Ruleside
Law 8: The Start and Restart of Play·Page 97, 2026/27 edition

The Start and Restart of Play

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

A kick-off starts both halves of a match, both halves of extra time and restarts play after a goal has been scored. Free kicks (direct or indirect), penalty kicks, throw-ins, goal kicks and corner kicks are other restarts (see Laws 13–17). A dropped ball is the restart when the referee stops play and the Law does not require one of the above restarts.

IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, page 97 · clause law-8-1b60711a

Verdicts that turn on it 3

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.

Applied in these incidents 1

Real decisions where this clause decided what should have happened.

Questions that ask it 2

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

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 Start and Restart of Play that Ruleside cites.