Soccer goal kick rules for kids

In soccer, a goal kick is given when the attacking team touches the ball last before the whole ball crosses the goal line and no goal is scored. A defender or the goalkeeper kicks it from anywhere inside the goal area, and the other team waits outside the penalty area until the ball is kicked.

Soccer is called football in most of the world. This guide is part of Futbol Island’s free football lessons for kids aged 7 to 12.

Goal kick: diagram

A goal kickDiagram on a 11v11 soccer field, seen from above. The gold team attacks up the picture and the other team is in dark green. The goalkeeper takes the goal kick from inside the goal area. Two defenders stand wide inside the penalty area to receive a short pass. The three opponents wait outside the shaded penalty area until the ball is kicked and clearly moves.G4569711
The goalkeeper takes the goal kick from inside the goal area. Two defenders stand wide inside the penalty area to receive a short pass. The three opponents wait outside the shaded penalty area until the ball is kicked and clearly moves. Open this diagram as a picture.

What the referee looks for

  • Who touched it last: an attacker, so it is a goal kick and not a corner.
  • The ball is still, and inside the goal area (the small box).
  • Opponents are outside the penalty area until the ball is in play.
  • The ball is in play as soon as it is kicked and clearly moves. It does not have to leave the penalty area.
  • The kicker does not touch it twice before someone else does.

Rule: Law 16. Read it in the Laws of the Game (The IFAB).

Common mix-ups

  • “The ball has to leave the penalty area.”

    Not any more. Teammates may receive a goal kick inside their own penalty area, which is why defenders stand next to the goal.

  • “Only the goalkeeper can take it.”

    Any player on the defending team may take a goal kick.

  • “You can be offside from a goal kick.”

    No. There is no offside when you receive the ball straight from a goal kick.

In 7v7, 9v9, 11v11 and futsal

GameHow the rule works
7v7In the U.S. Soccer standards the other team must drop behind the build-out line until the goal kick is taken. The goalkeeper may not punt or drop-kick in open play either.
9v9As in the full game. There is no build-out line.
11v11Law 16 in full.
FutsalNo goal kick. The goalkeeper throws or releases the ball from the penalty area within four seconds. This is called a goal clearance, and it cannot score a goal directly.

These are the Laws of the Game and typical US youth standards. Your league may differ, so check its rules. Sources: IFAB Laws of the Game (current edition), U.S. Soccer small-sided standards, US Youth Soccer playing rules (December 2025) and the FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26. Checked on November 10, 2026.

Questions about goal kick

  • Can you score from a goal kick?

    Yes, against the other team. If the ball somehow goes straight into the kicker’s own goal, the other team gets a corner kick instead.

  • Where do you place the ball for a goal kick?

    Anywhere inside the goal area, the small box in front of the goal. It does not have to be on the line or on the side where the ball went out.

  • Can a defender stand in the box on a goal kick?

    Teammates of the kicker can. Opponents have to stay outside the penalty area until the ball is in play.

  • What is the build-out line on a goal kick?

    A line used in US 7v7 games for under-9s and under-10s. The other team waits behind it until the goal kick is taken, so the kicking team can pass short.

Lessons that go with this rule

Keep reading

Futbol Island is a free football (soccer) learning game for kids aged 7 to 12. Every idea on this page is taught on a pitch with moving players, then checked with a quick quiz.

Play the lesson: Goal Kick & Build-Out Line