Laws of the Game
A quick free kick does not always earn a retake when an opponent is nearby
A quick free kick can be intercepted by a nearby opponent without a retake. Learn how IFAB distinguishes interception from deliberately blocking the restart.
FROM THE TOUCHLINE
football rules
Laws of the Game
Can a team score directly from a throw-in? Follow where the ball goes next
A throw-in cannot score a goal directly. Learn how the restart changes and why the next touch matters when watching a long throw.
Laws of the Game
What happens when a football loses pressure during play?
Learn how IFAB Law 2 handles a defective ball in open play, at a restart and during a penalty, and why the referee controls its replacement.
Reading the Match
What the Raised Arm Means at an Indirect Free Kick
Read the referee’s indirect-free-kick signal and follow the next touch before deciding whether a goal can count.
Reading the Rules
A Penalty Shoot-Out Is Not Extra Match Time
Understand why a football penalty shoot-out is a separate deciding procedure and how to read its score alongside the match result.
Match Laws
A Dropped Ball Restarts Play Without Being a Free Kick
Understand who receives a dropped ball, when it becomes live and why the referee’s restart is different from a free kick.
Reading the Match
Playing Advantage Is Different From Taking a Quick Free Kick
Distinguish continuous play under advantage from a quick restart after a whistle, using the referee’s decision and the ball’s status as your guide.