Question Number: 27422

Law 16 - Goal Kick 5/12/2013

RE: Competitive Under 12

Steve of Valencia, Ca USA asks...

During a goal kick I have seen two different rules of play in my daughters league.
1) one ref advised the team only one player could be in the goal keeper area during the kick and all others (even same team) had to be out of the area.
They were using the keeper to cover the goal area and a defender was taking the kick. They were told they could not do that .

2) another ref today said they could have as many in the keeper area as they wanted but they just can't be part of the play (needed to cross the 18) until the ball was in play.

If rule (1) is correct can the second player step off the field next to the goal box and re-enter the field after the kick crosses the 18?
Thanks

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Law 16 says that all opponents must be outside the penalty area, and they cannot enter it until the ball is in play - when it exits the penalty area.

It doesn't say anything about where teammates of the kicker may be, so they are allowed in the penalty area. All 11 of them could be there if they wished. However, no teammates may play the ball until it exits the penalty area, so it wouldn't be too wise to have them all in there.

So your second ref was correct.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Steve
I suspect that the referee in example 1 did not know Law 16 fully. No attacking player can be in the penalty area but there is no restriction on defensive players being in the area. Indeed many teams at underage use a stronger kicker to take goal kicks when the goalkeeper is unable to do so. There is nothing in the Laws to prevent that.
The ball is not in play on any kicked restart inside the penalty area until it exits the penalty area. So there is little purpose in defensive players being in the area unless to take the free kick or goal kick.
Also players may not leave the field of play without the referee's permission. So a player can only leave the field of play as part of play such as to take a throw in, corner kick, move around a player in his path.