Common direct-free-kick fouls
Kicking, tripping, jumping at, charging, striking, pushing, tackling, or challenging an opponent can be fouls when done carelessly, recklessly, or with excessive force.
Fouls
Soccer Fouls Explained
A beginner guide to careless, reckless, and excessive-force fouls in soccer.
Contact matters
If an offence involves contact, it is punished by a direct free kick or penalty kick, depending on where it happens.
Visual path
Referee foul scale
Careless
Foul
Reckless
Yellow card
Excessive force
Based on FIFA tournament information for World Cup pages and the IFAB Laws of the Game for rules pages. Football Buddy keeps explanations short for casual fans.
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FAQ
Common beginner questions
Does every foul get a yellow card?
No. Careless fouls do not require a card, reckless fouls require a caution, and excessive force requires a sending-off.
What if a foul happens in the penalty area?
A direct-free-kick offence by the defending team inside its own penalty area usually results in a penalty kick.