Question Number: 27663

Law 13 - Free Kicks 8/15/2013

RE: Under 16

Rich of Toronto, Ontario Canada asks...

My question is about the placement of the ball during an indirect kick in the penalty area. Looking at the laws of the game it states:
Indirect free kick to the attacking team:
- an indirect free kick awarded inside the goal area must be taken on the
goal area line parallel to the goal line at the point nearest to where the
infringement occurred.
In a recent game the goaltender picked up a pass-back about 8 yards from goal and that is the spot where the referee awarded the free kick. Am I wrong or should the ball have been moved back and placed on the line at the edge of the penalty area?

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Rich,

The goal area is the smaller box - often known as the '6 yard box'. If the attacking team is awarded an indirect free kick within this area, then the ball is brought directly out from the goal line to the edge of this area.

Basically, the attacking team is not able to take the indirect free kick inside the goal area.

For any indirect free kick offence outside the goal area, the kick is still taken from the location where the offence occurred.

Free kicks are never advanced from the place of the foul (except for a penalty kick) - the only reason they're moved back (from the attacking team's perspective) is to ensure the attacking team has some space at the free kick and they're not forced to take it 1 yard away from the defence (as they're permitted to stand on the goal line).

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Rich
The goal area is inside the penalty area. The only time the location of an indirect free kick is changed is when the offence happens inside the goal area, which is some times referred to as the 6 yard area/box. When an IDFK offence happens in there the ball is brought out to the 6 yard line directly opposite from where the offence took place. The reason that is done is to give some chance to the attacking team or semblance of a free kick rather than having players stood right on top of the ball.
All other times the free kick is taken from where the offence took place.
In this case the offence took place eight yards from goal so that is where the IDFK free kick is taken from. Had the goalkeeper picked the ball up on the goal line in similar circumstances the IDFK would be taken on the 6 yard line with the defedning team all moved back to the goal line and they must remain there until the ball is kicked and moved.