A throw-in is awarded to the opponents of the player who last touched the ball when the whole of the ball passes over the touchline, on the ground or in the air.
\nA goal cannot be scored directly from a throw-in:
\nif the ball enters the opponents’ goal – a goal kick is awarded
if the ball enters the thrower’s goal – a corner kick is awarded
At the moment of delivering the ball, the thrower must:
\nstand facing the field of play
have part of each foot on the touchline or on the ground outside the touchline
throw the ball with both hands from behind and over the head from the point where it left the field of play
All opponents must stand at least 2 m (2 yds) from the point on the touchline where the throw-in is to be taken.
\nThe ball is in play when it enters the field of play. If the ball touches the ground before entering, the throw-in is retaken by the same team from the same position. If the throw-in is not taken correctly, it is retaken by the opposing team.
\nIf a player, while correctly taking a throw-in, deliberately throws the ball at an opponent in order to play the ball again but not in a careless or a reckless manner or using excessive force, the referee allows play to continue.
\nThe thrower must not touch the ball again until it has touched another player.
","lawSectionCategoryName":"Procedure","sectionIndex":"1","images":[]},{"lawSectionCategoryId":116,"lawSectionCategorySortOrder":2,"slug":"offences-and-sanctions","content":"If, after the ball is in play, the thrower touches the ball again before it has touched another player, an indirect free kick is awarded; if the thrower commits a handball offence:
\na direct free kick is awarded
a penalty kick is awarded if the offence occurred inside the thrower’s penalty area unless the ball was handled by the defending team’s goalkeeper, in which case an indirect free kick is awarded
An opponent who unfairly distracts or impedes the thrower (including moving closer than 2 m (2 yds) to the place where the throw-in is to be taken) is cautioned for unsporting behaviour, and if the throw-in has been taken, an indirect free kick is awarded.
\nFor any other offence, the throw-in is taken by a player of the opposing team.
","lawSectionCategoryName":"Offences and sanctions","sectionIndex":"2","images":[]}],"mobileHeader":null,"desktopHeader":null,"seo":{"title":"Law 15 - The Throw-in","description":"Throw in rules football, foul throw in football, offside from throw in"}},"title":"The Throw-in","chapterIndex":15,"nextChapterPath":"/laws/2025-26/the-goal-kick","previousChapterPath":"/laws/2025-26/the-penalty-kick","canonicalUrl":"https://www.theifab.com/laws/latest/the-throw-in/","isBasicLaw":true,"questionsAndAnswers":[{"id":3140,"publishDate":"2026-04-17T15:01:56Z","createdAt":"2026-04-08T12:47:52Z","question":"While taking a throw-in, a player holds the ball in front of them (partially above their head) and throws it onto the ground (the ball does not start its movement from behind the head). What is the correct decision if the ball enters the field of play and goes to the thrower’s team-mate?","answer":"Law 15 clearly states that the thrower must throw the ball ‘from behind and over the head’. If the movement of the ball starts in front of or above the head (not behind it), the throw-in is not taken correctly. In this case, the opposing team will take the throw-in.
","sectionOrder":1},{"id":3029,"publishDate":"2026-02-06T13:55:45Z","createdAt":"2026-01-13T12:07:11Z","question":"At the moment of delivering the ball at a throw-in, a player has one foot outside the field of play (behind the touchline) and one foot partly inside the field of play (with the heel touching the touchline). What is the decision if the ball is thrown and enters the field of play?","answer":"The referee allows play to continue as no offence has been committed. According to Law 15, part of each foot must be on the touchline or on the ground outside the touchline, so the throw-in has been taken correctly.
","sectionOrder":1},{"id":3005,"publishDate":"2026-01-16T14:55:18Z","createdAt":"2026-01-05T11:07:29Z","question":"The ball is kicked by a Team A player and is going towards a Team B player when it deflects off the referee and leaves the field of play by the touchline without touching any other player. What is the correct decision?","answer":"A throw-in is awarded to Team B, as the Team A player was the last to touch the ball before it went out of play. Play cannot be restarted with a dropped ball because the ball did not remain on the field of play after touching the referee.
","sectionOrder":0},{"id":2947,"publishDate":"2025-12-01T16:12:21Z","createdAt":"2025-11-04T11:44:08Z","question":"The ball goes out of play while two players are challenging for it near the touchline. The assistant referee indicates that the throw-in is awarded to Team A but a Team B player quickly picks up the ball and throws it onto the field before the referee intervenes. What is the correct decision?","answer":"The throw-in is retaken by Team A from the same position. There is no disciplinary sanction for the Team B player.
","sectionOrder":0},{"id":2839,"publishDate":"2025-09-24T13:34:10Z","createdAt":"2025-08-28T06:49:52Z","question":"While taking a throw-in, a player holds the ball over the head and then drops it onto the ground inside the field of play. What is the correct decision?","answer":"Law 15 clearly states that the thrower must ‘throw’ the ball. If the ball is ‘dropped’ and not thrown, the throw-in is not taken correctly. In this case, the opposing team will take the throw-in.
","sectionOrder":1},{"id":2838,"publishDate":"2025-09-03T14:26:38Z","createdAt":"2025-08-28T06:33:48Z","question":"A few minutes before the end of the second half, Team A, which is leading by one goal, is awarded a throw-in. A Team A player slowly walks to the touchline, picks up the ball, and excessively delays taking the throw-in. What is the correct decision if the referee intervenes before the ball is thrown?","answer":"The player is cautioned (yellow card) for delaying the restart of play. Since the ball has not entered the field of play, the thrower’s offence does not change how play is restarted so the throw-in is taken by the same team.
","sectionOrder":1},{"id":2469,"publishDate":"2025-04-29T06:58:11Z","createdAt":"2025-02-24T12:04:23Z","question":"At the moment of delivering the ball at a throw-in, a player has one foot outside the field of play and the other foot fully inside the field (not touching the touchline). The ball then enters the field and is intercepted by an opponent. What is the correct decision?","answer":"According to Law 15, the thrower must have part of each foot on the touchline or on the ground outside the touchline. Although the throw-in was not taken correctly, the referee may allow play to continue if the opposing team will benefit from the advantage.
","sectionOrder":1},{"id":2342,"publishDate":"2024-12-20T09:26:22Z","createdAt":"2024-11-07T08:11:06Z","question":"A player takes a quick throw-in and passes the ball towards their own goalkeeper in their penalty area. The goalkeeper is far from the goal line, reacts too late and does not touch the ball before it enters their team’s own goal. What is the correct decision?","answer":"The referee awards a corner kick to the opposing team because a goal cannot be scored directly from a throw-in.
","sectionOrder":0},{"id":2308,"publishDate":"2024-11-07T12:08:56Z","createdAt":"2024-10-10T12:54:20Z","question":"A player takes a long throw-in to a team-mate who is standing near the touchline, in the opponents’ half, far away from the thrower. After the ball is thrown, it bounces off the ground outside the field of play and then enters the field. What is the correct decision? ","answer":"If the ball touches the ground before entering the field of play, the throw-in is retaken by the same team from the same position (it does not have to be taken by the same player).
","sectionOrder":1},{"id":2206,"publishDate":"2024-08-29T14:22:08Z","createdAt":"2024-08-08T09:05:37Z","question":"While a player of Team A is taking a throw-in, an opponent (Team B) remains closer than two metres from the touchline, stands in front of the thrower and interferes with the restart of play. The thrower gets irritated and deliberately throws the ball at the opponent. What is the correct decision?","answer":"Both players receive appropriate disciplinary sanctions:
Team B player is cautioned (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour
Team A player is cautioned (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour (if the ball was thrown in a reckless manner) or sent off (red card) for violent conduct (if the thrower used excessive force)
As the throw-in has been taken and the opponent’s offence happened first, play is restarted with an indirect free kick to Team A from the position where the Team B player was standing.
","sectionOrder":2},{"id":1965,"publishDate":"2024-06-12T10:34:41Z","createdAt":"2024-02-08T13:59:18Z","question":"At the moment of delivering the ball at a throw-in, a player has one foot outside the field of play and one foot fully inside the field (not touching the touchline). The throw-in goes to a team-mate. What is the correct decision? ","answer":"According to Law 15, the thrower must have part of each foot on the touchline or on the ground outside the touchline. Therefore, the throw-in was not taken correctly and it is awarded to the opposing team from the same position.
","sectionOrder":1},{"id":1462,"publishDate":"2024-06-12T10:29:24Z","createdAt":"2023-04-13T09:27:33Z","question":"At the moment of delivering the ball, the thrower has both feet inside the field of play with the heels touching the touchline. After that, the ball touches the ground and goes to a team-mate. What is the correct decision? ","answer":"As long as part of each foot is touching the touchline (or the ground behind the line), the throw-in is taken correctly (regardless of where the rest of each foot is). No offence has been committed, so the referee allows play to continue.
","sectionOrder":1},{"id":1459,"publishDate":"2023-06-02T14:41:50Z","createdAt":"2023-05-04T05:24:02Z","question":"The ball goes out for a throw-in. A player picks up the ball nearest to where it left the field of play, moves 10 metres down the touchline towards the opponents’ goal and then throws the ball to a team-mate. What is the correct decision?","answer":"The referee awards a throw-in to the opposing team that must be taken from the correct (original) position.
","sectionOrder":1},{"id":1483,"publishDate":"2023-06-02T14:10:29Z","createdAt":"2022-01-03T12:00:26Z","question":"While a player is taking a throw-in, an opponent verbally distracts the thrower and shouts at them. What is the correct decision?","answer":"The opponent is cautioned (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour. If the throw-in has been taken, an indirect free kick is awarded from the place where the offender was standing.
","sectionOrder":2},{"id":1435,"publishDate":"2023-04-28T14:19:07Z","createdAt":"2023-04-05T06:55:31Z","question":"A player lifts one foot off the ground while taking a throw-in and the ball enters the field of play. What is the correct decision?","answer":"The throw-in is retaken by the opposing team because the Laws of the Game require the thrower to have part of both feet on/touching the ground (on or behind the touchline) at the moment of delivering the ball.
","sectionOrder":1},{"id":1399,"publishDate":"2023-03-15T11:41:41Z","createdAt":"2023-02-28T17:27:45Z","question":"A defender commits a reckless tackle against an attacker after the ball has been touched by the attacker and gone out over the touchline. What is the correct decision? ","answer":"The offender is cautioned (yellow card) for the reckless challenge even though it occurred after the ball was out of play. However, play is restarted with a throw-in for the defending team because the referee cannot award a free kick as the ball was outside the field of play at the time of the challenge.
","sectionOrder":0},{"id":1251,"publishDate":"2022-11-24T10:46:57Z","createdAt":"2022-10-12T10:26:14Z","question":"Team A player takes a throw-in and throws the ball towards the opponents’ penalty area. An attacker (Team A) attempts to take a shot but fails to kick the ball. The attacker’s movement confuses the goalkeeper (Team B) and the ball enters the goal (without touching any player except the thrower). What is the correct decision if the attacker was in an offside position at the moment the ball was thrown?","answer":"There is no offside offence because the attacker received the ball directly from a throw-in. As a goal cannot be scored directly from a throw-in, the referee awards a goal kick to Team B.
","sectionOrder":0},{"id":1250,"publishDate":"2022-11-03T11:30:47Z","createdAt":"2022-10-12T09:50:26Z","question":"A player takes a throw-in correctly. As an opponent will get the ball before the thrower's team-mates, the thrower runs and kicks the ball away to stop a promising attack. What is the correct decision? ","answer":"The thrower touched the ball again before it had touched another player. The referee awards an indirect free kick to the opposing team from the place where the second touch occurred. The offender is cautioned (yellow card) for stopping a promising attack.
","sectionOrder":2},{"id":905,"publishDate":"2022-02-08T07:12:33Z","createdAt":"2021-12-16T10:25:15Z","question":"Team A player takes a throw-in and throws the ball towards the opponents’ penalty area. The ball is going directly into the goal and Team B player (not a goalkeeper) handles the ball and prevents it from entering the goal. What is the correct decision?","answer":"The referee awards a penalty kick and cautions (yellow card) Team B player for unsporting behaviour. The offender cannot be sent off (red card) for denying a goal because a goal cannot be scored directly from a throw-in (if the player had not touched the ball and the ball had entered the goal, the goal kick would have been awarded).
","sectionOrder":0},{"id":832,"publishDate":"2021-11-26T07:41:27Z","createdAt":"2021-10-28T10:24:19Z","question":"When taking a throw-in correctly, a player from Team A deliberately throws the ball at an opponent to play the ball again. What is the referee’s decision? ","answer":"The referee allows play to continue – it is not an offence unless the ball was thrown in a careless or reckless manner or using excessive force, in which event a direct free kick is awarded to Team B and Team A player sanctioned accordingly.
","sectionOrder":1},{"id":377,"publishDate":"2020-08-24T13:29:19Z","createdAt":"2020-07-23T06:31:52Z","question":"A goalkeeper touches the ball with the hand/arm inside their penalty area after receiving the ball directly from a throw-in taken by a team-mate. What is the referee’s decision?","answer":"The goalkeeper is not permitted to handle the ball – an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team but there is no disciplinary sanction.
","sectionOrder":2},{"id":223,"publishDate":"2020-05-29T09:42:50Z","createdAt":"2020-04-29T13:39:10Z","question":"After the throw-in, the ball touches the ground before entering the field of play. How is play restarted?","answer":"The throw-in is retaken by the same team from the same position.
","sectionOrder":1},{"id":218,"publishDate":"2020-05-29T09:42:19Z","createdAt":"2020-04-29T13:15:13Z","question":"How is play restarted if a throw-in was not taken correctly? ","answer":"If the ball entered the field of play, the throw-in is awarded to the opposing team. If the ball did not enter the field of play, the throw-in is retaken by the same team.
","sectionOrder":1},{"id":217,"publishDate":"2020-05-29T09:41:50Z","createdAt":"2020-04-29T13:11:37Z","question":"An opponent unfairly distracts or impedes the thrower, including moving closer than 2 m (2 yds). What is the referee’s decision? ","answer":"The opposing player is cautioned (yellow card, YC) for unsporting behaviour. If the throw-in has been taken, an indirect free kick is awarded.
","sectionOrder":2},{"id":200,"publishDate":"2020-05-29T08:24:09Z","createdAt":"2020-04-28T12:33:04Z","question":"Can a goal be scored directly from a throw-in?\t","answer":"No. If the ball enters the opponents’ goal – a goal kick is awarded. If the ball enters the thrower’s goal – a corner kick is awarded.
","sectionOrder":0},{"id":187,"publishDate":"2020-05-29T08:22:29Z","createdAt":"2020-04-27T13:51:54Z","question":"According to Law 15, a player must stand to take a throw-in. Is it allowed to do a somersault beforehand? ","answer":"Yes – if at the moment of delivering the ball the player has both feet on the touchline (or on the ground outside the touchline), is facing the field of play and throws the ball with both hands from behind and over the head.
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