Kick-Off & Restarts

A kick-off starts each half and restarts play after a goal. It is taken from the centre mark.

The ball sits still on the centre mark until the referee signals; only then may the kicker play it.

The 9.15 m-radius centre circle ensures opponents stand at the legal distance during a kick-off.

A dropped ball restarts play after a stoppage with no offence. Since 2019 it is dropped for one player, everyone else at least 4 m away, and it is in play once it touches the ground.

The ball is in play whenever it is on the pitch and play has not been stopped by the referee or by the ball going out of play.

The ball is out of play when it fully crosses a boundary line, or when the referee has stopped play.

Restarts include kick-offs, throw-ins, goal kicks, corner kicks, free kicks, penalty kicks, and dropped balls.

The centre mark is the spot in the middle of the halfway line (C). A is a penalty mark, B a point on the halfway line near the touchline and D a corner of the goal area.

The ball is in play as soon as the kicker kicks it and it clearly moves. Since 2016, it does not have to move forward.

The referee tosses a coin. The toss-winning team chooses which goal to attack in the first half; the other takes the kick-off.

Opponents must be outside the centre circle (radius 9.15 m) until the ball is in play.

The kicker may not touch the ball a second time before another player has touched it.

Players need less room at a dropped ball than opponents at a kick-off, and the penalty mark is further from the goal line than either distance.

Each half begins with a kick-off. Additional kick-offs occur after each goal.

At the moment of a kick-off every player of both teams must be in their own half.

Opponents must be outside the centre circle until the ball is in play.

Since 2019, the ball is in play immediately when kicked. It does not have to leave the penalty area.

Exactly one player takes the kick-off. Since 2016 it can be played sideways or backwards.

Since 2025 a goalkeeper may hold the ball for up to eight seconds; the referee counts the last five with a raised hand, and holding on longer gives the opponents a corner.

Drop balls are rare — used only when play stops in unusual circumstances (ball striking the referee changing possession, etc.).

The referee tosses the coin to decide kick-off and ends.

The team that wins the toss chooses which goal to attack in the first half, and the other team kicks off.

After a goal, the conceding team takes the kick-off from the centre mark.

Every kick-off is taken from the centre mark, and only after the signal is given.

Opponents must be in their own half AND outside the 9.15 m centre circle.

All players (including the kicker's teammates) must be in their own half at the moment of the kick-off.

If play is stopped without an offence, it restarts with a dropped ball at the spot where the ball was when play stopped.

When play stops with the ball inside a team's penalty area, the dropped ball goes to that team's goalkeeper.

The team taking the kick-off places the ball on the centre mark.

The referee signals — usually with a whistle — when the kick-off may be taken.

Since 2016, a goal can be scored directly from a kick-off against the opposing team. An own goal cannot be scored directly.

Since 2016, the ball at a kick-off can be played in any direction. The old 'must move forward' rule was removed.

Like with all restarts, the player taking the kick-off may not play the ball again until another player has touched it.

An own goal cannot be scored directly from a kick-off. If the ball goes directly into the kicker's own goal, a corner kick is awarded to the opponents.

Opponents must be outside the centre circle until the kick-off ball is in play.

All players must be in their own half at the moment of the kick-off. After the ball is in play, free movement resumes.

A dropped ball has to touch at least two players before a goal can count. If it goes straight into the opponents' goal, play restarts with a goal kick.

The referee's decisions are final; arguing with them is dissent and can be punished with a caution.

The kicker's teammates only need to be in their own half, so they may stand inside the circle.

Any player from the kicking team may take the kick-off — though in practice an outfielder usually does.

The player taking any restart may not touch the ball again until another player has; doing so gives the opponents an indirect free kick.

If any player from either team is in the opposing half at the moment the ball is kicked, the kick-off must be retaken.

If an opponent enters the centre circle before the ball is in play, the kick-off is retaken (without a card unless persistent).

If the ball is not at the centre mark, the kick-off is retaken once the ball is properly placed.

Unauthorised entry of an extra player may lead to a caution and the kick-off being retaken.

The dropped ball goes to the goalkeeper when play stopped inside the penalty area. Once it is in play, the keeper may handle it there as usual.

Own goals cannot be scored directly from a kick-off. The opposing team is awarded a corner kick instead.

Since 2019, if the ball touches a match official and the possession changes, play is stopped and restarted with a dropped ball.

Unauthorised entry of a substitute is a caution and the player is removed from the pitch. The kick-off is then retaken.

Deliberately delaying the restart is unsporting behaviour and a yellow card offence.

Before 2016, the ball had to move forward into the opponent's half. Since 2016/17 the ball can move in any direction.

Direct goals from kick-offs have been allowed for over a century. The 2016 change related to the direction the ball must travel.

Before 2019 a drop ball was dropped between two opponents, who were not allowed to play it until it touched the ground.

Goal-line technology came first, then kick-offs in any direction, then uncontested dropped balls, and most recently the eight-second corner rule.

The centre circle keeps the opponents of the kicking team at least 9.15 m (10 yards) from the ball at a kick-off.

The coin toss has been part of football since the early days of the codified game in the 19th century.

The requirement that the ball be kicked AND move has been a Law 8 principle for over a century.

Direct goals from goal kicks have been allowed in modern Laws. Specific clarifications came in the 20th century reforms.

The 'no second touch before another player' rule applies to nearly all restarts and has been a Law principle from the early days of football.

The 10-yard rule for opponent distance has been a long-standing Law, dating from the late 19th century along with the centre circle.

Play has not started until the ball is kicked, so the ball is simply placed back on the centre mark.

The referee signals when the kick-off may be taken — usually with a whistle.

The ball must be kicked AND clearly move. If it doesn't clearly move, the kick is retaken.

If the referee realises the wrong team received the dropped ball, they can stop and re-drop before play resumes.

The 'must leave the centre circle' was never a rule. The ball just needs to be kicked and clearly move.

The referee does not start play while an injured player lies on the pitch; the kick-off waits until play can resume properly.

Law 12 offences before the kick-off are addressed (caution, etc.), but the kick-off still proceeds.

Goals can be scored at any time after the kick-off, including immediately. Many famous matches have begun with goals in the first 30 seconds.

If a player is being treated outside the pitch and not affecting play, the kick-off may proceed.

Since 2019 a goal cannot come straight off a match official: play restarts with a dropped ball.

Kick-offs occur at specific moments (start of halves and after goals). Free kicks are awarded for offences elsewhere on the pitch.

Kick-offs occur at specific moments. Goal kicks are awarded when the ball crosses the goal line off an attacker.

Drop balls give the ball directly to one player at the spot; kick-offs are taken at the centre mark by the team.

The procedure is identical. The only difference: the team taking it (toss winner vs conceding team).

Penalties are formal one-on-one shots at goal. Kick-offs are team restarts from the centre mark.

Football kick-off is a possession given to one team. Basketball's tip-off is contested by jumping players.

Until 2019 two opponents contested a drop ball; since then it is dropped for a single player.

Different restarts use different locations. Kick-offs are central; corners are at the corner arcs.

A throw-in is the one restart taken with the hands: both hands, from behind and over the head, with both feet on or behind the touchline.

Opponents must stay 2 m from the point of a throw-in, other players 4 m from a dropped ball, and opponents 9.15 m from the ball at a kick-off.

The team that conceded the goal restarts play with a kick-off from the centre mark.

Since 2016, a goal can be scored directly from a kick-off against the opposing team.

Since 2016, the ball at a kick-off can move in any direction.

Any player in the wrong half at kick-off forces a retake.

Encroachment into the centre circle by an opponent before the ball is in play forces a retake.

A dropped ball must touch at least two players before a goal can count. If it goes straight into the player's own goal, the opponents get a corner kick.

With no offence and no clear restart, play resumes with a dropped ball for the team that last touched the ball, at the spot where it was.

If play stops while the ball is in a team's penalty area, the dropped ball is given to that team's goalkeeper.

Backwards passing is allowed at kick-off. As long as the ball touches another player before the kicker plays it again, the play is legal.

Once the ball is in play, an offence is punished in the normal way: a free kick from where it happened.

Kick-offs are always taken from the centre mark.

The conceding team takes the kick-off after a goal.

Since 2016, direct goals from kick-offs are valid against the opposing team.

9.15 m is the legal distance, enforced by the centre circle.

Since 2019 the dropped ball is uncontested and given to one player at the spot.

The player taking a restart may not touch the ball a second time until another player has touched it.

All 22 players must be in their own respective half at the moment of the kick-off.

The toss-winning team picks ends; the other team takes the kick-off.

Until 2016 the kick-off had to go forward into the opponents' half; since the 2016/17 Laws it may go in any direction.

A goal cannot be scored directly into your own goal from a kick-off; the opponents get a corner kick.