Equipment guide
Football equipment explained
Football equipment guide covering boots, match balls, kit, shin guards, goalkeeper gear, training equipment, pitch items and match official equipment.
Equipment
Football equipment
Football is a simple game in equipment terms, but the details matter — from the studs on a pair of boots to the markings on a match ball. These pages explain what is used, how it is regulated, and what changes between different formats of the game.
What you will find in this section
This section explains the main pieces of equipment used in football, how they are regulated, and what each piece does in the game.
Football equipment covers the boots, ball, kit and protective gear used by players, the equipment used by match officials, the training gear teams bring to every session, and the goals, nets, flags and markings around the pitch itself. Each of those areas is governed by the Laws of the Game and by additional rules set by individual competitions.
The pages here start with the items a player wears and move outwards to the equipment around them — the ball they play with, the officials who control the match, the gear used in training, and the fixed equipment of the pitch and the goals.
Start with the core topics
These are the main pages to read first if you want a solid foundation in football equipment.
Main areas of football equipment
Equipment splits naturally into the items a player wears, the things that make the match work, and the fixed equipment of the pitch.
Football boots
Stud configurations, upper materials, and choosing boots for firm ground, soft ground, artificial grass and indoor surfaces.
Match balls
Ball sizes, FIFA Quality Programme marks, panel construction, and how match balls differ from training balls.
Football kit and shirts
Home, away and third kits, kit colour and clash rules, numbering and naming, captain's armbands, and the basics of fabric and fit.
Shin guards
The only compulsory item of protective player equipment under the Laws, with rules on coverage, sizing, materials and styles.
Goalkeeper equipment
Goalkeeper gloves, glove cuts and palm types, the goalkeeper kit, and the padded clothing worn by the only player who can use their hands.
Match official equipment
The referee's whistle, watch, cards and vanishing spray, the assistant referees' flags, and the technology used by the officials.
Training and performance equipment
Bibs, cones, mannequins and the tracking vests used in training and matches at higher levels.
Pitch and goal equipment
Pitch dimensions and markings, goal sizes across formats, corner flags, the technical area and pitch surfaces.
Where to go next
Once you understand the equipment basics, the next step is usually to read the relevant rules or look up specific terms.