Penalty Kick - Procedure

Procedure

The penalty kick is taken from the penalty mark, which is two-thirds between the goal line and the edge of the penalty area, 12 yards (11 m) from the goal. The penalty kick taker (who does not have to be the player who was fouled) must be clearly identified to the referee and goalkeeper.

All players other than the defending goalkeeper and the penalty taker must be outside the penalty area, behind the penalty mark, and at least ten yards (9.15 m) from the ball until the ball is kicked. The penalty arc is used to enforce the 10 yard requirement. The goalkeeper must remain between the goalposts on the goal-line facing the ball until the ball is kicked, but may move from side to side along the goal-line. If the goalkeeper moves forward before the ball is kicked, then the penalty must be kicked again if a goal is not scored.

After the referee blows his whistle, which is the signal for the kick to be taken, the kicker must kick the ball in a forward direction. The ball must be kicked after a run-up by the taker, who may slow down, stutter or stop during the run-up, but may not feint when he is on the point of kicking the ball ("paradinha," Portuguese for "little stop"). If the taker scores after violating this rule, the kick must be re-taken and the kicker must be cautioned for unsporting behavior. If the kicker does not score the referee must stop play, caution the player, and restart the match with an indirect free kick for the defending team

The ball is in play once it has been kicked and moves forward and at this point other players from either team may enter the penalty area, after which play continues as normal. Usually a goal is scored, the ball has been kicked out of play or the keeper has gained control of the ball. Sometimes, the ball will rebound from the keeper or the goalpost/crossbar, in which case any goal scored thereafter does not count as a penalty kick goal.

The penalty kick is a form of direct free kick, meaning that a goal may be scored directly from it. If a goal is not scored, play continues as usual. As with all free kicks, the kicker may not play the ball a second time until it has been touched by another player. Thus the kicker may play the ball a second time only if the ball rebounds off the keeper, not if the ball rebounds directly off the goal frame without having touched another player.

A penalty kick is unusual in that, unlike other restarts, interference by an outside object while the ball is moving forward (directly after the kick has been taken) results in the kick being retaken, rather than the usual drop ball.

As in other restarts, an own goal may not be scored by the kicking team directly from the penalty spot; if the ball were to rebound off the goalpost, travel the length of the field, and enter the kicker's goal (an extremely unlikely scenario), a corner kick would be awarded. However, if the ball touched another player before entering the goal the goal would stand.