The Keeper and the
Laws of the Game

Updated 2001

      Because goal keepers are special players, there are several special laws (rules) that apply to them. Most of the special rules relate to the fact that keepers can handle the ball. These pages are designed to discuss the rules specifically affecting the keeper. We'll offer some suggestions about how to make sure that you don't run afoul of the rules. I encourage all keepers and keeper coaches to keep up with the changes in the laws of the game and rules for high school soccer.

The laws of the game require that a team must have a keeper. If a keeper can not continue playing, for example due to injury or ejection from the game, another player must take the keeper's place before the game can continue. The keeper must wear a jersey that is different in color form the jerseys of the field players on both teams. This is why keepers get to wear the pretty shirts.

The keeper, when playing in the his/her own penalty area, is allowed to deliberately play the ball with his/her hands. Until a few years ago, this was pretty much an unrestricted right. However, FIFA has made several changes in the laws to reduce the occasions where the keeper can handle the ball. And it appears that additional restrictions will be added in the future. So one message to keepers is:
Work on your foot skills.

At a minimum you must work on being able to kick a rolling ball out of danger with either foot. A keeper who can not kick a rolling ball out of danger, is going to give up easy goals. Actually the keeper should first work on playing the ball with a single good touch before kicking it.

Once the keeper leaves the penalty area, he/she becomes just another field player (but one with a pretty shirt). The keeper has no special rights.

Punishment

When the keeper handles the ball while in the the keeper's penalty area, in violation of the laws, the penalty is an indirect free kick. Note this because it is important. If the referee awards a direct kick or a penalty kick for violation of the keeper handling rules, the referee has made a serious error in applying the laws of the game. Also note that the keeper can not be sent off for stopping an obvious goal scoring opportunity by illegal use of her hands in her own penalty area. (The keeper can of course be sent off for stopping an obvious goal scoring opportunity by other fouls.)

Charging the keeper

The wording of the laws of the game regarding charging the keeper seem to be changing.  The keeper can now be charged fairly just as any other player. I'll try and update this section soon and compare High School and USSF decisions.

The keeper is expected to receive and give out some degree of contact. The contact, both ways, should be fair. This means, in my opinion, that neither the attacker can take a 10 yard run and plow into the keeper. A player going for a header should jump vertically for the ball--not horizontally into the keeper. The same applies to the keeper. If you saw the US Canada Men's' game you saw a good demonstration of the limits on the keeper. Canada's keeper came running out to clear the ball, missed the ball, and took out the US attacker. PK awarded. The Mexico/Canada game saw the referee take away a goal because he thought the attacker made deliberate contact with the keeper.

Exactly how a fair charge of a keeper holding the ball can be executed is a matter of debate among referees. Most referees feel that there are few situations where such a charge can be executed.

The laws say "When playing as a goalkeeper and within his own penalty-area:

having released the ball into play before, during or after the 4 steps, he touches it again with his hands, before it has been touched or played by a player of the opposing team either inside or outside of the penalty area, or by a player of the same team outside the penalty area, shall be penalized by the award of an indirect free-kick to be taken by the opposing side from the place where the infringement occurred, subject to the overriding conditions imposed in Law XIII.

Possession of the ball would include the goalkeeper intentionally parrying the ball, but would not include the circumstances where, in the opinion of the referee, the ball rebounds accidentally from the goalkeeper, for example after he has made a save."

This means that once the keeper releases the ball into play, he can not handle it again until is has been played by an opponent. The biggest problem I've seen with this is when the keeper "parries" the ball. How does the referee know when the keeper has made a save ("the ball rebounds accidentally") or when the keeper parries the ball? My advise is that if you make a save and want to pick the ball up, do so immediately. Don't dribble the ball around after you make the save and then try to pick it up. If you jump on the ball at once, you'll be OK. The only time I've called this penalty was in a game where the keeper made the save, dribbled to ball about 5 yards and then picked it up.

Now that the keeper can take as many steps as desired, there should be no reason to parry the ball.  If you can catch it, catch it.  If you have to give up a rebound, jump on the ball at once.

The laws say "When playing as a goalkeeper and within his own penalty-area:

touches the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a team-mate shall be penalized by the award of an indirect free-kick to be taken by the opposing side from the place where the infringement occurred, subject to the overriding conditions imposed in Law XIII."

The exact meaning of this law is a subject of debate by referees. The official line for USSF appears to be that the keeper can not handle a ball that has been deliberately kicked by a team-mate.  It does not matter what the team-mate intended.   (High School rules make it very clear that the law means the keeper can not handle a ball that has been deliberately kicked by a team-mate.) So for example, if your sweeper deliberately kicks the ball out of bounds, you can not use your hands to prevent the ball from going out of bounds. Note that referees are unsure of exactly how to call this and no two referees are likely to call it the same.

Some advise: If you need to handle the ball to prevent it from going into the goal--do it. You may give up an indirect free kick from the top of the six, but you'll not give up an own goal.
At any other time, if you have any doubts, kick the ball out of danger. Don't risk giving up an indirect free kick near your own goal..
Finally, don't worry about this law. Learn to play the ball with your feet and your head.

An aside: If one of your team-mates tries to use trickery to circumvent this law, he will get a yellow card and the opponents will be awarded an indirect free kick. Note that the team-mate will get the yellow even if you don't handle the ball. For example, a team-mate lifts the ball and then heads it to you. FIFA says this is trickery and instructs referees to issue a yellow card to your team-mate.

Note that effective July 1997, you can not handle a ball played to you by a team mate on a throw in.   Again there is a trickery instruction to the referee. A team-mate can not throw the ball to another team-mate who heads the ball to the keeper unless the opposing team has a chance to make a play on the throw in.

Work on those foot skills.

Additional thoughts

The back pass rule did not eliminate back passes to the keeper. Defenders still play the ball back to the keeper to relieve pressure. In the 94 World Cup keepers dealt with about 500 pass-backs in the 52 games. The keepers successfully cleared about 2/3 of these to team-mates. Jorge Campos was successful in over 3/4 of his clearances (29 of 38). As a keeper you need to work and train so that you can achieve this level of success.

I expect this rule to become more strict as time passes. FIFA wants more scoring and one way to get it is to put the keeper under more pressure. The long term message is "work on your foot skills." At a minimum be able to clear a rolling ball 100% of the time. When you are sure you can clear 100% of the balls played back to you, then you can work on getting the ball to your team-mates. See if you can do as well as Campos. See our suggested drills.

Updated 10/30/01

FIFA is waging war on goal keepers who waste time. So there are numerous laws and instructions to referees to make sure that the goal keeper does not waste time. As a keeper, you need to know what the referees are being told. If you waste time you are likely to get a yellow card and face an indirect free kick from somewhere close to your goal. Don't let it happen.

FIFA wants to have the ball in play more. Because the goal keeper can hold the ball and keep it out of play, FIFA is paying special attention to time wasting by the keeper. Thus we have the five to six second rule for putting the ball back into play. Failure to get the ball back into play will result in an "indirect free-kick to be taken by the opposing side from the place where the infringement occurred, subject to the overriding conditions imposed in Law XIII." The time limit applies after the keeper has handled the ball. If the keeper does not handle the ball, there is no time limit. (However, some referees will call an infraction even though they should not.)

Most referees don't count the seconds. If you get the ball back into play, you won't have any trouble. If you mess around with the ball, especially if your team is ahead, be prepared for a whistle and and indirect free kick. If you continue messing around, you can count on a yellow card.

We also have:
"If in the opinion of the referee a goalkeeper intentionally lies on the ball longer than is necessary, he shall be penalized for ungentlemanly conduct and (a) be cautioned and an indirect free-kick awarded to the opposing team, (b) in case of repetition of the offence, be sent off the field."

The clear message to FIFA for keepers and referees is "Don't waste time. Get the ball back into play as soon as possible."

As a keeper, you need to get your team-mates out and then play the ball to them as soon as possible.

FIFA and USSF want the referee should allow the keeper 5 to 6 seconds to put the ball in play after the keeper has gained clear possession of the ball. Exactly what this means is a matter of debate among referees, but the message should be clear to all goalkeepers and their coaches:

DON'T WASTE TIME! GET THE BALL BACK INTO PLAY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!

Rights of the Keeper

Does the keeper have special rights? Maybe.

The only obvious special right is the right to handle the ball in the penalty area. This right is not absolute, and is being reduced with each revision of the laws. However, it does provide the keeper with protection from yellow and red cards, even when he handles the ball in violation of the laws. And when the keeper handles the ball in the penalty area, the attackers are awarded an indirect free kick--never a penalty kick.

Law XII International F. A. Board Decision (IBD)

"If a player impedes the progress of the opposing goalkeeper, in an attempt to prevent him from putting the ball into play in accordance with Law XII, 5 (a), the referee shall award an indirect free- kick."

The keeper has the right to put the ball back into play without interference. This may be a special right, but it is really intended to avoid time wasting and get the ball out of the keeper's hands and back into play.

The keeper has the right to put himself in danger, for example by diving at an attacker's feet to get to a ball on the ground. Similar play by a field player could result in a dangerous play call. I guess this is a special right.

The bottom line is that the keeper has very few special rights.

Recent changes to the laws that affect the keeper

Last update 06/04/03

Recent revisions to FIFA laws of the game and High School Soccer rules affect keepers.You should be aware that several of the changes apply to the keeper directly. Some affect the way the keeper has to play on restarts. Note that effective 2001, US High School Rules are in line with FIFA and USSF rules..

The following are the changes and/or emphasis that directly affect the keeper. These are from the USSF Memo to referees:

Law 12 (Fouls and Misconduct)
- An indirect free kick is awarded if a goalkeeper handles the ball after receiving it from a throw in from his own team. USSF Advice to Referees: this change is intended to complement and extend the so-called "back pass" rule. Referees are reminded that the same considerations apply here as well. For example, a goalkeeper who controls the ball with his feet directly from a throw in by his own team and who then, with no intervening play of the ball by anyone else, proceeds to handle the ball has committed an offense and must be penalized in the manner prescribed. This restriction does not apply if the throw in is performed by an opponent of the goalkeeper, nor does it apply if the goalkeeper does not handle the ball.
 

Law 14 (The Penalty Kick)
- The new text states: "The defending goalkeeper remains on his go al line, facing the kicker, between the goalposts until the ball has been kicked". The phrase 'without moving his feet" has been deleted. USSF Advice to Referees: removing this phrase means that the goalkeeper is permitted to move his feet while remaining on the line (i.e.., moving sideways), but he is still not permitted to come off the line by stepping or lunging forward until the ball is in play Furthermore, as with the kick off, the ball is in play when it has been kicked and moves forward (see the general note regarding restarts at the end of this section).

. MANDATORY INSTRUCTIONS TO THE REFEREES

1. If the goalkeeper holds the ball for longer than 5-6 seconds, the Referee must adjudge it as time-wasting and award an indirect free kick. USSF Advice to Referees: the IFAB has indicated that the four-step rule has proven inadequate in getting the goalkeeper to put the ball back into active play without delay. The introduction of this mandatory instruction is to provide a guideline to "wasting time" under these circumstances and thus to speed the return of the ball to active play. Referees are reminded that their mechanic for measuring this time should not include! any actions which would draw unnecessary attention (for example, audible counting or hand displays of elapsed seconds).

The changes that keepers need to be aware of are:

Law 8 (The Start and Restart of Play)
- "A goal may be scored directly from the kick off."
- "The ball is in play when it is kicked and moves forward.

Law 13 (Free Kicks)
- "The ball is in play when it is kicked and moves.

Law 16 (The Goal Kick)
- "A goal may be scored directly from a goal kick." USSF Advice to Referees: Law 16 states further that such a goal may be scored only against the opposing team. So you can not score on yourself directly from a goal kick.

General Note Regarding Restarts

- The requirement that the ball be moved "the distance of its circumference" before being considered "in play" on a kick off, indirect free kick, direct free kick penalty kick, or comer kick has been eliminated entirely. Thus, indirect and direct free kicks and comer kicks are now only required to be kicked and to move, while kick offs and penalty kicks are required only to be kicked and to move forward, in order to be considered in play. As before, a free kick awarded to the, defense inside its penalty area is not in play until it exits the penalty area into the field. The IFAB has emphasized that only minimal movement is needed to meet the "kicked and moves" requirement.

Note: These change affect  USSF and  high school .

The changes that directly affect the keeper basically mean that your ability to use your hands is more restricted, and that referees are under pressure to make you put the ball back into play sooner.

The new law that says that the ball is in play when it is kicked and moves means that the keeper will have to be pay close attention on indirect free kicks. The "kicked and moved" requirement means that indirect free kicks will become more like direct free kicks. So stay awake.

The fact that a goal can now be scored directly from the kick off means that the keeper will have to stay awake on kick offs. Especially on kick off after your team has scored. You've all seen it, the keeper runs out, gives out a high five or two after the goal and then slowly walks back to the goal while the kick off takes place. Big players on a short field can blast the ball into the goal while you're walking back.

The fact that you can know move side to side on PKs doesn't seem to be that useful unless you can get a clue from the kicker as to where the ball is going before it's kicked. I expect that a lot of keepers will be encouraged to guess which way to go and will end up looking very silly. My advise is don't guess on PKs. Stand your ground.

High School Rules for Goal Keepers

Last update 06/04/03

High School rules and FIFA (USSF) rules for keepers are now in line with each other. 

The big change in 2001 was that keepers now have unlimited steps and 5-6 seconds to get the ball back into play - the FIFA rule adopted in 2000.

Note that the material on these pages, except for direct quotes from the Laws of the Game, is not official FIFA, USSF, or other rule making body interpretation of the laws.

If you have questions or comments, you can drop a note to Les at less@ntrnet.net.

Copyright 1996-2002 ©Les Sparks

Les Sparks had the Goalkeeper's Corner website for the Carolina United Soccer Club from 1996 - 2002. 

Created: 12/20/99
Last Updated: 06/04/03

Since February 24, 1999
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