Yes, you can score directly from kickoff in football. Under the Laws of the Game, a goal counts if the ball is kicked from the center mark and goes straight into the opposing team’s goal without touching another player.
The rule has an important exception: if the ball goes directly into the kicker’s own goal, the other team receives a corner kick instead. Here’s how the restart works, what happens when the ball goes out, and which common kickoff mistakes can change the decision.
can you score directly from kickoff in football?
Yes. In association football, also called soccer, a player may score straight from a kickoff. The ball does not have to touch a teammate or an opponent first, as long as the kickoff is taken correctly and the ball enters the opposing goal.
The rule comes from Law 8 of the IFAB Laws of the Game, which covers the start and restart of play. A kickoff begins each half and restarts play after a goal. Once the ball is in play, a direct shot can count just like any other shot on goal.
There is one special outcome if the ball goes straight into the kicker’s own goal: the opponents are awarded a corner kick. It is not counted as an own goal. The rules treat the ball as having gone directly into the wrong goal from a kickoff, so play restarts with a corner.
What must be true for a kickoff goal to count?
A spectacular long-range goal still needs a valid restart behind it. Before the kick, the ball must be stationary on the center mark, and the referee must give the signal. The team taking the kickoff can choose a player to take it, and that player may kick the ball in any direction.
At the moment of the kickoff, players other than the kicker must be in their own half. Opponents must also stay at least 9.15 meters (10 yards) from the ball until it is in play. These positions help create a clear restart and give both teams a fair chance to begin play.
The ball is in play when it is kicked and clearly moves. It no longer has to travel forward. That change matters because older versions of the rules required a forward kick; under the current rule, a player can pass backward or sideways from the center mark.
For a direct goal, the ball must cross the goal line between the posts and beneath the crossbar, provided no other rule has been broken. The ball can take a bounce or change direction off the goalkeeper before entering the goal. If it crosses into the opponents’ goal directly from the kickoff, the goal is awarded.
The kicker cannot play the ball twice in a row
The player taking the kickoff must not touch the ball again until another player has touched it. This restriction applies even if the first kick was a short pass or the ball rebounds back to the kicker.
If the kicker touches it a second time before anyone else does, the referee awards an indirect free kick to the opposing team from the spot of the second touch. If the second touch is a handball offense, the restart may instead be a direct free kick or a penalty kick, depending on where it happened and the circumstances.
This does not prevent a direct goal. The kicker may strike the ball once from the center mark and send it into the other team’s goal. The issue is only a second touch by that same player before someone else plays the ball.
What happens in different kickoff situations?
The direction the ball travels and the goal it enters determine the restart. Use this table to distinguish a legal kickoff goal from the main exceptions.
| What happens | Decision | Best way to remember it |
|---|---|---|
| The ball goes directly into the opponents’ goal | Goal | A direct score is allowed. |
| The ball goes directly into the kicker’s own goal | Corner kick to the opponents | It is not an own goal from the kickoff. |
| The ball goes out over a touchline before anyone else touches it | Throw-in to the opposing team | The team that did not take the kickoff gets the throw. |
| The ball crosses the kicker’s goal line but misses the goal | Corner kick to the opponents | The kickoff taker’s team touched it last. |
| The ball crosses the opponents’ goal line but misses the goal | Goal kick to the defending team | The attacking team touched it last. |
| The kicker touches the ball a second time before another player | Indirect free kick to the opponents | The kicker must wait for another player’s touch. |
The table assumes the kickoff was properly taken and no other offense occurred. A foul, an offside offense after the ball is in play, or another infringement can affect the restart or whether a goal stands.
How to take a legal kickoff
If you are taking the kickoff, follow these steps to avoid giving away an avoidable restart. The process is simple, but the referee’s signal and the ball’s movement both matter.
- Place the ball on the center mark. It must be stationary before the kick.
- Check player positions. Your teammates and the opponents must meet the kickoff positioning rules. Opponents stay at least 9.15 meters (10 yards) away until the ball is in play.
- Wait for the referee’s signal. Do not start the match or restart play before the referee signals.
- Kick the ball so it clearly moves. You can pass it forward, sideways, or backward.
- Let another player touch it before playing it again. This avoids the second-touch offense.
Once the kick has been taken and the ball clearly moves, play is live. The opponents can challenge for possession, and your team can build an attack. If your first kick is aimed at goal and the ball goes straight in, the referee can award the goal.
Can the goalkeeper stop a shot from kickoff?
Yes. The goalkeeper can attempt to save a direct shot, and the defending team can also block it or clear it. The fact that the shot came from a kickoff does not make the goal automatic. The ball must still cross the line completely, and the referee must find no reason to disallow the score.
If the goalkeeper catches the ball, play continues in the keeper’s possession. If the keeper parries it back into play, either team can challenge for the rebound. The kicker cannot touch it again until another player has touched it, but other players have no such restriction.
A goalkeeper may also be positioned away from the goal line when the kickoff is taken. That can leave a chance for a long attempt, but the keeper is still free to move and make a save once play begins. A direct shot is legal, not guaranteed to score.
Why do players try a shot straight from the center?
A kickoff goal is unusual, but a player may attempt one if the goalkeeper is far from the goal line or caught off guard. The ball has a long distance to travel, so the attempt needs enough power and accuracy to beat the keeper and stay on target.
Teams may also use the kickoff to create a planned attack rather than shoot immediately. A short pass can draw opponents forward, while a longer pass may send a teammate into space. Since the ball can be played in any direction, the team taking the kickoff can choose the restart that suits its plan.
A long shot is a high-risk choice. If it misses, the defending team gets a goal kick, and the attacking team has given away possession without building pressure. A quick pass is often more useful when teammates are available and the goalkeeper is well positioned.
Common kickoff misconceptions
The ball does not have to go forward
Under the current Laws of the Game, a kickoff can go in any direction. A backward pass is legal as soon as the ball is kicked and clearly moves. Confusion often comes from old versions of the rules, which required the ball to travel forward.
A teammate does not need to touch the ball before a goal
A direct goal is allowed from the kickoff. The ball can go straight from the kicker’s foot into the opponents’ goal. The no-second-touch rule does not require a teammate to touch the ball; it only prevents the kicker from playing it again before another player does.
A direct shot into your own goal is not an own goal
If the ball goes directly into the kicker’s own goal from the kickoff, the referee awards a corner to the opponents. Do not confuse this with an own goal that happens later in open play, where the ball has been touched by another player or the play has otherwise moved on from the restart.
The ball must clearly move before play begins
A player cannot simply stand over the ball and claim that play has started. It must be kicked and clearly move. If it barely shifts, the referee decides whether that movement meets the requirement. A proper, visible touch avoids uncertainty and lets both teams know the ball is live.
What if the kickoff is taken incorrectly?
The referee can order the kickoff to be retaken for a procedural infringement. For example, the kick may need to be repeated if the ball was not stationary, the referee had not signaled, or the required player positions were not observed. The exact decision depends on what happened and whether the ball had entered play.
Once the ball is in play, an offense is handled according to the relevant rule rather than automatically restarting the kickoff. The kicker’s second touch, for example, gives the opponents an indirect free kick. A later foul is treated as a foul, with the appropriate free kick or penalty kick.
There is a practical distinction between a kickoff that never properly starts and an offense after a valid kickoff. If you are unsure, focus on whether the ball was stationary, the referee signaled, and the ball was kicked and clearly moved. Those details help explain why the referee may retake the restart or award a different kick.
Does the same rule apply in every kind of football?
This answer applies to association football, commonly called soccer, and the Laws of the Game used for that sport. The word football can also mean American football, Canadian football, or other codes, which have different rules and scoring systems.
In American football, a kickoff return can result in a touchdown after the receiving team gains possession and advances the ball into the end zone. That is not the same as scoring a soccer goal by kicking the ball directly into the opponents’ goal from the center mark. Check the rules for the specific code if the match is not soccer.
For a soccer match, the practical answer is straightforward: a properly taken kickoff can go straight into the opponents’ goal and count. If it goes straight into the kicker’s own goal, the other team gets a corner kick instead.
Yes, can you score directly from kickoff in football? In soccer, a direct shot from a valid kickoff counts if it enters the opponents’ goal. If it goes straight into the kicker’s own goal, the opponents receive a corner kick instead.
For your next match, remember the three essentials: wait for the referee’s signal, make sure the ball clearly moves, and do not touch it a second time before another player does. Those details separate a valid kickoff from a preventable infringement.