Question Number: 25205

Law 13 - Free Kicks 7/13/2011

RE: Rec Under 13

Shaun McGill of London, Ontario Canada asks...

Last night our team was awarded an indirect free kick. The other team were all 10 yards away from the ball. We had one of our players right beside the ball to touch it and another of our players about 5 feet away ready to kick the ball. The ref made our player who was to kick the touched ball also to be 10 yards away from the ball. Is this correct? I thought you could put as many of your own players as close to the ball as you wished, the only rule being the opposing players must be 10 yards away from any side of the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Shaun
The only kicked restart where every player must be ten yards from the ball is a penalty kick. There is no restriction on a team at a free kick having as many players close to the ball as it pleases.
If the free kick was awarded inside the team's own penalty area the ball must leave the penalty area for it to be in play. Again the team could have all its players inside the penalty area close to the ball but it must be kicked outside the penalty area for the ball to be put into play

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Oh dear, a misinformed referee. Only the opponents need to be 10 yards from the site of a free kick. As many attackers as desired can be near the ball.

This sounds like a very new referee; he clearly hasn't seen many IFK's. Please report him to the powers that be in your league so he can be corrected before he does this in another game.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The referee made a mistake. On a free kick, only the opposing team needs to be ten yards from the ball. There is no similar restriction on other members of the kicking team.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Goodness! The referee had a brain slippage. Only the opponents are required to move 10 yards from the ball at a free kick. The kicking team can have one or all of their team around the ball.

Kicks from inside your own penalty area are slightly different in that they must clear the penalty area on the first kick before any other player, either team, is allowed to play the ball again.

Answer provided by Referee Nathan Lacy

OOPS.