Ruleside
GlossaryPlaying distance·Page 201, 2026/27 edition

Playing distance

The provision as it is printed, and everything on Ruleside that turns on it.

Distance to the ball which allows a player to touch the ball by extending the foot/leg or jumping or, for goalkeepers, jumping with arms extended. Distance depends on the physical size of the player

IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, page 201 · clause law-x-d05dd2eb

Explained in the rules library 1

The plain-language pages that build on this provision.

The Laws of the Game are published by The IFAB and quoted here for the purpose of explaining the decisions on this site. Ruleside is not affiliated with The IFAB or FIFA. Every clause of Glossary that Ruleside cites.