Often before and sometimes during the soccer season, teams will meet and play a friendly match.
But what does a friendly match in soccer mean? Is it competitive? Are the rules the same? Let’s find out now.
Friendly matches explained
A friendly match in soccer is a meeting between two teams that has been arranged outside of league or cup competitions. Friendlies are usually arranged to help players with their fitness and are essentially practice matches, as the result doesn’t count towards anything. However, most of the same rules apply with some minor tweaks, as we explain in detail below.
When do friendly matches usually take place?
The vast majority of friendly matches take place before the season starts, in a period that is commonly known in soccer as pre-season. This is when players are working on their fitness and getting back up to full speed.
Teams also arrange friendly matches during the season – often played ‘behind closed doors’ (with no spectators in attendance). This is usually the case if the teams don’t have a match in a competition and want to give their players a run-out.
Why are friendly matches in soccer necessary?
The primary reason that friendly matches in soccer are necessary is that they enable players to get up to match speed before competitive matches get underway. When hosted before the season starts, friendly matches are a great way of increasing the intensity and adding to the training sessions, helping a team prep for the season.
Other reasons that friendly matches are necessary include:
- To fill gaps in the schedule – If your team doesn’t have a match scheduled for a particular week, it’s helpful to arrange a friendly match against an opponent to keep your players match fit.
- To help players recover from injury – In the professional game, some soccer teams arrange friendly matches when one or several of their players are returning from long-term injury. It helps them get up to speed without the risks associated with competitive matches.
- For commercial reasons – Again, in pro soccer, friendly matches are often arranged between teams for commercial reasons. For example, EPL club Arsenal hosts an annual pre-season tournament known as the Emirates Cup, which is a commercial endeavor with their shirt sponsors.
Ultimately, there are lots of reasons why arranging friendly matches in soccer is a good idea, which is worth noting as you consider your team’s schedule.
Are friendly matches still competitive?
The term ‘friendly’ is a bit of a misnomer in soccer because friendly matches are still competitive. Both sets of players typically want to win, and the game is usually played at a reasonable tempo.
However, friendly matches are much less competitive than fixtures played throughout the season in league and cup competitions. Still, it’s not a good idea to go into a friendly just thinking that the outcome doesn’t matter.
The objective of the friendly will be to get minutes in your legs and to try and get up to scratch. The best way to do this is to treat it like a normal game and play to the best of your ability.
Are the rules the same in a friendly match?
In most instances, the rules stay the same in friendly marches in soccer, but there are some exceptions. For instance, some matches might be shortened, and instead of playing 90 minutes, the teams might agree to play for ninety minutes.
Equally, the number of substitutions a team can make in a friendly is usually unlimited. So, while you are usually restricted to three or five (depending on the local rules) in competitive soccer, you can make as many changes to your team in a friendly as you like.
This is helpful for getting as many different players on the pitch as possible and ensuring that you can rotate your squad as much as you can.
Do you get any points for winning a friendly match?
Typically, friendly matches are one-off events, and point scoring is unnecessary. It’s for this reason that the outcome of the game isn’t as important as the game itself, which is certainly not the case in competitive soccer!
However, in friendly tournaments – such as the pre-season Emirates Cup – points may be awarded if a league table is in play. If this is the case, then the team that wins will receive three points, and if two teams tie, they will receive a point each.
Do yellow and red cards count in friendly matches?
Although friendly matches are usually less competitive than matches during the season, you would be surprised at how many times bad challenges are made, or players lose their cool. As such, yellow and red cards still count in friendlies, and the referee is at liberty to issue them if required.
While you might find that a referee is a little more lenient than usual when it comes to the issuance of cards, they are well within their rights to issue you with a yellow or red card if you do something that merits such a punishment.
For example, in January 2022, EPL side Newcastle United were playing a mid-season friendly in Saudia Arabia, when their central defender Ciaran Clark was sent off for punching an opponent! While this is certainly the exception rather than the norm, it’s important to consider the fact that such instances occur, even during ‘friendly’ soccer matches.
How do pro soccer teams arrange friendly matches?
Officials within pro soccer teams arrange friendly matches by contacting other clubs and enquiring about their availability. Some clubs have agreements with others and will often play against each other at the same time every year.
Others will have commercial relationships that mean they’re required to arrange friendly matches as a result of sponsorship or endorsements. Ultimately, there are lots of ways in which pro soccer teams arrange friendly matches.
Recap: Friendly matches in soccer
Friendly matches in soccer are an excellent way for players to get up to speed and for teams to become more familiar with their tactics.
Most commonly played before the season starts but sometimes arranged during the season, friendly matches are an important part of soccer and have been a part of the game for generations.