Question Number: 19720

Law 1- The Field 8/11/2008

RE: Under 17

Craig Lambert of Wokingham, Berkshire UK asks...

What is the arc outside of the penalty area for?

Thanks

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

To show where 10 yards from the penalty mark is. It defines the minimum distance the players may be from the ball at the time of a penalty kick, other than the goalkeeper and the player taking the kick.

Answer provided by Referee Gene Nagy

Craig, this arc is to help the referee to see that all players except the goalie and the kicker are ten yards away from the penalty spot when a penalty kick is taken. It has the same radius as the centre circle, which is there also for the same purpose, that the referee can see that players are ten yards away. Actually the wife of the first FIFA president was a famous international decorator and she noticed the field has only rectangular markings. The four corner arcs, the centre circle and the penalty arcs were added to make the field look easier on the eye.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Actually this is the last mandatory field marking, added in the 1937. It must have been an affront to tradition because I remember never seeing the penalty arc in my school boy days [50's].

Regards,