Playing Soccer With a Nose Piercing (Rules + Safety)

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I’ve played with and against many soccer players with a wide range of tattoos and piercings, including nose piercings.

However, if you’re a soccer player considering a new nose piercing you may wonder if you can play soccer with a nose piercing. 

You cannot play official soccer games with a nose piercing in. But, that’s not the whole story. You can still manage a nose piercing if you play soccer, but it may not be worth it. 

Why can’t you wear a nose piercing during soccer? How can soccer players manage nose piercings? We’ll tell you what you need to know. 

Nose Piercing

Can You Have a Nose Piercing While Playing Soccer?

If you are playing an official soccer game, you cannot wear a nose piercing. According to FIFA’s Laws of the Game, Law 4-The Player’s Equipment, “all items of jewelry are forbidden and must be removed.” 

The referee will inspect players before the match and prior to substitution to ensure nobody is wearing jewelry. No jewelry is allowed, which includes nose rings, studs, etc. 

If the referee notices you wearing a nose piercing before the game, they may ask you to remove it.

You will not be allowed to play if you refuse to remove it. If the referee does not notice the jewelry until during the match, he can still ask you to remove it and can caution you with a card. 

The above information applies to official games. Many coaches follow the same rules for training, but some may not.

See also  Soccer Red Card Rules (Official With Examples)

Therefore, you may wear jewelry during training, scrimmages, or pick-up games, but that does not mean you should. 

Should You Wear a Nose Piercing During Soccer?

Even if you can wear a nose piercing during soccer practice or unofficial games, you should not. Many players/parents try to cover the piercing with tape. While some referees may allow this, it is against FIFA’s rules. 

Here are the top reasons why you should not wear a nose piercing, or any jewelry while playing soccer:

Personal Safety 

Wearing a piercing poses a huge danger to you as a player, especially one on your face. If something (a ball, arm, foot, etc) hits you in the face, it could push or pull the piercing, potentially ripping it out. Furthermore, the piercing could easily catch on to something. 

Other Players’ Safety 

Another concern is the safety of other players. Your piercing could not only poke or hurt you, it could also hurt other players.

It could scratch, stab, or otherwise injury another player. 

Healing Time

For many soccer players, it’s hard to find the time to give a new piercing a chance to heal before playing again.

Yet, removing and changing piercings too early is painful and may lead to infection. 

Not Worth the Risk 

Ultimately, wearing a nose piercing while playing soccer is not worth the risk. It’s fairly easy to take out. 

Can You Have Nose Piercing in Soccer?

While you can not wear a nose piercing while playing soccer, that does not mean you can not have one. Soccer players at all levels have nose piercings.

The key is that you can not wear it while playing soccer. How can you have a nose piercing as a soccer player?

Here are a few tips:

  • Get your nose pierced with plenty of time to heal. 
  • Bring extra piercings with you so that you aren’t at risk of losing your only one. 
  • Bring a piercing case to store your piercings when not in use. 
  • Use an easy-to-remove piercing. 
  • Follow the necessary steps to care for your piercing and ensure it stays in good shape. 
See also  Soccer Rules for Kids (Parents + Players Guide)

When Should A Soccer Player Get Their Nose Pierced?

The reality is that it can be pretty difficult to manage a new piercing as a soccer player. However, this does not mean that it’s impossible! You can certainly get your nose pierced as a soccer player if you want to. 

The average healing time for a nostril nose piercing is 2 to 4 months and it’s 3 to 4 months for a pierced septum.  

Based on the average healing time, you should only consider a piercing if it has enough time to heal before your soccer season begins.

For many players, the most time off will be at the conclusion of the current season. 

However, for most high-level soccer players it’s a year-round sport. Even back in high school, I would not have had 4 months to dedicate to healing a piercing. 

In reality, you’ll need to evaluate your schedule to determine if you have time to dedicate to a piercing.

Make sure you fully understand the responsibility of caring for a piercing, including removing it for soccer, before considering one. 

Conclusion

Can you play soccer with a nose piercing? While some referees may let you get away with playing with a nose piercing or retainer, the answer is no.

According to the laws of the game, you cannot play with any jewelry. 

Still, soccer players can have their noses pierced. It is certainly a big commitment to get a nose piercing as a soccer player as you will have to remove it so often.

Furthermore, it can be hard to find the time to allow a piercing to fully heal. 

Soccer Analyst and Publisher at Soccer Blade | Soccer Blade | + posts

Joel is a seasoned soccer journalist and analyst with many years of experience in the field. Joel specializes in game analysis, player profiles, transfer news, and has a keen eye for the tactical nuances of the game. He played at various levels in the game and coached teams - he is happy to share his insight with you.

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Soccer Rules FAQ

How long is a soccer game?

Soccer games include two 45 minute halves, which is 90 minutes of play. Those who have ever watched a game know that, like many sports, real-time is longer than the match time.
In real-time, the length of a soccer game varies immensely. At the bare minimum, it will be 90 minutes of play + 15 minutes of halftime for a total of 105 minutes.

What is offside in soccer?

The offside rule in soccer is to stop player ‘goal hanging’ – standing near the opposition goal. This also stops soccer from being a long ball game, balls hit from one goal to another.

What are yellow card offenses?

+ Charging an opponent – caution if reckless.
+ Holding an opponent – When the ball is in play and the holding continues.
+ Handling the Ball – When a player handles the ball to break up attacking play. If an attacker + uses their hand to attempt to score a goal.
+ Dangerous play – If a player makes an action that can risk an injury to another player.
+ Impeding the progress of an opponent – If a player holds another player back or blocks a player on purpose, that prevents an attack.
+ Breaking up an attack - where there is the possibility of creating a scoring chance.
+ Simulation - where a player tries to con a referee into thinking that they are injured in order to punish the opponent. If a player tries to make out that they have been fouled.

What are the red card offenses?

+ Serious foul play
+ Violent conduct
+ Spitting at a person
+ Deliberate handball – denying a goal-scoring opportunity
+ Denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity
+ Offensive, aggressive, abusive language or gesture
+ Receiving a second caution

Soccer field size, size of goal, number of players and minutes played per age;

+ u17-u19 - Halves 2 x 45 minutes - Number of players 11 vs 11 - Goal Size 8 x 24 - Field size 50-100 by 100-130 yards
+ u15-u16 - Halves 2 x 40 minutes - Number of players 11 vs 11 - Goal Size 8 x 24 - Field size 50- 100 by 100-130 yards
+ u13-u14 - Halves 2 x 35 minutes - Number of players 11 vs 11 - Goal Size 8 x 24 - Field size 50-10 by 100-130 yards
+ u11-u12 - Halves 2 x 30 minutes - Number of players 9 vs 9 - Goal Size 7 x 21 - Field size 45-70 by 70-80 yards
+ u9-u10 - Halves 2 x 25 minutes - Number of players 7 vs 7 - Goal Size 6 x 18.5 - Field size 35-45 by 55-65 yards
+ u6-u8 - Quarters 4 x 10 minutes - Number of players 4 vs 4 - 4 x 6 Goal Size - Field size 15-25 by 25-35 yards


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