Penalty Kick Rules

A penalty is given when a foul that would normally result in a direct free kick — such as a trip, push, pull, or handball — occurs inside the defending team's penalty area. The location of the foul is decisive: the entire body of the fouled player (not the ball) must be inside or on the line of the penalty area. Once awarded, all players except the taker and goalkeeper must remain outside the penalty area and the penalty arc until the ball is kicked.

The kick must be taken from the penalty spot, with the ball stationary. The goalkeeper must remain on the goal line, between the posts, facing the kicker, without moving their feet until the ball is struck. If the goalkeeper moves too early and the kick is missed, the kick may be retaken. If the kick is saved and there is a goalkeeper encroachment, the kick is retaken. If the ball rebounds off the post or goalkeeper, the taker cannot play the ball again until another player has touched it — but teammates may follow up.

VAR has brought new scrutiny to encroachment — the illegal entry of players into the penalty area before the kick is taken. In practice, IFAB guidelines only require retakes if encroachment directly affected the outcome: a teammate who enters early and scores may see the goal stand; a teammate who enters and the kick is missed will see a retake ordered. The goalkeeper stepping off the line before the kick has become a flashpoint; referees now routinely check this on high-stakes penalties.

Penalty decisions have shaped football history. Germany's Andreas Brehme scored the decisive penalty in the 1990 World Cup final against Argentina. Zinedine Zidane's Panenka chip in the 2006 final remains one of the most celebrated penalty kicks ever taken. On the flip side, Roberto Baggio's miss in the 1994 final gave Brazil the World Cup. The laws surrounding penalties continue to evolve — IFAB confirmed rules clarifications ahead of Euro 2024 specifically addressing 'keeper movement and encroachment.