Question Number: 30217

Law 13 - Free Kicks 3/24/2016

RE: Competive Adult

brian of Toronto , ON Canada asks...

defending team takes a free kick inside their own penalty area, when is the ball in play.

Answer provided by Referee MrRef

Hello Brian,
ANY free kick including a goal kick taken by the defending team within their own penalty area requires the ball to completely clear the PA before ANY player from either team can play that ball. The attackers must exit the PA as they can not play the ball nor can they enter UNTIL the ball has exited, plus they still must remain a minimum of ten yards away.

from our pitch to your pitch in the spirit of fair play

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Brian
Law 13 tells us that at a free kick the ball is in play when it is kicked directly out of the penalty area. So until it leaves the penalty area it is not in play and it results in a retake if it is touched inside by either team or an opponent enters the penalty area before the ball exits. At all other times the ball is in play when it is kicked and moved at a free kick.
Also it is not going to make any difference except in the highly improbable situation of say misconduct between the time the ball is kicked and it crosses the penalty area line. On a short kick it is a heartbeat whereas on a lengthy kick from one side to another perhaps misconduct could happen after the kick and before the ball leaves the penalty area. For me if the ball is kicked and a player strikes an opponent then it is a dismissal for VC and the restart is a DFK had it happened after the ball left the penalty area. If it happens with the ball still inside the penalty area it is a retake. I would have to be 100% sure that it had not left before going with the retake.