Last reviewed: April 2025
Penalty Kicks
SoccerThe exact rules refs use to judge an illegal save or encroachment
Rule
A penalty kick is awarded when a foul that would normally result in a direct free kick occurs inside the fouling team's penalty area. The kick is taken from the penalty spot, 12 yards from goal. All players except the goalkeeper and the kicker must be outside the penalty area and arc until the ball is kicked. The goalkeeper must remain on the goal line, between the goalposts, until the ball is struck — at least part of one foot must be touching, in line with, or behind the goal line.
Common Misconception
The biggest source of confusion isn't the kick itself — it's what happens when something goes wrong before or during it. Encroachment and goalkeeper positioning violations don't automatically trigger a retake. The guiding principle is whether the violation actually affected the outcome or gave the offending team an unfair advantage. A defender who sneaks into the area early but whose team still concedes a goal hasn't gained anything — the goal stands. An attacker who encroaches and whose team scores may have distracted the goalkeeper — retake. The referee reads the situation, not a checklist.
What Matters in the Moment
Referees watch for four things: goalkeeper position on the line, encroachment by outfield players, the kicker's run-up, and whether the ball was properly placed on the spot. On encroachment — the outcome-based principle in practice: — Defending player encroaches + goal scored → goal stands (they didn't benefit) — Defending player encroaches + kick missed → retake only if the encroachment clearly influenced the kicker — Attacking player encroaches + goal scored → retake or disallow (they may have distracted the goalkeeper) — Attacking player encroaches + kick saved → no retake (they didn't benefit) — Both teams encroach → retake regardless, no card issued On the goalkeeper: coming off the line early follows the same principle. If the kick scores despite it, the goal stands. If the kick is saved, retake only if it clearly influenced the kicker. On the kicker's run-up: feinting and stuttering during the approach is legal. Once the run-up is complete, the kicker must kick the ball forward — any deceptive act at that point earns a caution and gives the defending team an indirect free kick from the spot.
Ruleset Note
Law 14 encodes an outcome-based approach to infringements: violations that didn't affect the result, or that harmed the offending team's own chances, generally don't trigger a retake. The kicker feinting infringement (caution + indirect free kick) is the main exception where the outcome is irrelevant — the deception itself is the offense, so the sanction applies whether the ball went in or not.
Realistic Example
The Call
A penalty is struck cleanly into the corner. Post-kick, the referee notices an attacking player was inside the area during the kick. No retake — the goal stands. The attacking player's encroachment didn't benefit their team on a kick that was already in the net.
The Murky Case
A penalty is saved, the rebound falls to the same attacker, who scores. VAR then confirms the goalkeeper was off the line before the kick. No retake — the original save was affected, but the rebound goal was a separate play. The infringement window closes once the ball has been played again after the initial kick. The goal stands.
Honest Take
Penalty kicks are the most legalistic part of soccer. The rules around encroachment, goalkeeper position, and kicker movement are detailed and rarely enforced to the letter — which means when they are enforced, it feels arbitrary. Referees have traditionally focused on obvious violations; VAR has made every millimeter reviewable. The result is more correct decisions and more procedural controversy.
Last reviewed: April 2025
Get the ref's perspective on your game
Describe what happened. We'll explain what the referee was looking at and whether the call holds up.
Analyze a call →Free — no account required for your first calls