What is a free kick in soccer?

A free kick is given to the team that has been fouled or had a rule broken against them. The ball is placed at the spot of the offence, and the kicker plays it without anyone being allowed within 10 yards. There are two kinds: direct (can score straight from the kick) and indirect (must touch another player first).

The 30-second version

• Awarded for fouls, offside, and other rule violations.
• Direct free kick: can score directly. Used for physical fouls, handball, and similar offences.
• Indirect free kick: must touch another player before counting as a goal. Used for offside, dangerous play, technical offences.
• Defenders must be at least 10 yards from the ball.
• The kicker can take it immediately if the ball is stationary, no whistle needed.

Direct vs indirect — how to tell

The referee signals which it is.

• Direct free kick: the referee points to the spot and signals direction. They drop their arm.
• Indirect free kick: the referee raises one arm straight above their head and keeps it there until the ball is played and touches another player (or goes out).

If you see the ref's arm in the air, the kick is indirect.

What earns a direct free kick

Any of the direct-foul offences from Law 12:

• Kicking, tripping, pushing, holding, charging, jumping at, striking
• Tackling carelessly, recklessly, or with excessive force
• Handball

If a direct foul happens inside the defending team's penalty area, the result is a penalty kick instead of a free kick.

What earns an indirect free kick

Technical offences that don't involve direct physical contact:

• Offside
• Dangerous play (high foot, head-down chase into a kick)
• Impeding an opponent without contact
• Goalkeeper holding the ball more than 6 seconds, picking up a back-pass, or releasing and re-handling the ball
• Dissent that doesn't earn a card

How a free kick is taken

1. Ball is placed at the spot of the offence.
2. Kicker can wait for the whistle (if a card is being shown) or take it immediately.
3. Defenders must stand at least 10 yards from the ball — all of them, anywhere on the field.
4. The kick must move the ball; "kicking" is interpreted strictly — a single touch that moves the ball is enough.
5. The kicker cannot touch the ball twice in a row.

The 10-yard wall

When a free kick is in shooting range — usually 18 to 30 yards from goal — the defending team forms a wall of players standing shoulder-to-shoulder, 10 yards from the ball, blocking part of the shooting line.

Modern law: attacking players must be at least 1 yard away from the wall. They can't stand in the wall to push it apart or peel away as the kick is taken (a tactic that used to confuse the wall's organisation).

The wall is a defending tactic, not an obligation. A team can leave the wall off if they think a direct shot is unlikely.

Quick free kicks

If the ball is stationary at the right spot and the referee hasn't stopped play to show a card, the kicker can take it immediately — no whistle. Defenders won't have time to set up a wall.

This catches teams out:

• Forward picked up the ball and tapped it past a flat-footed defender to a runner.
• Defender turned to argue with the referee while the ball is being placed.
• The wall hadn't formed yet when the kicker drove a low pass past their feet.

The referee can stop a quick free kick if they intend to show a card or if the ball wasn't placed at the right spot.

A simple example

Defender holds an attacker's shirt 25 yards out, central. Referee blows the whistle and points to the spot. Direct free kick.

Defenders form a 4-man wall 10 yards from the ball, just outside the box. The attacker who was fouled steps up. He shoots, curling the ball over the wall and into the top corner.

Goal. (Direct free kick — no second touch needed.)

If it had been an indirect free kick (say, dangerous play), the same shot directly into the goal would not count. The kicker would have to roll it sideways to a teammate first.

Common confusion

• "The ref's arm is up — what does it mean?" Indirect free kick. Goal only counts after a second touch.
• "He scored from a free kick that was indirect." It only counts if another player touched the ball — even a defender's deflection counts.
• "The wall is 5 yards back, that's not legal." It is, until the kicker asks the referee to enforce 10 yards. Then the ref steps off the distance and the wall has to retreat.

What fans usually get wrong

• A free kick can be taken anywhere on the field, not just near the goal. Most are in midfield.
• Being inside the penalty area during a defensive indirect free kick (e.g., back-pass to keeper) means the kick is taken from the spot, with all attackers at least 10 yards or on the goal line.
• Encroachment is a foul — defenders less than 10 yards from the ball can be cautioned.

Official rule basis

Free kicks are governed by Law 13 of the IFAB Laws of the Game. The wall and 1-yard attacker rule was added in 2019 to reduce attempts to disrupt defensive setups.