Question Number: 23430

Mechanics 6/7/2010

RE: Rec, Select ... Under 16

David of Southfield, MI USA asks...

What is the proper positioning for a Center Referee on a corner kick? I think just outside the penalty area, in line with where the ball may land.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Referee David
The best position is the one where the referee is best placed to see all the play and he is not in the way.
Positioning at a CK depends on whether the referee is on his own or acting as part of a crew. If the referee has neutral assistants FIFA recommend a position close to the penalty area line directly opposite the 6 yard parallel line. See Page 71 in the Laws of the Game.
Also I think that the referee should adapt his position to take account of the type of corners being taken and also move to improve his view and to get out of the way.
I have found over the years that when I am on my own with Club linesmen a position off the FOP say some 6/8 yards from the front post can be a good position for many corner kicks. The only time that it causes viewing problems is the deep corner to the back post. It also requires that the referee has to be a good sprinter should the ball be kicked forward very quickly. It does happen but not as often as one would expect nor indeed for those that do not support that position. I think it has a number of advantages
1. All of the play is in view and all the player see the referee very well positioned.
2. The ref is close to play but also out of the way
3. He can view hairline goal situations should they arise.
4. Works well for underage where many corners end up at the front of the goal area.
The disadvantages are
1. The deep corner requires good movement
2. The long clearance by the defence requires a very quick sprint.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

The answer may also involve the size of the field and age/ability of the players. Is it a wide field with younger less-experienced players? The ref would be positioned closer to the center of the field, since they won't be able to cross the ball beyond the goal, maybe not even reaching the goal area. We always need to adjust our positioning to reflect where we expect the play to go, both during dynamic play and at static plays like corner kicks.

I too have used Ref McHugh's suggestion of being off the field, or down near the 6, when I don't have neutral assistants to view the goal line for me.

One thing I was taught was to vary positioning so that the players won't expect you to be in any given location. That concept has been minimized in the last couple years due to more positioning diagrams coming out of FIFA and USSF.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

A great place to begin is often where the penalty area line intersects with the penalty arc. From there, the referee can observe the ball and the players and from there the referee can adjust positioning based on where the action is likely to be.

I find that the referee can learn a great deal watching the teams warm up. Usually, the kicker will practice before the match taking corner kicks, and will provide clues about the prime location(s) where the ball may land. Knowing where the kicker wants the ball to land is invaluable intelligence about where to be.