Question Number: 34541

Law 8 - The Start and Restart of Play 3/27/2022

Crebs Crem of Zagreb, Croatia asks...

This question is a follow up to question 34537

Hi,

Referee Joe McHugh told all the opposing players must be outside the penalty area if the ball is dropped for the defensive goalkeeper, but isn’t it “all the players (of both teams except for the defensive goalkeeper) need to stay outside the penalty area if the ball is dropped for the defensive goalkeeper”?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Crebs,
I belive that portion of the LOTG is a rule for the USA NFHS not FIFA.

The IFAB/FIFA LOTG only state all other players (of both teams) must remain at least 4 m (4.5 yds) from the ball until it is in play, not that they are required to be outside the PA for a DB to the keeper? ONLY on PKs are all players except the kicker and keeper outside the PA .

ON outgoing FREE KICKS this includes GOAL KICKS from inside the PA
Until the ball is in play, only all opponents must remain outside the penalty area for free kicks inside the opponents’ penalty area to leave however should the team taking the free kick do so BEFORE this can occur they suffer the fate of any such action provided the opponents did nothing to intervene until after the ball was in play.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Crebs
The question was a college one and what I quoted was NFHS rule.
In a FIFA game all the players other than the player receiving the ball must be 4 metres or 4,5 yards from the ball. There is NO requirement to leave the penalty area.