Rules & officiating
Encroachment
An infringement in which a player enters a restricted area or crosses a required line before play is legally allowed to begin.
Rules & officiating
Definition
Encroachment occurs when a player fails to respect the minimum distance or boundary the rules require until play restarts — for instance, standing too close to a free kick, or moving into a restricted zone before the ball is in play. The offence is about acting too soon or too close and interfering with a fair restart.
The term is most formal in American football, where a defender who enters the neutral zone and makes contact before the snap is penalised for encroachment. In football (soccer), opponents must retreat a set distance from free kicks, corners, and penalties, and moving inside that distance too early can force a retake; entering the penalty area before a penalty kick is likewise policed as encroachment.
Meaning by sport
This term is used differently across sports:
- American football
- A defender entering the neutral zone and making contact with an opponent before the snap.
- Football
- Entering the required distance or the penalty area too soon at a restart, which can force a retake.
Where you’ll hear “encroachment”
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Positions
- GoalkeeperThe goalkeeper is the last line of defence in football and the only player allowed to handle the ball inside their own penalty area.
- PivotThe pivot is a handball attacker who plays close to the opposition defence, setting screens and looking for chances near the goal area.
- Shooting guardThe shooting guard is a perimeter player whose main role is to score, especially from mid-range and beyond the three-point line.
- Centre (netball)The centre is netball’s link between attack and defence, the only player allowed in every third except the two goal circles, and the player who takes the centre pass.
- Defensive midfielderA defensive midfielder sits in front of the defence, breaking up opposition attacks and shielding the back line.
Rules
- Penalty kick awardA one-on-one kick against the goalkeeper awarded when a defending player commits a direct-free-kick foul inside their own penalty area.
- Out of boundsThe rule that a ball or player leaving the marked playing area is out of play and possession is decided at the boundary.
- Direct and indirect free kicksThe two types of free kick awarded in football to restart play after a foul or other stoppage.
- Throw-inThe method of restarting football when the ball fully crosses a side line, taken by throwing it back into play.
- Personal fouls and free throwsThe basketball rules covering illegal contact and the uncontested shots awarded when a player is fouled.
Tactics
- Zone defenceA defensive system where each player guards an area of the court rather than a specific opponent.
- Set-piece playRehearsed routines from a dead-ball situation such as a corner, free kick or throw-in used to create chances.
- Offside trapA defensive football tactic where the back line steps up together to leave an attacker offside.
- Pacing strategyPlanning how to distribute effort across a race so energy lasts the full distance without fading.
- Counter-attackWinning the ball and moving forward at speed to attack before the opponent can reorganise their defence.
Officiating
- Out-of-Bounds CallAn official's ruling that the ball or a player in possession has left the legal playing area, stopping play and handing a restart or possession to the opponent.
- Foul callA foul call is an official's ruling that a player broke a rule of contact or conduct, triggering a penalty such as a free kick, free throw or penalty.
- Line JudgeA boundary-line official who calls whether the ball or player is in or out and flags foot faults, working under the head referee across many sports.
Player roles
- Set-Piece SpecialistA player a team relies on to take or defend dead-ball restarts — free-kicks, corners, penalties, and serves — with practiced accuracy and composure.
- AnchorThe anchor is a cross-sport holding role: a steadying, defensive-minded player who shields the back line, screens danger and gives teammates a reliable base.
- SweeperA covering defender who plays behind the main defensive line, free of a fixed marking job, to read danger and clean up attacks that slip past teammates.
- CaptainThe captain is a team's on-field leader who communicates, makes in-game decisions and sets standards — a role any player can hold, not a fixed position.
- Pace-SetterThe player who sets and controls the tempo of play or the rhythm of an endurance effort, dictating how fast the game or race unfolds.
Facilities
- Badminton courtA rectangular indoor court, divided by a high net, on which badminton is played as singles or doubles.
- Football pitchThe large rectangular grass or artificial-turf field on which football (soccer) is played, with a goal at each end.
- Basketball courtA rectangular hard-surfaced court with a raised hoop and backboard at each end where basketball is played.
- Volleyball courtA rectangular court split by a high net over which two teams rally the ball, played indoors or on sand.
- Sports hallA large indoor hall with multi-sport line markings, used for court sports like basketball, volleyball and badminton.