Question Number: 18975

Law 13 - Free Kicks 5/3/2008

RE: select Under 13

bruce of houston, texas usa asks...

When an idfk is awarded because the goalkeeper handled the ball on a pass back from a teammate, where is the ball spotted for the kick? Also is there any place that the ball is placed on an idfk by the attacking team inside the defending team's penalty area, or is it at the spot of the infraction?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

If the goalkeeper handles a ball deliberately kicked to him by a teammate, the location of the indirect free kick is where the keeper handled the ball (*). There is never a case when the attacking team decides the location of an inbound indirect free kick - it is always at the spot of the infraction (*).

Did you see that little (*) star? That symbol is used throughout the Laws of the Game to remind everyone that there are some Special Circumstances defined for restart locations which are found in Law 8 [quote]:

A free kick awarded to the defending team inside its own goal area is taken from any point within the goal area.
An indirect free kick awarded to the attacking team in its opponents? goal area is taken from the goal area line parallel to the goal line at the point nearest to where the infringement occurred.
A dropped ball to restart the match after play has been temporarily stopped inside the goal area takes place on the goal area line parallel to the goal line at the point nearest to where the ball was located when play was stopped.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

It's at the spot of the infraction unless the handling took place inside the goal area. If it did, then the ball comes out to the 6 yard line. The defenders may set up a wall on the goal line if the IFK is 10 yards or closer to the goal line.