Law 16: The Goal Kick2. Offences and sanctions·Page 146, 2026/27 edition

2. Offences and sanctions

The provision as it is printed, and everything on Ruleside that turns on it.

If, when a goal kick is taken, any opponents are inside the penalty area because they did not have time to leave, the referee allows play to continue. If an opponent who is in the penalty area when the goal kick is taken, or enters the penalty area before the ball is in play, touches or challenges for the ball before it is in play, the goal kick is retaken.
IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, page 146 · clause law-16-29992bf8

Verdicts that turn on it 2

Walk the tree to any of these and this clause is part of the answer.

Explained in the rules library 1

The plain-language pages that build on this provision.

Goal Kick

Questions that ask it 1

Points in a walk where the reader is deciding this provision.

What did the opponents inside the penalty area do?goal-kick-corner

The Laws of the Game are published by The IFAB and quoted here for the purpose of explaining the decisions on this site. Ruleside is not affiliated with The IFAB or FIFA. Every clause of The Goal Kick that Ruleside cites.