Question Number: 24005

Law 13 - Free Kicks 9/24/2010

RE: All levels. High School

Nader Ghoujeghi of Novi, MI USA asks...

To my surprise, I found out last year that for a free kick inside the penalty box, the ball has to leave the Penalty Box before another player can play it. Is that true for an off-side restart inside the penalty area?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Nader
That is correct. Any defending restart inside the penalty area must leave the penalty area for the ball to be in play. Many players think it only refers to goal kicks.

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Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

It is amazing how many coaches, players and referees don't know this provision of the Laws. But the wording in Law 13 (free kicks) is almost identical to that in Law 16 (goal kicks) that everyone seems to know.

Any free kick for whatever reason taken from with a team's penalty area, including goal kicks, must clear the penalty area before it is play.

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Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

High school rules are the same (any free kick for the defense from inside its penalty area). Rule 13-3-2.

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