Penalty Kick

A penalty kick is a direct free kick taken from the penalty mark, with only the defending goalkeeper standing between the kicker and goal. Awarded for direct-free-kick offences inside the offender's own penalty area.

The penalty mark is a marked spot 11 m (12 yards) from the goal line, on a line drawn perpendicular and centred between the goalposts. The ball is placed here for any penalty kick.

The penalty arc is a 9.15 m arc drawn outside the penalty area, marking the minimum distance non-kickers/non-GK must keep from the penalty mark.

Encroachment is when a player enters the penalty area or moves inside the penalty arc before the ball is in play. Since 2024 it is penalised only when it has impact.

The Laws require the kicker to be identified to the referee in advance. Another player taking the kick is an offence — even if a goal is scored, an indirect free kick is awarded against the kicker's team.

At the moment the kick is taken, the goalkeeper must have at least part of one foot touching, or in line with, the goal line. The other foot may be in any position.

In a 'tap' penalty, the kicker plays the ball forward (legally, in any direction forward) for a teammate to run onto. It is legal as long as ball is forward and the rules of position are respected.

Feinting is deceptive body movement during the run-up to confuse the goalkeeper. It is permitted DURING the run-up, but not after the run-up is complete.

A double-touch is when the kicker touches the ball twice in succession — including accidentally, e.g., when the standing foot grazes the ball. Per IFAB Circular 31 (2025), if accidental, the kick is retaken.

The 'cooperative' or 'two-man' penalty was famously executed by Johan Cruyff and Jesper Olsen for Ajax in 1982. The name 'Mexican' comes from a similar Mexican attempt; both rely on the kicker tapping forward.

The penalty mark is 11 metres (12 yards) from the goal line, centred between the goalposts.

All other players (besides the kicker and goalkeeper) must be at least 9.15 m from the penalty mark — this is the radius of the penalty arc.

At least part of one foot must touch or be in line with the goal line at the moment the kick is taken. The other foot may be off the line.

Only the kicker and the goalkeeper are inside the penalty area when the kick is taken. All other players (from both teams) must be outside the area, behind the penalty mark, and at least 9.15m from the mark.

Only the kicker and the goalkeeper may remain inside the penalty area at the moment the kick is taken.

The penalty kick was introduced in 1891, after various incidents where defenders deliberately fouled to deny goal-scoring opportunities.

The penalty kick (1891), the goalkeeper restriction (1929), the feinting ban (2010) and the one-foot rule (2019) arrived in that order.

In 2019, IFAB relaxed the goalkeeper's requirement from 'both feet on the line' to 'at least one foot touching or in line with the line'.

IFAB issued Circular 31 in 2025, clarifying that an accidental double-touch (e.g., standing foot grazing the ball) leads to a retake of the penalty.

There is no limit on run-up length or stride count. The kicker may approach in any way, provided they don't feint after completing the run-up.

The referee has the final authority over a penalty award, whether it comes from their own judgement or a VAR review.

The referee signals (typically with the whistle) that the kick may be taken. The kicker must wait for this signal.

From 2025/26, VAR has sole responsibility for monitoring goalkeeper encroachment at penalty kicks (when VAR is used). This frees the on-field referee.

The identified-kicker rule requires the referee to know who is taking the kick before it is allowed to proceed.

At the moment of the kick, only the kicker and the goalkeeper may be inside the penalty area — everyone else must be outside it.

From 2025/26, when VAR/GLT can monitor goalkeeper encroachment and goal/no-goal, the assistant referee is recommended to stand on the touchline in line with the penalty mark — to be ready for offside if the ball rebounds.

Any player from the attacking team (including the goalkeeper, who would have to come up the field) can take the kick — provided they are identified.

The referee decides retake based on the 2024 'impact' principle — encroachment is penalised only if it affected play.

If both offend at the same time, the kicker is cautioned and an indirect free kick is awarded to the defending team — regardless of the kick's outcome.

At a penalty, only the goalkeeper defends the goal. All other defenders are outside the penalty area, behind the mark, ≥9.15m away.

Feinting during the run-up is permitted as part of football. Skill in deception is allowed.

Feinting is legal during the run-up but becomes an offence once the kicker reaches the moment of actually striking the ball.

The goalkeeper may move laterally before the kick. They must have at least one foot touching or in line with the goal line AT THE MOMENT of the kick.

The goalkeeper may move sideways along the line at any time, but at least one foot must still be on or in line with the goal line the instant the ball is kicked.

A tap penalty is legal: the kicker plays the ball forward (any distance) for a teammate to run onto. The teammate must remain outside the area until the kick is taken.

The goalkeeper cannot touch the goalposts, crossbar, or net before the kick is taken. Doing so would be encroachment.

Stopping during the run-up is part of legal feinting. Stopping is only illegal if the run-up is complete and the kicker fakes the strike.

A penalty kick is direct — the kicker can score immediately by sending the ball into the goal.

No other player, from either team, may enter the penalty area before the kick is taken.

The goalkeeper can use any part of their body to save the kick — hands, feet, head, etc.

If the goalkeeper offends but the kick still succeeds, the offence is ignored and the goal stands.

GK offence + miss/save = retake. First offence in match: warning; subsequent: caution (yellow card).

A kicker's offence (e.g., illegal feinting, double-touch deliberate, encroachment by teammate) means: no goal, indirect free kick to defenders, kicker cautioned.

Per IFAB 2024 change, encroachment without impact is ignored. The goal stands.

Encroachment without impact is ignored. Play resumes with whatever restart the original outcome dictates.

Per IFAB Circular 31 (2025), an accidental double-touch (e.g., standing foot graze) results in a retake. The original goal does not count.

A deliberate double-touch is always an offence, regardless of whether the ball ends up in the goal — the goal is disallowed.

When both the goalkeeper and kicker offend at once, the kicker's offence takes precedence: an indirect free kick and a caution for the kicker.

If an outside agent (something not part of the field) touches the ball after a penalty rebound, the kick is retaken.

Feinting after run-up complete is an offence — caution + indirect free kick to defenders.

William McCrum, an Irish goalkeeper and businessman, proposed the penalty kick in 1890 after a goal-line foul. The Irish FA forwarded it to the FA, which adopted it in 1891.

McCrum's proposal (1890) led to FA adoption (1891); the goalkeeper's positioning was tightened in 1929 and again relaxed to one foot in 2019.

From its 1891 introduction, the penalty mark has always been 12 yards (now standardised at 11 m) from the goal line.

Until 1929, the goalkeeper could stand anywhere up to 6 yards (about 5.5 m) in front of the goal line.

In 2010, IFAB banned 'feinting after the run-up' citing 'an increasing trend in players feinting a penalty kick to deceive the goalkeeper' as unsporting behaviour.

These reforms arrived in this order: the kick itself (1891), the feinting ban (2010), the one-foot rule (2019), and impact-based encroachment (2024/25).

Pre-2019, both feet had to be on the line. The 2019 change made one foot sufficient.

VAR was used at a World Cup for the first time in 2018 in Russia, with penalty decisions among the four reviewable categories.

In 2024/25, IFAB extended the 'impact' philosophy from goalkeeper encroachment to player encroachment as well — penalised only if it has impact.

In 1982, Johan Cruyff and Jesper Olsen executed the iconic 'cooperative' (two-man) penalty for Ajax. Cruyff tapped forward; Olsen ran on; Cruyff scored from the rebound.

If the ball rebounds into play, the kick is over and play continues normally. The kicker cannot touch the ball again until another player has played it.

If the goal is scored before any second touch by the kicker, the goal counts. The 'second-touch' offence is only relevant if the ball didn't go in.

The goalkeeper's touch counts as 'another player'. The kicker can play the rebounded ball and score legally.

At end-of-half/match, time is extended for the penalty to be completed. The match ends only after the kick is finished.

Handball after taking the kick = handball offence. Indirect free kick or direct free kick depending on location.

Encroachment by the kicker's teammate that has an impact (here, a missed goal) results in a retake.

Encroachment by a defender that has an impact (here, denying a possible rebound chance) also results in a retake.

The ball must be stationary on the penalty mark before the kick — if it is moving, the kick must be retaken.

Some teams swap their regular goalkeeper for a 'penalty specialist' goalkeeper. This is allowed if it follows normal substitution rules.

There's no fixed duration — but the referee can caution for time-wasting if the run-up is excessively delayed.

During-match penalties: the ball stays in play after the kick (rebounds, passes possible). Shootout penalties: one shot only; no rebounds; no tap penalties allowed.

The same offence gives a very different restart depending on location — a walled free kick outside, a penalty with only the goalkeeper to beat inside.

Indirect free kicks inside the area allow the entire defending team to crowd the goal line. Penalty kicks: only the goalkeeper.

Unlike the old rule allowing the goalkeeper to stand up to 6 yards forward, the modern Laws require at least one foot on or in line with the goal line.

The 2019 change relaxed the requirement from both feet to one — recognising the difficulty of holding both feet still.

The 2024 reform moved encroachment from a strict rule (any entry = retake) to an impact-based one (only a meaningful entry = retake).

Per IFAB Circular 31 (2025), accidental double-touch leads to a retake — not a disallowed goal as before. Deliberate remains an indirect free kick.

During run-up: feinting is part of football. After run-up: feinting is unsporting and punished.

In a tap penalty, the kicker plays the ball forward (any distance) for a teammate. The teammate must remain outside the area until the kick is taken.

Penalty success rate is around 75-80% across major leagues. Open-play shot success is much lower — penalties are huge scoring opportunities.

A direct-free-kick offence inside the offender's own penalty area = penalty kick. Tripping is one of the seven contact offences.

After the post-rebound, play continues normally. The penalty kick is complete.

A goalkeeper offence that has a real impact on the outcome (here, enabling the save) results in a retake.

GK offence + wide miss = no impact = no retake. The original outcome (goal kick) stands.

Feinting after run-up complete = illegal. Caution to kicker; indirect free kick to defenders.

Per Circular 31 (2025), accidental double-touch → retake.

Encroachment without impact (the teammate didn't affect the outcome) = goal counts.

After the kick, the kicker cannot touch the ball before another player has touched it. The goal is disallowed; indirect free kick to defending team.

A tap penalty is legal as long as the ball goes forward and the receiving teammate was outside the area when the kick was taken.

A goalkeeper's save counts as a touch by 'another player', so the original kicker is free to play and score from the rebound.

The penalty mark is 11 m from the goal line.

Since 2019, at least one part of one foot must be touching or in line with the goal line at the moment of the kick.

The penalty kick was introduced in 1891 by the FA, after a proposal by William McCrum.

Per Circular 31 (2025), accidental double-touch leads to a retake.

Feinting at the moment of strike is illegal. Yellow card + indirect FK to defending team.

Only the goalkeeper from the defending team is inside the penalty area at the moment of the kick.

Even if the ball goes in, an attacker's encroachment that genuinely affects the goalkeeper cancels the goal.

Simultaneous offences = caution to kicker + indirect free kick to defending team.

The kicker is identified to the referee in advance — preventing late substitution mid-kick.

Since 2025/26, VAR alone is responsible for monitoring goalkeeper encroachment at penalty kicks, flagging the referee when needed.