Kick-off and Dropped Ball Rules in Football
Every half starts with a kick-off, and every goal is followed by one. The dropped ball is the restart used when the referee stops play for something that is not an offence. Both were updated in recent years.
The coin toss
Before the match, the referee tosses a coin with the two captains. The team that wins the toss chooses either which goal to attack in the first half or to take the kick-off. The other team gets the other choice. In the second half, teams change ends and the team that did not kick off in the first half takes the kick-off.
Kick-off rules (Law 8)
- The ball is placed on the centre mark and must be stationary.
- All players must be in their own half.
- Opponents must be at least 9.15 metres away, outside the centre circle, until the ball is in play.
- The ball is in play once it is kicked and clearly moves. Since 2016 it can be kicked in any direction, including backwards; before that, it had to go forward.
- The kicker cannot touch the ball again until another player has touched it.
- A goal can be scored directly from a kick-off against the opponents. If the ball goes straight into the kicker's own goal, a corner is awarded to the opponents.
After a goal, the team that conceded takes the kick-off. Kick-offs also start each period of extra time.
What is a dropped ball?
A dropped ball restarts play when the referee has stopped the game for a reason that is not a foul or misconduct, for example:
- a serious injury when no foul occurred;
- an outside object or person interfering with play;
- a damaged ball;
- the ball touching the referee in certain situations (see below).
The modern dropped ball procedure (since 2019)
Before 2019, the referee dropped the ball between players from both teams, who then competed for it. The Laws were changed to make restarts fairer:
- If play was stopped inside the penalty area, or the ball was last touched there, the ball is dropped for the defending goalkeeper.
- In all other cases, the ball is dropped for one player of the team that last touched it, at the place where it was last touched.
- All other players, from both teams, must stay at least 4 metres away until the ball is in play.
- The ball is in play as soon as it touches the ground.
A goal cannot be scored from a dropped ball until it has been touched by at least two players. If it enters a goal earlier, the restart is a goal kick or corner depending on which goal.
When the ball hits the referee
The referee is part of the field of play, but since 2019 play stops with a dropped ball if the ball touches a match official and:
- goes directly into the goal;
- possession changes to the other team; or
- a promising attack starts.
Otherwise, play continues. This prevents teams from gaining or losing a chance just because the ball bounced off the referee.
Sportsmanship after injuries
Traditionally, when a team kicks the ball out so a player can receive treatment, the other team gives it back from the throw-in. That custom is not in the Laws, but the dropped ball procedure now achieves a similar result automatically when the referee stops play.
Read more restarts: throw-ins, corners and goal kicks and free kicks.