Madison Square Garden. A proud New Yorker, David is a husband, father, yogi, little league coach, and Yankees/Knicks/Jets fan.</em></p>


Find out how soccer fandom is a social superpower, and how that’s something to celebrate, even after your team’s World Cup dream ends.

How soccer fandom is a social superpower - World Soccer Talk

How soccer fandom is a social superpower


<p>“Soccer is the sport of the future.” We’ve been hearing this sentiment in the United States for nearly five decades now. </p>



<p>From the all-too-fleeting glory of the original North American Soccer League and the explosion of youth soccer in the 1970s, up to the present day, the sport has perpetually been perched on the edge of mainstream status in minds of US media and sports fans. But in reality, soccer has cemented itself as one of the biggest sports in the country for some time now. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><div><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="670" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/WST_20221208_WST_411372_SportofThe80s-1200x670.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=670" alt="" class="wp-image-411393" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/12/SportofThe80s-1200x670.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/12/SportofThe80s-300x168.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/12/SportofThe80s-768x429.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/12/SportofThe80s.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></div><figcaption>We’ve been told soccer “is about to arrive in America!” for quite some time.  Pennant image courtesy of the author’s personal collection.</figcaption></figure>



<p>When the status of soccer as a major sport in the US is brought up, it’s usually through the lens of the successes and failures of our domestic league(s), primarily Major League Soccer, and to a somewhat lesser extent the US men’s national team. That may make sense in a vacuum, but soccer doesn’t exist in one.</p>



<p>Unlike the “Big 4” sports – the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL – MLS is not the biggest league in the world in its sport. The aforementioned four are indisputably home to the best teams, best players, and best infrastructure on the planet in their respective sports. MLS is undoubtedly the best pro soccer league the US has ever seen, with a high level of play and attendance comparable to, and higher than in some cases, MLB, NBA and NHL teams . But it is easily outclassed on the field by numerous European and South American leagues, as well as Mexico’s Liga MX.<br><br>On the international side of things, while the US women are four-time World Cup champions and have been incredibly successful, the men on the other hand are a historically middling side. They (usually) qualify for the World Cup out of a relatively weaker confederation, but <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/will-the-usa-ever-win-a-world-cup-in-our-lifetime-20221205-WST-411248.html">rarely make significant progress in the tournament</a>.</p>



<p>The reality that our domestic soccer product is <em>not</em> the best in the world is the main contributing factor to the culture of dismissal that permeates the media and general population of sports fans. But if you look at the popularity of the <em>sport</em> overall in the US, there is no doubt soccer is here – and it resides near the top of many sports fans minds. </p>



<p>Here are six reasons why soccer is the sport of now, not the future:</p>



<h3>1. Soccer is already ahead of hockey</h3>



<p>Even by the standard metrics of attendance, viewership, and polled popularity, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/soccer-surpasses-nhl-as-4th-most-popular-sport-in-united-states-20211209-CMS-358264.html">soccer is ahead of the NHL</a> – and nearly as popular as baseball.  </p>



<p>When it comes to the sport’s accessibly and participation, soccer blows ice hockey out of the (frozen) water. Hockey requires hundreds of dollars in specialized equipment to play, and dedicated facilities to play in (even for the roller hockey variation). Soccer, on a basic level, requires nothing but a ball. </p>



<p>If you dig deeper into demographics, the average age of soccer fans skews younger compared to hockey and other traditional American sports. </p>



<h3>2. Youth movement is huge for the sport</h3>



<p>According to <a href="https://sportspath.typepad.com/files/soccer-popularity-continues-to-climb.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">research</a>, professional soccer is the 2nd most popular sport amongst those aged 12-24, behind only the NFL. </p>



<p>As these fans grow up with the game – which for over a decade now has included easy access to almost every game featuring the best players and leagues in the world on TV and via streaming – soccer will only continue to rise in popularity. </p>



<p>Kids from 6-17 years old make up about <a href="https://twitter.com/SamWalkers/status/395926973916008449" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">11% of the Premier League</a> audience on NBC, compared to 4.6% of the World Series audience. </p>



<p>The FIFA video game series has also no doubt factored into the cementing of soccer into the public consciousness. The popular game has introduced millions of people to leagues, teams and players from all over the world, often at a young age.</p>



<h3>3. Soccer features a melting pot culture</h3>



<p>The US has always been a mixture of peoples and cultures from all over the world, so it’s not surprising that the world’s most popular sport would have a foothold here. But in the 21st century it goes far beyond the local ethnic leagues and teams that sustained the game in the USA through much of the 1900s. </p>



<p>Amongst hispanics in the US, soccer is <a href="https://sportspath.typepad.com/files/soccer-popularity-continues-to-climb.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">far and away the #1 sport of choice</a>. Leagues such as LaLiga and Liga MX have dominated Spanish-language TV ratings for years. And more recently, leagues such as the Argentine Primera and Brasileirão have secured English-language streaming deals, making every match available in the US for the first time ever.</p>



<h3>4. Soccer is still growing fast</h3>



<p>Recent <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/2022/09/23/soccer-the-fastest-growing-major-sport-in-usa/">reports</a> show that soccer, while very much entrenched in the lives of many Americans for years, is still on an upward trend. </p>



<p>As of 2019, 52% more adults considered themselves soccer fans compared to just 7 years prior in 2012. In that same span, gridiron football saw a 7% decline in fans (perhaps due in part to the fact that in <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704281204575002852055561406" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">American football the ball is actually in play for only around 11 minutes</a> during a game, while soccer sees around <a href="https://theathletic.com/3715981/2022/10/23/football-time-wasting-solutions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">55 of the 90 scheduled minutes with the ball actively in play</a>).</p>



<h3>5. Soccer is a money maker</h3>



<p>Soccer is a massive business throughout the world, and the USA is a big cog in that machine. </p>



<p>In addition to our domestic professional men’s and women’s leagues and international teams, huge US media rights deals in recent years for big European leagues have earned those competitions hundreds of millions in revenue. </p>



<p>The American soccer fan looms large in the minds of many soccer executives around the world, as the USA is a key market for broadcasting, branding, and off-season tours. The global revenue for soccer was <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/2022/09/23/soccer-the-fastest-growing-major-sport-in-usa/">over $40 billion in 2019</a>, twice what the NFL took in. </p>



<h3>6. Fútbol is a really, really big deal</h3>



<p>Over half the population of the entire planet watched the World Cup in 2018, and surely the 2022 edition will pull similar numbers. </p>



<p>Amongst Hispanics in the US, having their country win the World Cup polled as the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/2022/09/23/soccer-the-fastest-growing-major-sport-in-usa/">second most important event in their lives</a>, just behind the birth of a child. And on the club side, the annual UEFA Champions League final is one of the most watched events – far outpacing the American NFL Super Bowl. The 2021 UCL final drew in <a href="https://en.as.com/nfl/super-bowl-vs-champions-league-final-which-is-the-most-watched-sporting-event-n/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">700 million viewers</a> worldwide, while the Super Bowl that year pulled 112 million. </p>



<p>While you still may not hear much about soccer on your local TV news report or sports radio talk show, there’s no doubt the sport is as important as any in the USA. Just count the jerseys the next time you visit your local mall. Count the fans packed into stadiums each summer for big name friendlies and international tournaments. Count the millions of viewers who watch the plethora of soccer that is available live almost every day of the year in this country.<br><br>The 1994 World Cup was the beginning of soccer’s revival in the United States. World Cup 2026 will surely be the definitive statement to the world that its game is as beloved on these shores, if not more, than anywhere else.</p>


Soccer is no longer the sport of the future in America, it has proven itself to be the sport of the moment, the sport of today.

ALL POSTS TAGGED "soccer"

rules

Can soccer leagues have different rules?

Grant Wahl

Classy Telemundo pays tribute to Grant Wahl

USMNT

How soccer fandom is a social superpower

Leagues: MLS

6 reasons why soccer is the sport of now, not the future