The Laws of the Game (1863)
November 2, 2025•693 words
Lesson plan – football with the first common rules
This lesson plan is quite simple — play football! The catch (pun intended, because this iteration of the game will have you actually catching the ball) is that you are going to play it by the original Football Association rules from 1863; The Laws of the Game, before the game had yet to fully diverge into Rugby and Association Football, respectively.
This exercise ties physical activity together with a microhistorical perspective on the effects of the Industrial Age on British society. This lesson can be a great way to build up on some of the key takeaways of the social phenomena of late 19th century UK, such as the working class lifestyle and the community building and fraternity therein, or the separation of work and free time.
The following are a few choice excerpts from the original ruleset: I've picked them out to highlight the key differences between the modern and the traditional game, but there isn't all that much to them anyway — there's only a total of 13 articles in the original Laws of the Game.
The rules that need to emphasised the most are the ability to catch the ball from the air during play, the strict offside rule and the rules that pertain to the ball going out of bounds. Oh — and there are no goals or goalies!
The Laws of the Game
The maximum length of the ground shall be 200 yards, the maximum breadth shall be 100 yards, the length and breadth shall be marked off with flags; and the goals shall be defined by two upright posts, 8 yards apart, without any tape or bar across them.
[...]
After a goal is won the losing side shall kick off and the goals shall be changed.
A goal shall be won when the ball passes between the goal posts or over the space between the goal posts (at whatever height), not being thrown, knocked on, or carried.
When the ball is in touch the first player who touches it shall throw it from the point on the boundary line where it left the ground, in a direction at right angles with the boundary line. [Emphasis added]
When a player has kicked the ball any one of the same side who is nearer to the opponent's goal line is out of play and may not touch the ball himself nor in any way whatever prevent any other player from doing so until the ball has been played; but no player is out of play when the ball is kicked from behind the goal line. [Emphasis added]
In case the ball goes behind the goal line, if a player on the side to whom the goal belongs first touches the ball, one of his side shall be entitled to a free kick from the goal line at the point opposite the place where the ball shall be touched. If a player of the opposite side first touches the ball, one of his side shall be entitled to a free kick (but at the goal only) from a point 15 yards from the goal line opposite the place where the ball is touched. The opposing side shall stand behind their goal line until he has had his kick. [Emphasis added]
If a player makes a fair catch he shall be entitled to a free kick, provided he claims it by making a mark with his heel at once; and in order to take such a kick he may go back as far as he pleases, and no player on the opposite side shall advance beyond his mark until he has kicked.
No player shall carry the ball.
[...]
A player shall not throw the ball or pass it to another.
No player shall take the ball from the ground with his hands while it is in play under any pretence whatever.