Following a minor infraction an indirect free is given to the opposing team. The indirect free kick restart is similar to the direct free kick in that opposing players must be 10 yards from the ball; however, another player must touch the ball before a goal can be awarded directly off a shot.
The referee indicates an indirect free kick by raising his arm above his head. He maintains his arm in that position until the kick has been taken and the ball has touched another player or goes out of play. A drop ball, goal kick, and throw-ins are all indirect restarts. Click through the tabs below to review these restarts.
Drop Ball
Goal Kick
Throw-In
When the referee stops play due to injury, an emergency or when a call isn’t clear, play is started again by a drop ball. The ball is dropped in neutral territory and must touch the ground before it is played. If the ball is played before touching the ground, the ball is dropped again.
A goal kick is awarded to the defending team when the ball crosses their goal line after having been last touched by the attacking side. The goal kick is taken from the goal area and must clear the penalty area before being touched by anyone. If such a violation occurs, the goal is retaken.
A throw-in is taken along the touchline at the point where the ball went out of play. It is awarded against the team that last touched the ball before it went out of play.
The ball must be thrown into play with a two-handed overhead movement with both feet on the ground. The player can stand on or behind the sideline. An improper throw-in results in loss of possession and a throw-in for the opponent.
No goal can be scored from a throw-in, and the thrower may not play the ball again until it has been touched by another player.
