Penalty Kick Rules: What the Kicker, Goalkeeper and Other Players Must Do
A penalty is the biggest chance a team can get in open play: one shot from 11 metres against only the goalkeeper. Because so much is at stake, Law 14 sets precise rules for everyone involved.
When is a penalty awarded?
A penalty is given when a player commits a direct free kick offence inside their own penalty area while the ball is in play, for example a trip, a push, holding or a handball. The position of the offence matters, not the position of the ball. The lines are part of the area, so a foul on the line is inside the box. Read which offences are direct free kicks in our free kick guide.
Where everyone stands
- The ball is placed on the penalty mark, 11 metres (12 yards) from the goal line. It must be stationary.
- The kicker must be clearly identified to the referee.
- The goalkeeper stays on the goal line, between the posts, facing the kicker, without touching the posts, crossbar or nets, until the ball is kicked.
- All other players must be inside the field, outside the penalty area, outside the penalty arc and behind the penalty mark.
The goalkeeper's line rule
At the moment the ball is kicked, the goalkeeper must have at least part of one foot touching, in line with or behind the goal line. Keepers may move sideways along the line but cannot step forward early. Since 2019 they no longer need both feet on the line, which gave goalkeepers a little more freedom.
The kicker's rules
- The ball must be kicked forward. A backheel is allowed only if the ball moves forward.
- Feinting during the run-up is allowed. Stopping or feinting to kick the ball after completing the run-up is not, and the kicker is cautioned.
- The kicker cannot touch the ball a second time until another player has touched it.
- A team-mate may take the kick only if they were identified; a different player stepping up unannounced is an offence.
What happens if someone breaks the rules?
| Offence | Penalty scored | Penalty missed or saved |
|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper moves off the line early | Goal stands | Kick is retaken (and the keeper may be cautioned for repeat offences) |
| Attacker encroaches into the area | Kick is retaken | Indirect free kick to the defence |
| Defender encroaches | Goal stands | Kick is retaken |
| Kicker feints after the run-up | Indirect free kick to the defence and a caution for the kicker | |
Encroachment only leads to a retake if the player who encroached has an impact on the kick, for example by playing a rebound. Referees and VAR check this carefully in big matches.
Rebounds
If the goalkeeper saves and the ball stays in play, anyone can play it, including the kicker. If the ball hits the post or crossbar and comes straight back, the kicker cannot touch it again until another player has. Doing so gives an indirect free kick to the defence.
Penalties in shoot-outs
Kicks from the penalty mark at the end of a cup tie follow the same basic rules, with extra procedures about who kicks and in what order. See extra time and penalty shoot-outs.
Penalties in the data
On EHScore, a goal from the spot is marked with a (P) in the Events tab. A missed penalty may also appear as an event, depending on the data feed. Penalty-takers often top the scoring charts, which you can see on each competition's Top Scorer tab.