Question Number: 26870

Law 17 - Corner Kick 10/2/2012

RE: FA Level 1 Under 11

Mark Munnery of Reading, Berks UK asks...

Hi,

If the ball goes straight out of play from a corner what should the referee award?

Could you quote me the official rule number (not just 17)

Thanks Mark

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Mark
I'm not sure why you would ask this question unless you are interpreting it like a throw in. At a corner kick the ball is placed on the field of play inside the corner arc. The ball when it is kicked and moves is in play. It doesn't even have to come out of the arc to be in play
So the corner kick is then completed as per Law 17. So Law 9 states and I quote '' 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
# play has been stopped by the referee.
Factor in Law 16 and I quote
'' A goal kick is awarded when the whole of the ball passes over the goal line, either on the ground or in the air, having last touched a player of the attacking team, and a goal is not scored in accordance with Law 10.''
So put all three Laws together and the only decision is a goal kick as the corner kick was properly taken, the ball was in play when it was kicked, it was last touched by a player of the attacking team,the kicker, and it then passed over the goal line. It just can't be any other restart.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

To be in position for a corner, the ball must be on the field of play. Even if it's partially out of the field, as long as it's on the line, it's still on the field of play - and at a corner kick, the ball is in play when it is kicked and moves.

It doesn't have to leave the corner arc, that's why the laws say that it is in play when it is kicked and moves. Thus, if the ball is kicked directly out, even if it hasn't left the corner arc, then the referee should award a goal kick or throw in, depending on which line it crosses.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Law 17 says the ball is in play as soon as it is kicked and moves. It also says the ball must positioned such that it will be on the field when it is put into play.

So, when a ball is kicked out of play on a corner kick, the restart is the same as when any ball is kicked out of play, last touched by a member of the attacking team. If the ball goes over the opponent's goal line, the restart is a goal kick. If the ball goes over the touchline, it is a throw-in. If it goes into the opponent's goal, it is a goal.