Free Kicks

A free kick is a restart awarded to a team after an opponent's offence. It can be direct or indirect depending on the offence.

From a direct free kick, a goal can be scored directly. Most contact fouls and handball result in direct free kicks.

An indirect free kick must touch another player before a goal can count. The referee signals it by raising one arm above the head.

A 'wall' is a line of defending players positioned between the kicker and the goal to block a direct shot at a free kick.

A 'ceremonial' free kick follows this formal sequence: the referee stops play, classifies and signals the offence, sets the wall at 9.15 m, then allows the kick to be taken.

A 'quick' free kick is taken before the referee begins the ceremonial procedure. Once that procedure has started, the kick can no longer be taken quickly.

The arm-raised signal is held until the ball touches another player, leaves the field, or it is clear no goal can be scored directly.

Encroachment is being closer than the required 9.15 m (or 1m from a wall of 3+) to the ball before it is in play. May lead to retake or caution if cynical.

After taking a free kick, the kicker may not touch the ball again before another player has played it. Doing so results in an indirect free kick to the opponents.

Feinting during the run-up is part of football. However, feinting AT THE MOMENT of kicking the ball (after run-up complete) is not allowed — it is a yellow card.

Opponents must stand at least 9.15 m (10 yards) from the ball at a free kick, the same distance shown in the diagram between the ball and the wall.

Since the 2019 rule change, three or more defenders forming a barrier counts as a 'wall' — and attackers must stay 1 m away from it.

Attackers must stay at least 1 m from a wall of 3+ defenders until the ball is in play. Closer = indirect free kick to defending team.

A defending team free kick inside their goal area can be taken from anywhere within the goal area (similar to goal kick).

Attacking team indirect free kicks inside the opposing goal area must be taken from the goal-area line nearest where the offence occurred.

The ball is in play once it is kicked and clearly moves. There is no specific distance requirement.

Since 2019, a defending team's free kick inside its own penalty area no longer needs to leave the area before a teammate can play it — the ball is in play the moment it is kicked and clearly moves.

There's no maximum on wall size. The 1m attacker-clearance rule applies when there are 3 or more defenders in a wall.

Since the 2019 Laws update, once a wall has 3 or more defenders, attacking players must additionally stay at least 1 m from it, on top of the usual 9.15 m opponents' distance.

There's no formal time limit, but a referee can caution for time-wasting if a player takes excessively long to take a free kick.

Direct vs indirect is determined by the type of offence committed (per Law 12) and is signalled by the referee.

The kicker places the ball at the proper spot. The ball must be stationary before the kick.

The referee (or an assistant) is the one who paces off and enforces the 9.15 m distance for the wall, after signalling the type of free kick.

Any player from the kicking team may take the free kick — including the goalkeeper if they wish to come up the field.

If the referee has started ceremonial procedure (walking off the wall), a quick free kick is no longer permitted.

Defenders form the wall, but it is the referee who enforces the 9.15 m distance shown in the diagram between the wall and the ball.

The referee's raised arm tells everyone the kick is indirect — held until the ball is touched, leaves play, or it's clear no goal can be scored directly.

Any opposing player who fails to retreat the required distance is encroaching and can be cautioned by the referee, though the kicker may also take advantage and play on immediately.

Free kicks themselves are not reviewable — but events around them (goal, penalty award, red card) fall in VAR's four categories.

The kicker cannot touch the ball again until another player has touched it. Doing so is an indirect free kick to opponents.

Quick free kicks are encouraged. They become forbidden only after the referee starts walking off the wall.

From an indirect free kick, a goal can only count if the ball touches another player before crossing the goal line.

Standing inside or too close to a wall of 3+ defenders is an infringement that costs the attacking team an indirect free kick.

There is no restriction on which player takes a free kick — the goalkeeper is as eligible as any outfield player.

Since 2019, defending free kicks (like goal kicks) can be played to teammates inside the penalty area. Old rule required ball to leave the area first.

Feinting in the run-up is allowed at free kicks. It's only at the moment of kicking the ball that feinting is restricted (penalty kick rule).

The ball must be stationary at the point of the kick. A moving ball means the kick is retaken.

The kicker cannot touch the ball a second time until another player has played it — only after that may they touch it again.

Failing to respect the required distance — especially cynically — can result in a yellow card under Law 12.

The referee can retake the kick if encroachment had a meaningful impact — particularly if both teams encroached.

Since 2019, the ball is in play as soon as kicked and clearly moves. Attackers may legally challenge once it is in play.

An own goal cannot be scored directly from a free kick — it is instead awarded as a corner kick to the opposing team.

A goal cannot be scored directly from an indirect free kick — if the ball goes straight in, the goal is disallowed and a goal kick follows.

Since 2019, an attacker may not stand closer than 1 m to a wall of 3 or more defenders — doing so gives an indirect free kick to the defending team.

The kicker can choose to take the kick (advantage) or ask for a retake. The referee may caution the encroacher, especially if cynical.

Double touch = indirect free kick to opponents from where the second touch occurred.

Handling after taking the kick (before another player) is a handball offence — direct free kick (or penalty if inside the area).

Once ceremonial procedure has started, a quick free kick is not allowed. Taking it anyway results in a retake, possibly with a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.

Jumping is allowed (the wall stays at proper distance). Encroaching forward is the offence — that triggers retake/yellow card.

If the kick is taken from the wrong location, the referee orders a retake from the correct spot.

Free kicks (1873), the indirect category (1903), the 9.15 m distance (1913) and the 1 m wall-clearance rule (2019) were introduced in that order.

The distinction between direct and indirect free kicks was formalised in 1903 by IFAB.

The 10-yard rule was added in 1913, requiring opponents to retreat that distance at free kicks.

In 2019, IFAB removed the rule that the ball must leave the penalty area at goal kicks and defending free kicks inside the area.

The 1m attacker-clearance rule for walls of 3+ defenders was added in 2019.

The raised-arm signal for an indirect free kick, introduced alongside the category itself, must be held until the ball touches another player, leaves play, or a direct goal is no longer possible.

The 1863 FA rules did not have free kicks for fouls. They were added a decade later (1873).

Since indirect free kicks were established, the ball going directly into the kicker's own goal has always resulted in a corner kick to the opposing team, never an own goal.

The double-touch rule has applied across the Laws of the Game for over a century — it predates IFAB's modern formal codification.

Wall behaviour — jumping, encroaching, attackers in the wall — has been refined through ongoing IFAB reviews, with major changes in 2019.

A goalkeeper alone is not a 'wall' — the 1 m attacker-clearance rule only applies once 3 or more defenders line up.

Minor positional errors are usually overlooked. Significant ones lead to a retake.

A free kick can be played in any direction — including backwards. The ball just needs to be kicked and moved.

As long as the kick is properly taken, direction is irrelevant.

The ball must be stationary on the ground. Tees, boots, or other props beneath the ball are not permitted.

Goalkeepers can take free kicks anywhere on the pitch but cannot handle the ball outside their penalty area.

An illegally moving wall does not stop play automatically — the kicker may play on, or the referee may intervene with a retake or a caution.

The referee corrects the error and orders a retake by the team awarded the free kick.

Forgetting the signal is the referee's error, not the kicker's — the fix is a retake with the signal properly given, not a disallowed goal that stands as a foul on the kicker.

Play simply waits until a ball is available; once one arrives, the kick is taken normally.

Unlike a penalty (always 11 m out, only the goalkeeper to beat), a direct free kick can be awarded anywhere the foul occurred — from just outside the box to the far end of the pitch.

The direct/indirect distinction is purely about whether a goal can count without another touch.

The fork happens right after the whistle: a quick free kick skips the wall-measuring and signalling that a ceremonial one requires.

The highlighted zone is the goal area — both a defending team's free kick inside it and a goal kick may be taken from anywhere within this same zone.

Indirect free kicks inside the area allow the entire defending team to crowd the goal line. Outside the area: standard wall and 9.15m distance rules.

In football, the defending team can form a wall blocking the kick. In rugby penalties, opponents must retreat 10m and not interfere until the ball is played.

Free kick: kicker has full freedom. Penalty: forward direction only, no feinting after run-up.

The 2019 rule prohibiting attackers within 1m of a wall of 3+ is a modern addition. Earlier, attackers could mingle in or jump out of the wall freely.

Before 2019, ball had to leave the area before another player touched. Since 2019, no such requirement.

The held raised arm is unique to the indirect free kick — distinguishing it from other referee signals (advantage = both arms forward; goal = pointing).

A defending team's free kick awarded inside their own penalty area is taken from anywhere inside the goal area, not from the exact spot of the foul.

From a direct free kick, a goal can be scored directly without touching another player.

From an indirect free kick, the ball must touch another player. Going straight in = goal kick to the defending team.

If the kicker chooses to take the kick despite encroachment and scores, the goal stands. The kicker took 'advantage'.

A wall of 5 is well above the 3-defender threshold, so the attacker must stay at least 1 m away — standing right next to it is an infringement.

Since 2019, defending team free kicks inside the area no longer must leave the area. Play continues normally.

Touching the ball a second time before anyone else does is a double touch, regardless of why — it costs an indirect free kick to the opponents.

Quick free kicks are encouraged. Without ceremonial procedure starting, they are legal.

An indirect free kick can score if the ball touches another player — including the goalkeeper.

Attacker within 1m of a 3+ wall = indirect free kick to defending team. Goal disallowed.

The raised arm signal is held until the ball touches another player or it is clear no goal can be scored directly.

At most free kicks, opponents must be at least 9.15 m away.

A 'wall' for the purposes of the 1 m attacker-clearance rule requires at least 3 defenders — fewer than that, the rule does not apply.

The ball is in play once it has been kicked and has clearly moved — there is no minimum distance.

Ranked by outcome for the kicking team: scoring is best, a retake is neutral, conceding a restart is worse, and an own goal attempt (which becomes a corner, not a goal) is worst.

An indirect free kick must touch another player to score; if it goes directly in = goal kick.

After the kick, the kicker cannot play the ball again until another player has touched it.

The 2019 IFAB rule change allowed defending team free kicks (and goal kicks) inside the area to be played to teammates inside the area.

The offence itself (per Law 12) determines whether the restart is direct or indirect — it is never the kicker's or the location's choice.

The 1m clearance rule was added in 2019 to stop attackers disrupting walls.