LAW 8- THE START AND RESTART OF PLAY

The Start of Play

LAW 8 – THE START AND RESTART OF PLAY

Dropped Ball

A dropped ball is a way of restarting the match after a temporary stoppage that becomes necessary, while the ball is in play, for any reason not mentioned elsewhere in the Laws of the Game.

Procedure

The referee drops the ball at the place where it was located when play was stopped. Play restarts when the ball touches the ground.

Infringements/Sanctions

If the kicker touches the ball a second time before it has touched another player:

• an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team to be taken from the place where the infringement occurred * (see page 3) For any other infringement of the kick-off procedure:

• the kick-off is retaken

The ball is dropped again:

• if it is touched by a player before it makes contact with the ground

• if the ball leaves the field of play after it makes contact with the ground, without a player touching it

Special Circumstances

A free kick awarded to the defending team inside its own goal area is taken from any point within the goal area. An indirect free kick awarded to the attacking team in its opponents’ goal area is taken from the goal area line parallel to the goal line at the point nearest to where the infringement occurred. A dropped ball to restart the match after play has been temporarily stopped inside the goal area takes place on the goal area line.