Penalty Kick Rules in Football: Law 14 Explained
A penalty kick is awarded when a player commits a direct free-kick offence, such as a trip, push or handball, inside their own penalty area while the ball is in play. The rules are in Law 14 of the Laws of the Game.
Where everyone must be
- The ball is placed on the penalty mark, 11 metres (12 yards) from the goal line.
- The kicker must be clearly identified.
- The defending goalkeeper must stand on the goal line, between the posts, facing the kicker.
- All other players must be inside the field, outside the penalty area, behind the penalty mark and at least 9.15 m from the mark, which is what the penalty arc marks out.
The goalkeeper's line rule
Until the ball is kicked, the goalkeeper must have at least part of one foot touching, or level with, the goal line. The keeper may move along the line and wave their arms, but must not touch the posts, crossbar or net, or distract the kicker unfairly.
The kicker's rules
- The ball must be kicked forward. A back-heel is allowed if the ball moves forward.
- Feinting during the run-up is allowed. Feinting once the run-up is complete, just before kicking, is not, and is punished with a caution.
- The kicker must not touch the ball again until another player has touched it.
Encroachment and retakes
If a player enters the penalty area too early, the outcome depends on who it was and what happened:
| Who encroached | Goal scored | No goal |
|---|---|---|
| Attacking player | Retake | Indirect free kick to defence |
| Defending player | Goal stands | Retake |
| Goalkeeper off the line | Goal stands | Retake, if it clearly affected the kicker |
Encroachment only matters when it has an impact on the kick, for example when an encroaching player scores or blocks the rebound.
Time added for a penalty
If a penalty is awarded at the end of a half, time is extended until the penalty has been completed.
Penalty shootouts are different
In a shootout, the kicker cannot score from a rebound, because the kick ends as soon as the ball stops moving, goes out of play or the referee stops play. Only players on the pitch at the end of extra time may take part, and every eligible player must kick before anyone takes a second.
Try it yourself in our Penalty Shootout game, and see when penalties are given in the handball rule and VAR explained.