A corner kick is awarded when the whole of the ball passes over the goal line, on the ground or in the air, having last touched a player of the defending team, and a goal is not scored
A goal may be scored directly from a corner kick, but only against the opposing team; if the ball directly enters the kicker’s goal, a corner kick is awarded to the opponents.
","lawSectionCategoryName":"Introduction","sectionIndex":null,"images":[]},{"lawSectionCategoryId":110,"lawSectionCategorySortOrder":1,"slug":"procedure","content":"The ball must be placed in the corner area nearest to the point where the ball passed over the goal line
The ball must be stationary and is kicked by a player of the attacking team
The ball is in play when it is kicked and clearly moves; it does not need to leave the corner area
The corner flagpost must not be moved
Opponents must remain at least 9.15 m (10 yds) from the corner arc until the ball is in play
If, after the ball is in play, the kicker touches the ball again before it has touched another player, an indirect free kick is awarded; if the kicker commits a handball offence:
\na direct free kick is awarded
a penalty kick is awarded if the offence occurred inside the kicker’s penalty area, unless the kicker was the goalkeeper, in which case an indirect free kick is awarded
If a player, while correctly taking a corner kick, deliberately kicks the ball at an opponent in order to play the ball again but not in a careless or reckless manner or using excessive force, the referee allows play to continue.
\nFor any other offence, the kick is retaken.
","lawSectionCategoryName":"Offences and sanctions","sectionIndex":"2","images":[]}],"mobileHeader":null,"desktopHeader":null,"seo":{"title":"Law 17 - The Corner Kick","description":"Corner kicks, corner football, corner kick rules"}},"title":"The Corner Kick","chapterIndex":17,"nextChapterPath":null,"previousChapterPath":"/laws/2025-26/the-goal-kick","canonicalUrl":"https://www.theifab.com/laws/latest/the-corner-kick/","isBasicLaw":true,"questionsAndAnswers":[{"id":2997,"publishDate":"2026-01-09T15:38:54Z","createdAt":"2025-12-16T10:28:56Z","question":"A goalkeeper takes a goal kick and plays the ball towards a defender who is inside their penalty area, facing the goalkeeper and unaware of an opposing attacker waiting outside the penalty area. After the ball is kicked and clearly moves, the attacker quickly runs into the penalty area and is about to intercept the ball. The defender then makes a late challenge and carelessly fouls the attacker. What is the correct decision?","answer":"The referee awards a penalty kick. The defender is cautioned (yellow card) if the illegal challenge for the ball denied the attacker an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. Law 16 – The Goal Kick requires opponents to be outside the penalty area until the ball is in play, so the attacker has not committed an offence.
","sectionOrder":1},{"id":2467,"publishDate":"2025-03-19T15:20:42Z","createdAt":"2025-02-24T11:49:14Z","question":"A defender approaches an attacker to block their shot on goal. While attempting to do so, the defender moves their left hand/arm towards their body to avoid handling the ball. Despite this, the ball touches the hand/arm, which is placed on the defender’s chest, and then goes out over the goal line without touching any other player (no goal is scored). What is the correct decision?","answer":"This is not a handball offence because the defender did not deliberately handle the ball, and their left hand/arm was close to the body, not making it unnaturally bigger. Play is restarted with a corner kick.
","sectionOrder":0},{"id":2347,"publishDate":"2024-12-20T09:31:08Z","createdAt":"2024-11-07T10:03:36Z","question":"A player on the field changes places and shirts with the goalkeeper without informing the referee, while the ball is in play. Shortly after the change, an opponent takes a shot and the new goalkeeper pushes the ball over the crossbar with their hands, preventing it from entering the goal . What is the correct decision?","answer":"According to Law 3, if a player changes places with the goalkeeper without the referee's permission, the referee allows play to continue and cautions both players when the ball is next out of play. Therefore, play is restarted with a corner kick, and both players are shown a yellow card before the kick is taken.
","sectionOrder":0},{"id":2346,"publishDate":"2024-11-22T13:37:06Z","createdAt":"2024-11-07T09:57:11Z","question":"An attacker commits a late sliding tackle, recklessly fouling a defender near the goal line. The tackle occurs shortly after the defender has kicked the ball and it has already gone out for a corner kick. What is the correct decision?","answer":"The attacker is cautioned (yellow card) for the reckless tackle, even though it occurred after the ball was out of play. However, play is restarted with a corner kick because the referee cannot award a free kick as the ball was outside the field of play at the time of the reckless tackle.
","sectionOrder":0},{"id":2211,"publishDate":"2024-08-29T14:23:22Z","createdAt":"2024-08-08T13:41:39Z","question":"Before a corner kick is taken, the assistant referee notices that the ball is over the corner arc (in the air) but does not touch the corner area. What is the correct decision?","answer":"The corner kick is allowed to be taken. Law 17 does not require the entire ball to be inside the corner area or for it to be touching the line (arc) or the ground inside the line. As long as part of the ball is overhanging the corner line (arc), its position is correct.
","sectionOrder":1},{"id":2061,"publishDate":"2024-05-24T11:29:34Z","createdAt":"2024-04-25T09:40:18Z","question":"An attacker kicks the ball which then hits the defender’s arm inside their penalty area and quickly goes out over the goal line (but not in the goal). Initially, the referee awards a penalty kick for handball, but after an 'on-field review', the referee cancels the penalty kick because the ball touched the defender’s arm when it was close to their body and did not make it unnaturally bigger. What is the correct decision? ","answer":"If the referee had blown a whistle before the ball went out, play is restarted with a dropped ball for the defending team goalkeeper. If the ball was already outside the field of play when the referee whistled, play restarts with a corner kick.
","sectionOrder":0},{"id":1330,"publishDate":"2023-02-01T09:57:00Z","createdAt":"2023-01-04T10:07:09Z","question":"A player of Team A prepares to take a corner kick. At the same time, one of their team-mates challenges for position with a defender (Team B) and is pushed by the opponent before the ball has been touched by the kicker. What is the correct decision?","answer":"The defender can be warned, cautioned (yellow card) or sent off (red card), depending on the severity of the push. Play is restarted with the (original) corner kick because a penalty kick cannot be awarded as the ball was not in play at the time of the offence.
","sectionOrder":1},{"id":1284,"publishDate":"2023-01-05T12:56:14Z","createdAt":"2022-11-15T07:25:04Z","question":"When a corner kick is taken, a defending team player is closer than 9.15 m from the corner arc and interferes with the player who is taking the kick. What is the correct decision?","answer":"The corner kick is retaken, unless the referee plays advantage (if such an opportunity arises). The defending team player is cautioned (yellow card) for failing to respect the required distance.
","sectionOrder":1},{"id":186,"publishDate":"2020-05-29T08:22:24Z","createdAt":"2020-04-27T13:50:36Z","question":"A player intentionally kicks the ball at an opponent in order to play the ball again. What is the referee's decision? ","answer":"The referee allows play to continue unless the ball was kicked in a careless or reckless manner or using excessive force, in which event a direct free kick is awarded to the opponents.
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