Penalty Kick

A penalty kick is awarded when a direct free kick offence is committed by a player inside their own penalty area. What happens after an offence at the kick depends on who offended and on what the kick produced, and encroachment by an outfield player is penalised only where it clearly impacted an opponent or changed the outcome.^4, ^10, ^14, ^15, ^16, ^17, ^18, ¹⁹

Key points

✓Only a direct free kick offence committed inside the offender's own penalty area produces a penalty kick⁴
✓When the ball is kicked the goalkeeper must have at least part of one foot touching, in line with, or behind the goal line, and must be on the goal line facing the kicker until it is kicked^5, ⁹
✓Every other player must be outside the penalty area, behind the penalty mark, inside the field of play and at least 9.15 m from the mark^6, ^7, ⁸
✓Goalkeeper offends: a goal stands, a save forces a retake, and a miss or a rebound off the frame is retaken only where the offence clearly impacted the kicker. The goalkeeper is warned for a first retake and cautioned for any later one^10, ^21, ^22, ^23, ^24, ²⁵
✓Kicker or their team-mate offends: a goal is cancelled and retaken, and a kick that does not go in gives an indirect free kick to the defending team^10, ²⁰
✓Goalkeeper's team-mate offends: a goal is awarded, and a kick that does not go in is retaken^10, ^26, ^27, ²⁸

Show the remaining 5 key points

✓Players of both teams offend: the kick is retaken, unless a player commits a more serious offence such as illegal feinting^10, ²⁹
✓Encroachment alone is not penalised: it needs clear impact on the opponent, or that the encroaching player played or challenged for the ball and then changed the goal-scoring outcome^10, ^14, ^15, ^16, ^17, ^18, ¹⁹
✓An accidental kick with both feet together, or the ball touching the non-kicking foot or leg immediately after the kick, is retaken if it goes in and an indirect free kick if it does not^10, ^11, ^12, ¹³
✓The kicker deliberately touching the ball again before it has touched another player is an indirect free kick, or a direct free kick for a handball offence^30, ^31, ³²
✓A shoot-out is not the same: there an accidental kick off both feet is recorded as a missed kick rather than retaken^1, ²

Read the full rule

Scenarios

Scenario 1

Goalkeeper moves early and saves the penalty

No goal

The goalkeeper steps off the line before the ball is kicked and saves the penalty.

Correct call: Retake. Where the goalkeeper offends and the goalkeeper keeps the ball out, the kick is retaken with no further test, because the illegal position is what stopped the ball. The goalkeeper is warned for a first offence and cautioned for any later one.

Common mistake: Assuming any goalkeeper offence on a failed kick means a retake. Had the kick missed the target or come back off the frame instead, it would only be retaken if the offence clearly impacted the kicker.

Law^10, ^21, ^22, ^23, ^24, ²⁵

Scenario 2

Attacker encroaches and the penalty is scored

No goal

An attacking player runs into the penalty area before the ball is kicked, clearly obstructing the goalkeeper's dive. The penalty goes in.

Correct call: Goal cancelled and the kick retaken. The encroachment cleared the threshold because it clearly impacted the goalkeeper, and where the kicker's team offends and the ball enters the goal, the kick is retaken.

Common mistake: Letting the goal stand on the basis that a scored penalty is never taken away. That is only true of offences by the defending side.

Law^10, ^14, ^15, ^16, ^17, ^18, ^19, ²⁰

Scenario 3

Defender strays into the area and the penalty is scored

Goal

A defender steps inside the penalty area a fraction before the kick, has no effect on anything, and the penalty is scored.

Correct call: Goal stands. Where a team-mate of the goalkeeper offends and the ball enters the goal, a goal is awarded. Here the encroachment did not even meet the threshold to be penalised.

Common mistake: Ordering a retake because a defender was inside the area. The defending team gains nothing from its own offence, and marginal early entry with no impact is not penalised at all.

Law^10, ^14, ^15, ^16, ^17, ^18, ^19, ^26, ^27, ²⁸

Scenario 4

Foul outside the area but player falls inside

No penalty

A defender makes contact with an attacker just outside the penalty area. The attacker's momentum carries them and they fall inside the box.

Correct call: Direct free kick outside the area, not a penalty. The location of the offence is what matters, not where the player falls.

Common mistake: Awarding a penalty because the player went down inside the box.

Law^3, ⁴

The full rule

A penalty is awarded for any offence that would normally result in a direct free kick, committed inside the penalty area by a defending player. When the ball is kicked, the defending goalkeeper must have at least part of one foot touching, in line with, or behind the goal line. Team-mates and opponents must be at least 9.15 metres from the penalty mark, behind the mark, inside the field of play and outside the penalty area. The ball is in play when it is kicked and clearly moves, and the kicker must not play it again until it has touched another player. Where an offence occurs before the ball is in play, the outcome turns on who offended. If the goalkeeper offends, a goal stands, a save forces a retake, and a miss or a rebound off the frame is retaken only if the goalkeeper's offence clearly impacted the kicker. If the kicker or a team-mate offends, a goal is cancelled and the kick retaken, and a kick that does not go in gives an indirect free kick to the defending team. If a team-mate of the goalkeeper offends, a goal is awarded and stands, and a kick that does not go in is retaken. If players of both teams offend, the kick is retaken unless a player commits a more serious offence such as illegal feinting. Encroachment by an outfield player is not an offence in itself. A player is penalised for encroachment only where it clearly impacted an opponent, or where they played the ball or challenged for it and that changed the goal-scoring outcome: for the kicker's team-mate, clear impact on the goalkeeper, or an encroaching player who then scores, attempts to score or creates a goal-scoring opportunity; for the goalkeeper's team-mate, clear impact on the kicker, or an encroaching player who prevents the opponents from scoring. Law 14 covers the kick that comes off both feet as well: if the kicker accidentally kicks the ball with both feet simultaneously, or the ball touches their non-kicking foot or leg immediately after the kick, the kick is retaken if it goes in and an indirect free kick is awarded if it does not. A penalty shootout follows related but not identical rules, so do not assume they map across: an accidental double touch there is simply recorded as a missed kick.^1, ^2, ^4, ^5, ^6, ^7, ^8, ^9, ^10, ^11, ^12, ^13, ^14, ^15, ^16, ^17, ^18, ^19, ^20, ^21, ^22, ^23, ^24, ^25, ^26, ^27, ^28, ^29, ^30, ^31, ³²