Ask the Referee — Youth Soccer Rules Q&A

Yes, a goalkeeper is a player, like other players, and can score a goal. They can be responsible for an own goal, if they touch the ball and it goes into their own goal, or they could go to the other end of the pitch and score. They simply cannot use their hands outside of their own penalty area. (There is one other extremely unlikely scenario with goalkeepers. A goalkeeper is not allowed to throw the ball directly into the opposing goal. If they did, it would be a goal kick for the other team. But if you ever see that happen, let me know!)

The simple answer is “no.” But let’s get into a bit more detail. The goalkeeper is entitled to handle the ball when the ball is inside the penalty area. So the goalkeepers feet and body could be outside the penalty area, so long as the ball is inside. But if the goalkeeper reaches out of the penalty area and touches the ball, it would be a handball offense.

This can get complicated along the edges. If the ball is partly in and partly outside the penalty area, the goalkeeper may touch the part of the ball that is within the penalty area, but not the part outside the penalty area. (Keep in mind that the part of the ball on or above the line marking the penalty area is part of the penalty area.) On those very close calls, especially when part or most of the ball is on or inside the penalty area line, referees want to be very sure the goalkeeper is touching the ball outside before whistling for an offense. As the offense occurs outside the penalty area, the restart would be a direct free kick, not a penalty kick. There can ++never++ be a penalty kick for a goalkeeper handball offense.

(An aside for those who have been around the Game a while and might question part of the answer. It used to be that we were taught that if any part of the ball was in the penalty area, then the goalkeeper could touch any part of the ball. You may have been taught that in a referee class or coaching class. That interpretation changed recently, and the goalkeeper is only entitled to touch the part of the ball in the penalty area (including the part that is on or above the line).)

The simple answer is that outside the penalty area, the goalkeeper is treated exactly the same as any other player with respect to a hand ball offense.

That means that this becomes a judgment call for the referee. If, in the opinion of the referee, the handling of the ball was not deliberate, then the question is whether the player made himself unnaturally bigger in a way that unfairly affected the other team. This part of the handball offense is typically a lesser consideration in younger games than at professional games, where players have greater control of their bodies. So, if in the opinion of the referee, the goalkeepers arms were out of the way or in a natural position and the goal keeper did not deliberately touch the ball with his arms or hands, it would not be an offense.

I’d add one other note here. There is a myth in some places that any time a goalkeeper commits a handball offense outside the penalty area, it is an automatic red card. I’ll repeat--that is a myth. Outside the penalty area, a goalkeeper would be cautioned (for stopping a promising attack) or sent off (for denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity) only if a field player would have been cautioned or sent off for the same hand ball offense.

It depends. Where the goalkeeper steps doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is where the ball is while it is still touching the goalkeeper’s hand. Goalkeepers often release the ball from their hands from within the penalty area by putting it forward so that when they kick it they are far out of the penalty area. That is totally permissible. All that matters is where the release the ball.

Advice to referees and assistant referees: it is often difficult to tell exactly where the ball left the goalkeepers hand. We don’t want to punish the goalkeeper for this unless we are are really sure that the ball was carried outside the penalty area before it was released. The time we really want to enforce this is if it is blatant. If a goalkeeper is getting close, it is a good idea for the assistant referee, who should be watching for this, to remind the goalkeeper to be careful about the line.

Yes — as long as the goalkeeper is in the penalty area. The Laws of the Game permit a goalkeeper (the one in the funny shirt!) to use her hands anywhere in the penalty area, which is the larger rectangle in front of the goal. It doesn’t matter where other players are — so long as the goalkeeper handles the ball within the penalty area, that is permitted. The only exceptions are those special goalkeeper offenses punishable by an indirect free kick: the goalkeeper may not handle the ball if she was already holding it and deliberately released it, if the ball was deliberately kicked to the goalkeeper by a teammate, or if the ball was thrown directly to the goalkeeper from a throw-in.

The first question is whether the ball was deliberately kicked to the goalkeeper by a teammate. While people often say “pass back” as it is convenient, the direction of the play does not matter — only whether the ball was deliberately kicked to the goalkeeper. Law 12 provides that an indirect free kick is awarded if the goalkeeper “touches the ball with the hand/arm, unless the goalkeeper has clearly kicked or attempted to kick the ball to release it into play, after: it has been deliberately kicked to the goalkeeper by a team-mate.” Nothing in the Law addresses where the goalkeeper was when the goalkeeper received the ball. So, if the ball is deliberately kicked to the goalkeeper (inside or outside of the penalty area) the goalkeeper may not use their hands, and if they do, an indirect free kick is awarded to the other team at the spot where the goalkeeper used their hands to touch the ball.

Note, however, that if an opponent had played the ball to the goalkeeper or if a teammate had played the ball to the goalkeeper other than a deliberate kick, the goalkeeper would be permitted to dribble the ball into the penalty area and pick it up, as it had not been deliberately kicked to them by a teammate.

Play does not actually stop when the goalkeeper holds the ball — but opponents are not allowed to challenge the goalkeeper for the ball while the goalkeeper has the ball in her hands. (And in 10U, opponents must go beyond the build-out line.) Since the ball is in play, as soon as the goalkeeper puts the ball on the ground, any player is free to try to play the ball.

A goalkeeper is permitted to handle the ball in the penalty area. It does not matter where the goalkeeper’s feet are. All that matters is where the goalkeeper’s hand touches the ball. The goalkeeper may touch the part of the ball that is in the penalty area (which includes the line that contains the penalty area). Of course, if the goalkeeper is standing outside the penalty area when touching the ball, the goalkeeper must be careful not to bring the ball outside of the penalty area with the hands. If the goalkeeper carries the ball outside of the penalty area, it becomes a direct free kick for the other team just outside the penalty area.

When the goalkeeper leaves the penalty area, the goalkeeper is just like any other player, which means that if the goalkeeper carries the ball entirely out of the penalty area, it is a handball offense resulting in a direct free kick just outside the penalty area.

A few things to be careful about:

• It is the position of the ball that matters. If any part of the ball is on or over any part of the penalty area line, that is considered inside the penalty area and the goalkeeper is permitted to touch the ball — even if the part of the hand touching the ball is outside the penalty area.
• On punts, what matters is where the ball is when it leaves the hand, not where the ball is kicked. Often a goalkeeper will release the ball from inside the penalty area but toss it forward so it is kicked outside the penalty area, which is perfectly permissible.
• This isn’t the kind of call that should be a “gotcha,” especially on a field with poor markings. Referees should look for blatant violations and only call handling on the goalkeeper if it is very clear that the goalkeeper handled the ball when the ball was outside the penalty area.

No, opponents of the goalkeeper do not need to leave the penalty area when the goalkeeper has the ball. (This sometimes gets confused with a goal kick after the ball goes out of play over the goal line — on goal kicks the opponents do have to leave the penalty area until the kick is taken.)

While opponents can be inside the penalty area, they cannot interfere with the goalkeeper trying to punt or throw the ball. Law 12 tells us an indirect free kick is awarded when an opponent “prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from the hands or kicks or attempts to kick the ball when the goalkeeper is in the process of releasing it.” So as long as the opponent in the penalty area is leaving the goalkeeper alone, there is nothing the referee needs to do. If an opponent is bothering the goalkeeper, it is often more effective for the referee to simply call out “leave the goalkeeper alone please!” rather than blowing the whistle.

Note for 10U referees: The above does not apply in games with the build-out line. In games with the build-out line, once the goalkeeper has the ball, opponents need to retreat back past the build-out line, and the referee should remind them if necessary.

An opponent may not kick or attempt to kick the ball when the goalkeeper has possession. Possession includes the goalkeeper having a hand (or body) on the ball pinning the ball to the ground. But if the goalkeeper fumbles the ball so that the ball is loose, opponents are free to challenge for the ball as long as they do so with appropriate care. If an opponent trying to get the ball kicks the goalkeeper, that is a kicking foul. But if the attacker can kick the ball without kicking the goalkeeper and without pushing the goalkeeper off the ball, that is not a foul. There is no special rule at 10U — this is simply application of Law 12. At 10U, referees should err on the side of protecting the goalkeeper — but that does not mean a referee should call a foul on an opponent who is fairly and safely challenging for the ball.

Short answer: Direct free kick.

When the goalkeeper is outside of the penalty area, the goalkeeper has no special rights or privileges. Since deliberate handling is one of the direct free kick offenses in Law 12, if the goalkeeper deliberately handles the ball outside the penalty area, the offense results in a direct free kick.

Outside of the penalty area refers to the position of the ball. If any part of the ball is on or above even a smidgen of the line, the goalkeeper is still able to touch any part of the ball.

On punts, referees need to keep in mind that what matters is where the ball is when the goalkeeper lets go of the ball — not where the ball is when it is kicked. Many goalkeepers will release the ball inside the penalty area but kick the ball well outside, which is perfectly legal. If referees or assistant referees suspect minor violations on punts, it is advisable to warn the goalkeeper before calling the infraction.

Editor’s note: In Core 10U, if a goalkeeper’s little finger is touching the ball, nobody should be swinging a foot at them.

Short Answer: (1) If in the opinion of the referee a goalkeeper has possession of the ball, an opponent may not kick the ball. (2) It is completely appropriate — and encouraged — for the referee team to work together and for referees to consult with their assistant referees when the assistant referee has information that may help the referee make a final decision. The ultimate decision is up to the Referee.

A Bit More Explanation: When, in the opinion of the referee, a goalkeeper has possession, kicking the ball is a foul and a direct free kick would be awarded to the goalkeeper’s team. USSF has explained goalkeeper possession:

“The goalkeeper is considered to be in possession of the ball when the ball is: held with both hands, held by trapping the ball between one hand and any surface, or held in a single hand (gripped or in an outstretched open hand). Once established, possession is maintained while the ball is held as described above, while bouncing the ball on the ground, running with the ball, or while throwing it into the air.”

The goalkeeper simply touching the ball does not mean opponents have to let the goalkeeper pick up the ball. If in the opinion of the referee the ball is still moving around uncontrolled, opponents are free to try for the ball, so long as they do so in a safe and appropriate manner.

On the question of the assistant referee: there is no such thing as a “head referee” or “lines person.” The referee team is made up of a referee (who has the whistle) and two assistant referees (who have flags). The referee is responsible for all decisions on the field, but should always work together with assistant referees to get it right. Law 5 makes clear that a referee may change a decision based on input from an assistant referee if the game has not yet restarted.

While the 6-second rule sounds like a simple black-and-white rule, that is not how the game applies it. The rule is intended as one of judgment — and it carries a very harsh penalty, as it creates a significant scoring opportunity for the opponent. Accordingly, referees are not trained to count off the seconds the way a basketball referee would.

(Indeed, watch a professional match and goalkeepers routinely hold the ball for more than 6 seconds. The rule replaced a “four step” rule and is simply intended to be applied with judgment so that the game moves forward without excessive delays.)

When in the opinion of the referee it is necessary, referees should encourage goalkeepers to release the ball more quickly. Only when a goalkeeper continues to delay after being warned should a referee consider calling the infraction.

Note: technically, the 6 seconds does not start until the goalkeeper has clear possession. For 10U: the 6 seconds would not start until all opponents have retreated beyond the build-out line.

Short answer: Yes.

The official Interpretations of the Laws of the Game provides that a goalkeeper is considered to be in control of the ball “while in the act of bouncing it on the ground or tossing it into the air.” That means that when the goalkeeper bounces the ball, an opponent is not permitted to try to kick the ball away.

While a goalkeeper is permitted to bounce the ball, it may not be a good idea. If the ball hits an odd clump of grass and bounces away, an opponent is free to challenge for the ball. And since the goalkeeper released the ball, the goalkeeper would not be permitted to use her hands to get the ball back unless the attacker touched the ball first. (If she used her hands it would be an indirect free kick for the other team, as she touched the ball with her hands after releasing it from her possession before it touched another player.)

Simply, no. The question assumes that the referee made a mistake in not calling offside. Under the Laws of the Game, the decisions of the referee on the facts of the game are final. In competitions that permit protests, a protest on a missed offside call cannot be granted because the referee’s decision during the match that it was not offside is the “fact” of the match and cannot be a basis for replaying the game.

The overly simple answer is “it depends.” The key question for the AR and referee is the nature of the “touch” by the defender. If it is a deflection off the defender, then the player would remain offside and should be penalized. But if the defender played the ball, it would remove the offside restrictions.

For practical purposes in an AYSO game, before we consider it a play, we are looking for the defender to have demonstrated some level of control over the ball. If the defender can only stab at the ball or can’t reach it readily to make a clean play, we should consider that a deflection — and if the ball goes to that offside-positioned attacker, we should award the indirect free kick for interfering with play.

At the 10U and 12U levels: if you are having trouble deciding if there was enough to be considered a play, treat it as a deflection.

More advanced note: If a defender traps the ball and keeps it close, the player who was in an offside position is not permitted to immediately challenge that opponent for the ball. If challenged immediately, the player should be called offside for interfering with an opponent.

For each player we consider the part of the body closest to the goal line, except for the arms.

As assistant referees, keeping track of the players can be a challenge. That’s why we stay with the second-to-last defender or the ball, whichever is closest to the goal line. When we are with the second-to-last defender, squarely facing the field, we watch what part of her body (ignoring the arms) is furthest back toward the goal line. In practice, this is almost always the back foot, but on occasion can be the player’s head or shoulder.

If we keep that spot identified, then any attacker with a body part (other than the arms) past that is going to be in offside position. Don’t forget that offside position only matters if the player is in that position at the moment a teammate plays or touches the ball, and then the offside-position player becomes involved in active play.

(Some people ask about goalkeepers — even for those situations where the goalkeeper becomes the second-to-last defender, we don’t consider arms in assessing offside position.)

It is true that a “snapshot” is not expressly in Law 11, but the concept is there. Law 11 language: “A player in an offside position at the moment the ball is played or touched by a teammate is only penalized on becoming involved in active play.”

There are three ways to discard a snapshot:

• If a teammate touches or plays the ball, throw out the old snapshot and replace it with a new one.
• If play is stopped (ball leaves the field, or the referee stops play for a foul or any other reason), throw out the snapshot. There will be no new snapshot until a player on that team touches the ball again.
• If an opponent deliberately plays the ball, the offside snapshot is thrown out and not replaced.

If the ball simply deflects or rebounds off a defender (or a defender makes a save), keep the snapshot and consider a player who was offside at the moment her teammate last touched the ball to have gained an advantage. But Law 11 tells us: “A player in an offside position receiving the ball from an opponent who deliberately plays the ball (except from a deliberate save by any opponent) is not considered to have gained an advantage.” Once an opponent deliberately plays the ball, throw out the snapshot.

Short Answer: Offside position is re-evaluated each time the ball is played by or touches a teammate. So if the player returns to an onside position and the ball then touches a teammate, the player will no longer have offside status.

Law 11 tells us that offside position is evaluated each time the ball is played by or touches a teammate. A player in offside position at the time a teammate plays or touches the ball cannot become actively involved in play until one of three things happens:

• Play is stopped (the ball leaves the field or the referee otherwise stops play)
• A teammate again plays or is touched by the ball (at which time offside position is re-evaluated)
• An opponent plays the ball (not a save)

Our question doesn’t say how the ball was redirected. If the player was in offside position when her teammate took a shot, and came back to an onside position while the ball struck the goal post directing the ball to him, the player would still be called for an offside infringement — none of the three things occurred to reset the offside analysis.

If, however, it was another touch by a teammate that directed the ball to him, then offside position would be re-evaluated at the time of that next touch. If the ball was redirected by an opponent who deliberately played the ball (other than a save), there would be no offside possible.

These can be challenging situations, especially with younger players. First, remember that having arms out is not an offense — it is only if that arm pushes the other player that the offense has occurred. Sometimes both players will have their arms out, but neither is actually pushing the other.

A pushing foul occurs when that arm actually pushes the other player in a way that creates a disadvantage — typically meaning the push impacts the ability of the opponent to maintain their speed or position. When two players are running side by side, that will often mean the opponent is pushed out of their travel path.

The referee needs to watch for whether either player is actually pushing the opponent in a way that impacts the ability of the opponent to continue in their path or at their speed. The best position to see this well is typically about 5–10 yards behind the players, as that allows the referee to see both the arms and whether a player is pushed off their path.

Ideally, the proactive referee speaks to the players as the situation develops before either reaches the level of a foul — “Careful with the arms, please” lets the players know the referee sees what is happening and is ready to make a call.

If the referee decides both players have reached the level of a pushing foul, punish the one who pushed first; if they push at the same time, punish the one who pushed the hardest.

“Kicking the ball from the ground” is not an offense. But playing in a dangerous manner is an indirect free kick offense. The question is when, in the meaning of the Laws of the Game, kicking the ball while on the ground becomes “playing in a dangerous manner” (sometimes referred to as PIADM).

The concept of PIADM is that by creating danger to herself or an opponent, the player unfairly makes it hard for the opponent to safely play the ball. So if there is no opponent around, it’s easy — there can’t be PIADM because there is not an opponent to unfairly interfere with.

When there are opponents around, the referee has to make a judgment call. In general, if there are several players around the ball and one is on the ground trying to kick it instead of getting up, it will likely be PIADM, as the other players can’t kick at the ball without kicking the player on the ground. But if the player on the ground gives a quick kick to get the ball away before opponents are unfairly impacted, then no offense has occurred.

The younger and less skilled the players, the more quickly the referee should decide that the player on the ground is creating an unsafe situation and call a PIADM offense.

Yellow and red cards are a communication tool used by referees to indicate that a player has been formally cautioned or has been sent off for misconduct. (They were first imagined in 1966 by Ken Aston to overcome language barriers in international matches — Aston later became a great friend of AYSO.)

As a matter of philosophy, AYSO avoids them at younger ages, not because misconduct is acceptable, but to avoid the public nature of showing the card. That means referees can still caution or send off players for misconduct, but would do so by speaking to the player and the coach. (Any such cautions or send-offs should be noted on the game card.)

Fortunately, at younger ages misconduct is unusual, so the issue rarely arises. As a general matter in AYSO, the cards are not used as a communication tool until 12U. (At 12U and even 14U, referees are encouraged to be kind and low-key when using the cards, and to explain what is happening to the player and why.)

In the unlikely event a younger player is sent off for misconduct during a game, in addition to noting it on the game card, referees should promptly contact the Division Referee Administrator.

In soccer, the Laws of the Game define a tackle as “a challenge for the ball with the foot (on the ground or in the air).” So the simple answer is that, yes, tackling is allowed. Law 12 tells us that one of the direct free kick fouls is tackling when it is careless, reckless, or with excessive force. Put another way, a challenge for the ball with the foot must be done with care so that it is not dangerous to the opponent.

That generally means there should not be significant contact with the opponent who had the ball, and that any contact should come only after the contact on the ball. If the tackle is simply the defender stopping the ball with her foot, and the opponent then trips over the ball, that is not a foul.

Slide tackles at 10U: Slide tackles are only permitted if done with adequate care. But most 10U players lack the skill to execute a fair slide tackle, so attempts at slide tackles at that age are very likely to be careless tackles — which means a direct free kick foul. Keep in mind the referee mantra: Safe, Fair & Fun.

If what you meant was an American-football type tackle, of course that would be a foul. Whether the referee sees it as a holding foul, charging foul, or pushing foul doesn’t really matter — any of those would be direct free kick fouls.

A few things to keep in mind here. First, on a goal kick the ball is not in play until it is kicked and clearly moves. So the ball is still not in play when the goalkeeper puts it down on the ground.

The only potential issue about picking it up and moving it before kicking it is an inappropriate delay of the restart. There is no specific rule in the Laws of the Game about moving the ball from side to side. If the referee believes this is or becomes a delaying tactic, it could become a caution (yellow card) for delaying the restart of play. (The restart would continue to be a goal kick.) In a 12U game, this can typically be handled by the referee encouraging the players to get play restarted more quickly.

Note: This is different from high school rules. High school rules specifically call out moving the ball on a goal kick as a delay tactic that should be cautioned. Some people familiar with high school may mistakenly think this is a universal rule, but it applies only in high school games.

For goal kicks, there was a revision to the build-out line rule for 2018. On a goal kick, the opponents may cross back from the build-out line when the ball is in play. With the 2019 law changes, this means as soon as the ball is kicked and clearly moves.

(For goalkeeper possession, the opponents may come back from the build-out line as soon as the goalkeeper releases the ball from her hands.)

Answered 9.17.18 — Revised 9.6.19

There is no restriction on the distance a goal kick can be kicked. Further details on the build-out line rules can be found with other player development initiatives at AYSO.

Exactly. For a goal to score (and indeed any time the ball leaves play) the whole ball must cross over the whole line. That is true whether the ball is in the air or on the ground — the line shoots straight up.

On close plays, one has to be very close to the goal line to know for sure whether the whole ball crossed the whole line, or whether that last smidgen of the ball is hanging over a smidgen of the line. Assistant Referees should be trying very hard to be standing on the goal line when these events arise so they can make the close call.

One trick that Assistant Referees use is to line up with the goal posts — the goal posts should have their back edges on the back portion of the goal line. If the Assistant Referee is on the goal line so the goal posts line up, she can tell if the whole ball crossed the whole line by seeing if the ball passes the post.

The simple answer is that there is not a blanket prohibition on toe cleats.

There is an ongoing myth that toe cleats are prohibited. AYSO has formally recognized this pervasive myth in its FAQs:

“It has been perpetuated that toe cleats are illegal in soccer. This may have developed from the fact that some players new to the game showed up in baseball shoes which often have cleats on the toe. A blanket statement that toe cleats are not allowed is too narrow. The myth that metal cleats are not legal is also not uncommon. Metal cleats (usually aluminum) are acceptable, but the Referee must inspect all types of cleats to ensure that there are no burrs or sharp edges. The Referee must examine the particular footwear in question and determine if it presents any unreasonable danger to the participants.”

For referees: Review cleats for anything that may be dangerous to another player. Even most modern baseball or football cleats for youth are made of a softer material than the hard plastic or metal cleats of old, and as such it is unlikely they will be dangerous, even with a toe cleat. (And a reminder — players are not required to wear cleats. A player wearing tennis shoes should be permitted to play. Baseball or track spikes are not permitted, as they are clearly dangerous in soccer.)

For parents: Cleats designed for soccer are strongly preferred. Soccer cleats are designed for kicking the ball and for the movements we make playing soccer. If a player is wearing baseball or American football cleats, the player runs the risk that the referee on a given day will decide that the particular shoe is dangerous to opponents.

If, in the opinion of the referee, the gloves are not dangerous, then yes a player can wear gloves. Referees should check to make sure the gloves are soft without hard materials inside.

Yes there is. It is not safe for a player who needs an alert bracelet to take it off, so we make a qualified exception. The bracelet must be taped down with only the medical alert portion exposed, so that another player’s finger cannot get caught. This exception is specific to medical alert bracelets only and cannot be used for other jewelry.

In Region 13, kick-ins are used at 6U, and we transition to throw-ins for 7U and 8U. Players are not allowed to elect to do a kick-in instead. Our Region 13 guidelines for 8U and younger can be found in the Referee Document Library.

In Region 13, 7U teams do throw-ins. We only do kick-ins for 6U.

This and other rules specific to 6U/7U/8U can be found in the Region 13 Guidelines for 6U/7U/8U Referees. You can find this and other useful referee materials on our Region 13 website: go to the Referee page, select Referee Resources, and select Referee Document Library. All 6U/7U/8U referees are encouraged to be familiar with the document and use it as a resource for reminders for the rules that apply for those age groups.

Short Answer: Ask them to move back!

Assistant Referees are entitled to enough space to do their jobs. Many parents (and some coaches) aren’t familiar enough with what they do to really understand that Assistant Referees need space behind the touchline at that end of the field — they are running down the touchline, with a flag in one hand, while looking at the field, not the spectators.

Before the game starts, Assistant Referees should check and make sure there is enough space. If there isn’t, simply ask the parents to move back — do it with a smile, and maybe say something like “I really don’t want to land in your lap when I’m running!” If they inch up, or new arrivals come and set up too close, ask them in a friendly way to move back.

In those rare cases that parents are not responsive, ask the coach for help. In the unlikely event that the coach is not enough to solve the problem, the Assistant Referee should call the Referee to the touchline. The Referee can tell the coach that the game will not start (or restart) until the parents move back. But things shouldn’t get that far — polite requests should be enough.