Question Number: 35949

Other 6/26/2025

RE: Competitive - league Under 13

Frank Bromfield of Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal South Africa asks...

Hi there. I am the coach for the u/13 girls soccer. I have two questions concerning the goalkeeper.
Question 1
If the goalkeeper block the ball in his 18 yard box to stop a scoring attempt from the attacking team where must the ball be kicked from to restart the game and what type of kick must it be. Can the goalkeeper place the ball on the ground or hold the ball to kick it.
Question 2
If the goalkeeper blocks the ball in the 18 yard box and has the ball under control where must the kick be taken from and how is it kicked to restart the game. Kind regards Frank Bromfield

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Frank,
In neither of the scenarios you describe, is there a specified way that play must proceed. The ball is actually still in play, so there is no restart, as such.

In both scenarios, the goalkeeper is free to distribute the ball any way they want. They can place it on the ground, kick it from their hands or throw it. If they throw it or kick it from their hands, they can do that from any position inside the penalty area. If they put it on the ground they can kick it from inside the penalty area or they can dribble it outside the penalty area and then kick it.

One thing to mention is that from this season, once the goalkeeper has control of the ball with the hands, they must release it within 8 seconds. The referee will decide when the keeper has control and will start counting down. For the last five seconds, the referee will indicate the count using their fingers. If the keeper does not release the ball within the required time limit, the referee will award a corner kick to the opposition.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Frank
my colleague has answered as if the questions were asked when the ball is in live play. In other words there's an attacker that's simply taking a shot on goal.
This 18 yard box you're referring to is what we call the penalty area.

In free play the ball is live and all 22 players are capable of making a play for the ball unless the keeper has the ball in his hands. Once the keeper has the ball in their hands the opposition is unable to challenge. The opposition can only challenge if the ball is loose on the ground or at the keeper's feet. Sometimes the ball is caught up underneath the keeper The opposition must be very careful not to foul the keeper if they tried to play a ball that is not in his hands but the keeper is actually laying on top of it

Inside that area if there is a direct free kick foul against the defenders it's converted into a penalty kick which is 12 yards away from the centre of goal itself. You might notice that big D that's outside the 18 yard penalty area that is what the perimeter area would be to keep all players 10 yards from the point of the penalty kick marker.

When the keeper is legally allowed to pick up the ball as any shot from an opponent would be fine they have 8 seconds to decide what to do with it before they must either kick it, throw it or place it back on the ground. They can do this from any placw within the 18 yard penalty area and they are permitted to run around anywhere inside the 18 year penalty area during that time.

The opposition is not allowed to prevent them from doing so. Once the keeper has released or placed the ball on the ground they can still dribble the ball, they just cannot pick it up a second time unless the ball has actively touched another player. To do so inside the penalty area would be an indirect free kick against them. Outside the penalty area a direct free kick for deliberate handling and likely a card of some sort.

Inside the 18 yard penalty area, the keeper is permitted to use their hands unless there is a restriction from a deliberate kick by a teammate or a second touch violation. The keeper can still use his feet or body to stop the ball and kick it, he just cannot use his hands.


Inside the 18 yard penalty area there's a six yard goal area. Any kick the attackers kick over the goal line but not into the goal itself a goal kick is awarded and must be taken within that 6 yard goal area from a stationary point on the ground anywhere within it. That would also include any free kick that was awarded inside that goal area in favor of the defence, it would take place anywhere within it and it would be placed on the ground in a stationary position and then kicked into play.

If there's a penalty shot being taken from the 12 yards spot inside the penalty area and the keeper makes a save, play simply continues the opposition is free to follow through and kick it or the defenders are free to clear it out. if the keeper managed to get control with his hands he can hang onto it for eight seconds before he throws kicks or puts it down again. If the PK kicker misses and then Keeper's team will be awarded a goal kick which will be placed on the ground inside the 6 yard goal area. if the ball deflects off the keeper and he gets a touch on it as the ball goes out over the goal line but not a goal, the opposition will get a corner kick.

As of the 2025/26 season, FIFA and IFAB have officially extended the time a goalkeeper can hold the ball in their hands from 6 seconds to 8 seconds.

But here’s the twist: if the keeper exceeds 8 seconds, the punishment is no longer an indirect free kick — it’s now a corner kick awarded to the opposing team, under the new 8-second rule, referees now use a visual countdown signal to make it crystal clear to everyone what's happening. The official rule says the referee starts a visible 5-second countdown after 3 seconds of goalkeeper possession2. So in theory:

🕒 0–3 seconds: No signal, just internal count.

✋ At 3 seconds: Ref raises a hand and begins the visible countdown: 5… 4… 3… 2… 1.

🧤 By 8 seconds: Keeper must release the ball.

🚩 If not, it’s a corner kick to the opposing team.

But here’s the kicker (pun intended): in practice, referees often give a little leeway. Just like the old 6-second rule, this new one might stretch to 10–12 seconds depending on the situation — especially if the keeper is under pressure or the ref is managing game flow with a light touch.

So while the countdown starts at 3 seconds, it’s not like a shot clock with a buzzer. It’s more of a visual nudge to keep things moving and discourage the 15-second time-wasting routines we’ve all seen.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Frank
Thanks for the question and well done in offering your time and service to Underage coaching.

Q1. I am somewhat unclear as to what happened the ball after the block. Did it go out of play from the save in which case it is a corner kick to the attacking team. If the last touch is from the attacking team beforr it goes over the goal line it is a goal kick which means the ball is placed in the goal area for a kick out.
See Law 16
Q2
In this case it reads like the goalkeeper has caught the ball in which case the goalkeeper can throw or punt the ball out of the hands. Many goalkeepers use the distance of the penalty area while holding the ball to make a punt. The kick is made just before reaching the penalty area line and it should be done within roughly 8 seconds.

The only time a goalkeeper cannot use the hands is where the ball has been deliberately kicked to the goalkeeper by a team mate. When that happens the goalkeeper will not use the hands and the ball will be kicked off the ground like a regular player.

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