Throw-In

A throw-in restarts play when the ball wholly crosses the touchline (sideline). It is awarded against the team that last touched the ball.

The touchlines are the two longer boundary lines of the pitch — the sidelines, where throw-ins are taken from.

A foul throw is a throw-in taken with incorrect technique — the restart then goes to the opposing team.

The thrower must hold the ball with both hands and throw it. Single-hand technique is a foul throw.

The ball must be thrown from behind the head and continuing over the head — both hands, continuous motion.

Both feet must be on the ground (not lifted) AND on or behind the touchline at the moment of release. Lifting either foot or stepping over = foul throw.

A 'long throw' is a specialist throw-in launched deep into the penalty area, used tactically like a corner kick.

The thrower must face the field of play — typically with the chest pointing inwards. Throwing while facing away is a foul throw.

The throw-in is taken from where the ball went out. Taking it from a different point may be allowed by the referee for minor variations, but significant moves = retake.

Any player from the awarded team can take the throw-in.

Opponents must stand at least 2 metres from the point where the throw-in is taken.

Both feet must be on the ground at the moment of release. Lifting either foot is a foul throw.

Both hands must hold the ball. Single-handed throws are foul throws.

Like other restarts, the thrower may not touch the ball a second time until someone else has played it.

Only a player from the team awarded the throw-in takes it. Opposing players cannot interfere with the thrower.

The throw-in's technique was built up gradually: one hand (1863), then two hands (1882), then over the head (1895).

In 1895, IFAB added the requirement to throw from above the head. Before that, throws could be from any position.

In 1925, when offside was reformed (3 → 2 opponents), the throw-in was also explicitly exempted from offside.

Both feet must be on or behind the touchline. Stepping in front (into the field) is a foul throw.

No fixed time limit. The referee can caution the thrower for delaying the restart if excessive time is taken.

The team that did NOT last touch the ball before it went out is awarded the throw-in, judged by the officials.

The assistant referee on that side typically signals which team gets the throw-in by pointing in the direction of attack.

The thrower releases the ball with both hands. Procedural violations = foul throw.

Any player can take the throw-in, including the goalkeeper. They take normal field position thereafter.

The referee judges throw-in technique. Foul throw = throw-in awarded to the opposing team.

An opponent who fails to retreat 2 metres, or otherwise interferes with the thrower, can be cautioned for encroachment.

Quick throw-ins are allowed if the technique is correct. The thrower can throw immediately without waiting for opponents to retreat.

A goalkeeper is free to take a throw-in like any other player, then simply returns to their goal.

The ball can be handled by anyone before the throw, but the throw must be from the correct location.

Anyone (including ball boys/girls) can retrieve the ball. The thrower then takes the throw-in.

A goal cannot be scored directly from a throw-in. If the ball goes directly into the goal: own goal = corner kick to opponents; opponents' goal = goal kick to defending team.

Offside is exempt from throw-ins (since 1925). Offside can only be called on subsequent plays.

Both feet must be on the ground at release. Lifting (e.g., during a 'flip throw' approach) = foul throw at the moment of release if feet leave the ground.

A flip or somersault throw-in is legal, as long as the standard technique requirements are still met at release.

The goalkeeper cannot handle a deliberate throw-in from a teammate. Indirect free kick to opponents from where the goalkeeper handled the ball.

Both feet must stay on or behind the touchline right up until the ball is released, or it becomes a foul throw.

Pretending to take a throw-in but suddenly leaving it for a teammate is a delaying tactic — yellow card.

A defender may not stand closer than 2 metres to the thrower, front or otherwise.

The throw direction is free — backwards, forwards, sideways. Just the technique requirements must be met.

Teammates have no distance restriction. They can stand close to receive the throw.

Foul throw = opposing team gets the throw-in from the same location. The throwing team loses possession.

If the ball doesn't enter the field (e.g., thrower throws too softly or misses), it's a retake by the same team.

Double-touch by the thrower (before another player has played the ball) = indirect free kick to opposing team.

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

Like an indirect free kick, a throw-in cannot result in a goal without another player touching the ball first.

A throw-in going directly into the thrower's own goal is not an own goal — it results in a corner kick instead.

The goalkeeper cannot handle a teammate's deliberate throw-in. Result: indirect free kick to opposing team from where handled.

Encroachment does not automatically stop play — the thrower may proceed anyway, and the referee decides separately whether to caution the encroacher.

If an outside agent interferes, play is stopped and a drop ball restart is used (per Law 8).

Pretending to take a throw-in but leaving for a teammate is a delaying tactic — yellow card.

The throw-in has been refined since its 1863 introduction: two hands (1882), over the head (1895), and offside exemption (1925).

In 1863, throw-ins were one-handed and perpendicular to the touchline (no other direction). Both-hand and over-head requirements came later.

In 1882, the FA mandated two-handed throw-ins.

The requirement to throw the ball from behind and over the head was formally added to the Laws in 1895.

In 1925, when IFAB reformed the offside rule (3 → 2 opponents), the throw-in was explicitly exempted from offside calls.

Rory Delap, of Stoke City, was famous for his powerful long-throw deliveries into the penalty area — used as a major attacking weapon.

The 2m rule for opponents at throw-ins is a long-standing IFAB rule. Modern wording is in current Laws of the Game.

IFAB has discussed kick-in trials (replacing throws with kicks), but has not adopted them in the standard Laws of the Game. Futsal already uses kick-ins.

The throw-in-to-goalkeeper handling ban (1997) followed the same logic as the earlier back-pass rule (1992), just for a different restart.

The requirement that the ball must enter the field of play is long-standing. If it doesn't, the throw is retaken.

If the thrower contacts the ball again before another player touches it, it's a second touch — indirect free kick.

The foot-on-the-ground requirement is judged at the moment of release, regardless of whether the lift was intentional.

The touchline counts as 'on the line'. Both feet may be on the line itself or behind it.

Standing on the touchline itself is allowed, as long as the required 2-metre distance from the throw point is respected.

The thrower must complete the throw with proper technique. A teammate intervening from outside the field disrupts the throw.

A throw-in directly into one's own goal: corner kick to opposing team. Cannot score directly from a throw-in.

Goalkeepers can take throw-ins. They are then a normal field player until they return to goal.

If the throw-in was a deliberate pass to the goalkeeper and they handled it = indirect free kick to opponents.

Interfering with the thrower before the throw is taken is treated as encroachment and can be cautioned.

The ball is in play once thrown. Striking a referee — like in any phase of play — generally allows play to continue (drop ball only in specific circumstances per Law 9).

Throw-in: ball out over the side. Corner kick: ball out over the goal line off the defending team. Different restarts.

Throw-in restarts after ball over the touchline. Goal kick restarts after ball over the goal line off an attacker.

Futsal replaces the hand throw-in with a foot-taken kick-in, with the ball stationary on the boundary line.

Three restarts are exempt from offside: throw-in, goal kick, corner kick. Free kicks are NOT exempt.

Goalkeepers cannot handle a deliberate kick from a teammate (1992) or a throw-in directly from a teammate (1997). Both = indirect free kick.

Today's over-the-head, two-handed technique is the result of two separate reforms layered onto the original 1863 rule.

Long throws can be as dangerous as corner kicks for delivering the ball into the box. Specialists like Rory Delap exploit this.

Neither can score directly. Throw-in = goal kick; indirect free kick = goal kick if it goes directly into the opposite goal.

Both rules keep opponents back from a restart, but the free kick distance (9.15 m) is far larger than the throw-in distance (2 m).

Both quick restarts are encouraged. Both can be banned only if ceremonial procedure has begun.

A lifted foot at the moment of release is a foul throw, handing the restart to the opposing team.

Both hands must hold and release the ball. One-handed = foul throw.

Ball must enter the field. If not, the same team retakes from the same place.

After the throw + teammate touches the ball, a goal can count. The 'no direct goal' rule only applies if no one else touches.

Cannot score directly from a throw-in. The defending team gets a goal kick.

Since 1997, goalkeepers cannot handle a deliberate throw-in from a teammate. Result: indirect free kick to opponents from where the goalkeeper handled.

Significantly wrong location = retake from the correct spot.

Standing well inside the required 2-metre distance is encroachment, punishable with a caution.

Second touch by the thrower = indirect free kick to opposing team.

Pretending to take a throw-in and handing it off to delay the game is a cautionable time-wasting offence.

Both feet must be on the ground AND on or behind the touchline at the moment of release.

Opponents must be at least 2m from where the throw-in is taken.

Cannot score directly from a throw-in. Must touch another player first.

Receiving the ball directly from a throw-in is exempt from offside (since 1925). Offside applies on subsequent plays.

A foul throw simply hands the restart to the opposing team, from the same spot on the touchline.

The two-hands rule (1882) sits between the throw-in's introduction (1863) and the over-the-head and offside reforms that followed.

Opponents must stay at least 2 metres away from the point where the throw-in is taken.

Both feet must be on or behind the touchline. Stepping in = foul throw.

The referee judges throw-in technique.

In 1895, the over-head requirement was added to throw-ins.