PenaltykickPenaltykick

A penalty kick is awarded to the other team when a player commits a direct-free-kick offence (usually a foul or handball) inside their own penalty area. A goal can be scored directly from a penalty kick.

All players, except for the goalkeeper and the kicker, must be outside the penalty area and the semicircle (penalty arc), which is 9.15 m/10 yds from the penalty spot. They cannot go inside the penalty arc or penalty area until the ball is in play (i.e. the ball is kicked and clearly moves).

The kicker must be clearly identified so that the referee and the goalkeeper know who is taking the kick.

The ball:

• must be touching or overhanging the centre of the penalty spot
• must be stationary (not moving) until the kick is taken

The goalkeeper:

• must face the ball
• must be on the goal line and between the goalposts
• can move along the goal line and/or jump up and down, as long as at least part of each foot is on or above the line until the ball is kicked
• must not behave in a way that unfairly distracts the kicker, e.g. delay the taking of the kick or touch the goalposts, crossbar or goal net
• must have at least part of one foot touching, in line with, or behind the goal line when the ball is kicked

The kicker:

• can stop and start during their run-up to the ball
• must not stop or feint (pretend to kick the ball) at the end of their run-up – they must kick the ball immediately
• must kick the ball forwards (but can backheel it towards the goal)
• cannot touch the ball again until another player has touched it

The referee:

• makes sure that the ball is in the correct position
• makes sure that all the players are in the correct position
• blows the whistle for the kick to be taken
• watches the kicker and the goalkeeper (the assistant referee will usually also watch the goalkeeper and check whether the ball crosses the goal line)

If there are no offences*:

• When the ball is held by the goalkeeper, play continues
• When the ball rebounds off the goalkeeper, a goalpost, the crossbar or a corner flagpost, the ball can be played by any player except the kicker, who cannot touch the ball again until after it has touched another player
• When the ball goes out of play, play is restarted with a goal kick or corner kick (depending on who last touched it)

*See “what happens if…” section (below) for the referee’s decision if an offence is committed.

If the half is extended to allow a penalty kick to be taken, the half ends after the kick has been taken and when the referee stops play:

• because of an offence committed by the attacking team
• when the ball:

• goes into the goal
• stops moving (including being held by the goalkeeper)
• rebounds off the goalkeeper, a goalpost, the crossbar or a corner flagpost and has no chance of going into the goal
• goes out of play
• is touched after the kick by any player (except the defending goalkeeper)
  
  

For more detailed information on this topic in the Laws of the Game, click here.