What are the rules in GAA Football and how does the scoring work?

KERRY face Mayo in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship this weekend, so there is no better time to familiarise yourself with the rules ahead of the huge game at Croke Park. The Kingdom are looking to win back-to-back titles this year after their dominant win over Donegal in 2025. Kerry won the Sam Maguire Cup last year against Donegal Credit: Sportsfile Mayo have reached the All-Ireland final for the first time since 2021 Credit: Sportsfile Mayo are aiming to win their first All-Ireland crown since 1951 – they have lost four previous meetings in the big game against Kerry. But before we get to the huge clash in Dublin, make sure you are up to speed on all of the rules. Sign up for the Sport newsletter Thank you! What are the rules in All-Ireland football and how does the scoring work? Gaelic football is played on a pitch that is bigger than an English football (or soccer) pitch. 15 players are on either side, which usually consists of one goalkeeper, two corner backs, a full back, two wing backs, a centre bacl, two midfielders, two wing forwards, a centre forward, two corner forwards and a full forward. READ MORE IN GAA FOOTBALL It also uses a round ball that is slightly smaller than that in English football. The goals are a cross between football nets and rugby posts – a goalkeeper guards the football net at the bottom, while there are rugby posts that players can score into are above it. GAA Football’s goals are a cross between football nets and rugby posts Credit: Sportsfile Tipperary’s Jimmy Feehan performing a ‘solo’ Credit: Sportsfile Rules Players who are in possession of the ball can carry it in their hand for four steps at a time before they have to either bounce the ball or ‘solo’ it. Most read in Sport A ‘solo’ is where they drop the ball onto their foot and kick it back to themselves – you cannot bounce the ball twice in a row. You can pass the ball to your teammates by either kicking it or by throwing it. The opposition can tackle you and contest for the ball with their hand or by shoulder-barging you. If the ball is knocked out of play by the defending team behind their own goal, then a ’45’ is awarded. This is similar to a corner kick in English football – the ball is placed 45 yards from the goal and the attacking team can either play the ball into play or attempt to kick it through the posts. Fouls committed by teams are treated in a similar style to English football too, with free kicks awarded from where the foul occurred. Penalties work in the same way with fouls that are committed inside the rectangle close to the goal. Scoring To score, players can kick or hit the ball over the crossbar through the posts for one point. Alternatively, you can go under the crossbar into the net which is worth three points. One point is signalled by the officials raising a white flag, while a goal is indicated by a green flag. Officiating For each game, there are a group of seven officials on the pitch. One is the main referee, who is in charge of the players and the game. There are two linesmen – their job is to indicate when the ball leaves the pitch and to mark ’45’ free kicks. On top of that, there are four umpires who signal scores, assist the referee and help the linesmen in positioning the free kicks. Comment now