Question Number: 22972

Law 9 - The Ball in and out of Play 3/20/2010

RE: Select Under 12

Mark of Port coquitlam, Bc Canada asks...

Does the ball have to completly cross the line to be out or just partially?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Mark
The ball is out of play when it has wholly crossed the goal line or touch line whether on the ground or in the air. So if any part of the ball is touching the line it is still in play.

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Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Imagine the ball is inside of a clear box. If any edge of the box is touching any piece of the outside edge of the line on the field, the ball is still in play. If no part of the edges of the box are touching the outside edge of the box, it is out of play.

The assistant referee generally is most correctly positioned to judge whether the whole ball has crossed the line or not.

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Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

All of the ball must be over all of the line for the ball to be out of play..

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