Question Number: 31003

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 11/7/2016

RE: Under 19

Dane Glisan of Baltimore, MD - Maryland USA asks...

If a Goal Keeper carries the ball with his/her hands outside of the Penalty Area, what is the correct restart?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Dane
It is deliberate handling and the restart is a direct free kick from where the handling occurred. Outside the penalty area the goalkeeper loses his handling privileges and he us treated like any other outfield player.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Dane,
The keeper is permitted the use of his hands inside his own penalty area. but NOT outside the PA where he is treated the same as any player!

If our keeper is unaware of positioning or suffers a lapse in judgement and carries the entire ball COMPLETELY outside the PA boundary line the CORRECT restart is the DFK offence of handling the ball deliberately and the CORRECT restart location would be a blade of grass width of space just outside the leading edge of the PA boundary line from where the ball exited! REMEMBER if the ball overhangs the boundary line even by a sliver of its circumference it is considered as inside the PA , the keepers hands are not the focal point, BALL location is.

There are perceived carry outs of the ball that look suspicious as when the keeper tosses the ball forward running out and punting the ball often well outside the PA. It may look a if the keeper has not released the ball yet or it could be doubtful or trifling if we are talking inches. I just want to reiterate that the keeper can be COMPLETELY outside the PA and if ANY part of the ball itself is overhanging the PA boundary line that ball is ok for the keeper to have their hands on it!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

When outside their own penalty area, a goalkeeper is treated the same as an outfield player. In the situation you describe, we have a deliberate handing offence, which is punishable by a direct free kick.