SESKStuff Everyone Should Know

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Stuff Every Soccer Player Should Know

Offside, fouls and cards, restarts, positions, heading and safety, and the World Cup.

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⏱ Timed practice exam

SESK practice exam: 50 questions, 50 minutes, pass with 40 right (80%).

Take it like the real thing: a countdown, no hints until you finish, then your score by topic, every miss explained, and a readiness score from your last 3 exams.

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  1. How wide is a full-size soccer goal, measured between the inside of the posts?
    Show the answer

    8 yards. The Laws set the inside of the posts 7.32 m (8 yards) apart. The bottom of the crossbar is 2.44 m (8 feet) off the ground.

  2. How far from the goal is the penalty mark on a full-size field?
    Show the answer

    12 yards. The penalty mark is 11 m (12 yards) from the midpoint between the goalposts. Players often call it the penalty spot.

  3. How many players can a team have on the field at once in a full soccer match?
    Show the answer

    Eleven. A match is played by two teams, each with at most eleven players on the field. One of the eleven must be the goalkeeper.

All 58 practice questions

The first 50 are free, with the answer, why it's right and the official sources. The other 8 (🔒) are for SESK members. Or play them as a game and track what you've learned.

Show all 58 questions
  1. How wide is a full-size soccer goal, measured between the inside of the posts?
  2. How far from the goal is the penalty mark on a full-size field?
  3. How many players can a team have on the field at once in a full soccer match?
  4. What is the fewest players a team can have for a soccer match to start or keep going?
  5. How long is a regular full soccer match?
  6. After the board shows the added time at the end of a half, can the referee shorten it?
  7. Is it against the rules just to stand in an offside position?
  8. Can a player be in an offside position while standing in their own half?
  9. An attacker is exactly level with the second-last defender when a team-mate passes. Offside position?
  10. A player receives the ball straight from a throw-in while behind every defender. Is that offside?
  11. When the referee calls an offside offence, how does play restart?
  12. A player carelessly trips an opponent in the middle of the field. What restart does the other team get?
  13. A player kicks a high, dangerous boot near an opponent's head but makes no contact. What is the restart?
  14. An indirect free kick is kicked straight into the opponents' goal without touching anyone. What happens?
  15. How far away must opponents stand when a free kick is taken?
  16. When is a penalty kick awarded?
  17. During a penalty kick, where must the goalkeeper be until the ball is kicked?
  18. In soccer, what does a red card mean?
  19. What happens to a player who gets a second yellow card in the same match?
  20. A player makes a reckless tackle on an opponent. What card does the referee show?
  21. A player is fouled but their team still has the ball and a good attack. What can the referee do?
  22. If the ball hits a player's hand, is that always a handball offence?
  23. A ball bounces off an attacker's hand by accident and goes straight into the goal. Does it count?
  24. What happens if a goalkeeper holds the ball in their hands for more than eight seconds?
  25. Which of these is required for a legal throw-in?
  26. Can a goal be scored directly from a throw-in?
  27. A team stalls before taking a throw-in. After the referee's five-second countdown ends, what happens?
  28. The ball goes over the goal line, missing the goal, and an attacker touched it last. What restart?
  29. A defender knocks the ball over their own goal line, not into the goal. What does the attacking team get?
  30. The ball is rolling right on the touchline, with part of it still over the line. Is it in play?
  31. When does a goal count?
  32. When can VAR help the referee?
  33. In a senior top-division official match, how many substitutes may competition rules allow a team to use before extra time?
  34. Which player may handle the ball inside their own penalty area?
  35. A teammate deliberately kicks the ball to their own goalkeeper. What may the goalkeeper NOT do?
  36. A teammate throws the ball straight to their own goalkeeper from a throw-in. Can the keeper catch it?
  37. In U.S. Soccer's position profiles, which players are asked to connect all parts of the team?
  38. Which player's main job is scoring goals, with head and feet?
  39. U.S. Soccer writes its main formation as 1-4-3-3. What does the first 1 stand for?
  40. Which piece of equipment must every soccer player wear under the Laws of the Game?
  41. What is U.S. Soccer's heading guideline for players 10 and under?
  42. For U12 to U14 players, how much heading practice does U.S. Soccer allow each week?
  43. Which of these may be a symptom of a concussion?
  44. A player shows signs of a concussion after a hit. What should happen first?
  45. Can an athlete with a suspected concussion go back in the same day?
  46. The ACL is a ligament that helps keep which joint stable?
  47. What does a good warm-up do before a soccer game?
  48. On a hot day, which can be a sign your body is overheating?
  49. What does CDC say about drinking water when you exercise in the heat?
  50. On a very hot day, when does CDC suggest holding practice?
  51. How often is the men's FIFA World Cup held? 🔒
  52. Which three countries hosted the 2026 FIFA World Cup? 🔒
  53. How many teams played in the 2026 FIFA World Cup? 🔒
  54. Which country hosted and won the very first FIFA World Cup in 1930? 🔒
  55. When was the first FIFA Women's World Cup played? 🔒
  56. Which nation won the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup? 🔒
  57. Which country will host the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup? 🔒
  58. What was U.S. Soccer called when it was founded in 1913? 🔒