Yes, you can shoot directly from kickoff in football (soccer), and a goal counts if the ball enters the opponents’ goal without an attacking player committing an offense. The ball must be stationary on the center mark and kicked so it clearly moves.
A long kickoff shot is unusual, but it is legal under the Laws of the Game. Here’s how the restart works, when the goal counts, what happens if the ball goes into your own net, and which common mistakes can lead to a retake or free kick.
can you shoot from kickoff in football under the rules?
Yes. A player taking a kickoff may shoot toward the opposing goal immediately. If the ball enters that goal directly, the referee awards a goal, provided the kickoff was taken correctly and no separate offense occurred.
The Laws of the Game allow the ball to be kicked in any direction at a kickoff. The old expectation that the first touch must go forward is not a requirement. A player can pass sideways, play the ball backward, or try a shot toward goal from the center mark.
For this rule, “directly” means the ball goes into the goal without another player touching it. The ball can still enter after hitting the post or crossbar, because those are parts of the goal, not players. If a player touches it before it crosses the goal line, the goal may still count, but it is no longer a goal scored directly from the kickoff.
The basic conditions are simple: the ball must be on the center mark, it must be stationary, and the kickoff taker must kick it so it clearly moves. Once it does, the ball is in play. It does not need to leave the center circle before another player can touch it.
How to take a legal kickoff
A kickoff restarts play at the beginning of each half and after a goal. The referee manages the restart, but players also have clear positions and responsibilities. Follow these steps to avoid an unnecessary retake.
- Place the ball on the center mark. It must be stationary before the kick. The center mark is the small mark at the midpoint of the halfway line.
- Wait for the referee’s signal. The referee indicates when play may begin. Kicking before the signal can require the kickoff to be retaken.
- Keep opponents at least 10 yards away. In the Laws of the Game, the distance is 9.15 meters. Opponents must also remain in their own half until the ball is in play.
- Make sure your teammates, apart from the kicker, are in their own half. The kicker can stand in either half, as long as the ball is correctly placed and the restart is otherwise legal.
- Kick the ball so it clearly moves. The kick can go forward, sideways, or backward. A tiny touch that does not clearly move the ball is not enough.
- Do not touch it again until another player does. The kicker may not play the ball a second time immediately. Let a teammate or opponent touch it first.
A direct shot is simply one possible way to complete the kick. The same restart requirements apply whether you shoot, pass to a teammate, or send the ball backward to a defender.
What happens if the kickoff shot goes into the net?
If the ball enters the opponents’ goal directly from a correctly taken kickoff, the referee awards a goal. The opposing team then takes the next kickoff from the center mark. This remains true even if the goalkeeper never touches the ball.
A goalkeeper can be caught off guard if they are standing far from the goal line or watching teammates arrange themselves. A shot from the center mark is difficult because of the distance, but the goal is valid if the ball reaches the net. There is no special rule that cancels a score simply because it came from a kickoff.
If the ball touches another player on the way in, the referee can still award a goal if the attacking team has not committed an offense. The difference is that it is no longer a direct goal from the kickoff. A defender’s touch does not automatically cancel the score; the referee judges the play under the usual goal and offense rules.
If the kick hits the frame of the goal and rebounds into the net without a player touching it, it is still a direct goal. If it rebounds back into the field and nobody scores, play continues. The kicker may not run after the rebound and touch the ball again before another player has played it.
Can a kickoff go directly into your own goal?
No goal is awarded if a kickoff goes directly into the kicker’s own goal. Instead, the opposing team receives a corner kick. The ball was put into play, but the Laws of the Game do not allow an own goal to be scored directly from this restart.
This can happen if a player misjudges a backward pass, gets the direction wrong, or kicks the ball into their own net under pressure. The result is a corner for the opponents, not a goal for them. The same corner-kick restart applies if the ball goes directly into the kicker’s own goal from another player’s kickoff touch before anyone else plays it.
That rule is easy to mix up with the rule for a goal scored at the opponents’ end. A direct shot into the opponents’ goal counts; a direct shot into your own goal produces a corner for the other team. If the ball touches another player before entering the kicker’s goal, the referee applies the normal rules to that play instead.
Does the ball have to go forward at kickoff?
No. A kickoff can be played in any direction. A backward pass is common because it gives a team room to build an attack, but the kick may also go sideways or toward the opposing goal.
The ball does not have to travel a particular distance. It must simply be kicked and clearly move. Once it is in play, another player can touch it, including a teammate standing nearby. That player can then pass, dribble, or shoot as the situation allows.
A player does not have to wait for the ball to cross the center-circle line before moving to it. The center circle helps keep opponents the required distance away; it is not a boundary that the ball must cross to become playable.
Is there offside at a kickoff?
An attacker cannot be in an offside position in the opponents’ half at the moment of the kickoff, because every player other than the kicker must be in their own half. The halfway line therefore prevents a teammate from waiting beyond the defenders before the ball is kicked.
That does not mean offside rules disappear for the whole attack. After the kickoff, a teammate can move into the opponents’ half. If another player then plays or touches the ball, the assistant referee judges the attacker’s position at that moment, along with whether the attacker becomes involved in active play.
For example, a player starts in their own half, runs forward after the kickoff, and receives a later pass. The referee assesses the player’s position when that later pass is played, not when the opening kickoff was taken. A player who is offside by then can be penalized if they become involved in the play.
A shot that goes straight into the goal from the kickoff does not involve a teammate receiving a pass, so the usual question is whether the restart itself was legal and whether any other offense occurred.
Kickoff shots compared with other restarts
Different restarts have different rules about scoring directly. A kickoff is not interchangeable with a free kick, goal kick, or throw-in. Use this comparison to see why a shot from the center mark can count.
| Restart | Direct goal against opponents? | If it goes directly into the kicker’s own goal | Best practical takeaway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kickoff | Yes | Corner kick to opponents | A direct shot is legal after a proper kickoff. |
| Direct free kick | Yes | Corner kick to opponents | A direct shot can score, subject to the restart rules. |
| Indirect free kick | No; another player must touch the ball first | Corner kick to opponents | Make sure a second player touches it before it enters the opponents’ goal. |
| Goal kick | Yes | Corner kick to opponents | A goal can be scored directly at the opponents’ end. |
| Throw-in | No; another player must touch the ball first | Corner kick to opponents | A direct throw into the opponents’ goal does not count. |
| Corner kick | Yes | Corner kick to opponents | A direct goal is allowed, sometimes called an olimpico. |
The comparison matters because people sometimes assume that every restart allows a direct goal, or that none does. The answer depends on the specific restart. If you are unsure whether a restart is direct or indirect, the referee’s signal and the circumstances of the restart help clarify the rule.
What can make a kickoff shot invalid?
The shot itself is permitted, but the restart can still be mishandled. These are the main situations that can stop play or lead to another restart:
- The ball is moving before the kick. Set it stationary on the center mark before taking the restart.
- The ball does not clearly move. A player who only rests a foot on it or makes an ineffective touch has not properly put it into play.
- The kickoff is taken before the referee’s signal. The referee can order a retake.
- An opponent comes too close or fails to stay in their own half. A retake may be ordered if the infringement affects the restart or play.
- The kicker touches the ball a second time too soon. If the kicker plays it again before another player touches it, the opponents receive an indirect free kick. If the second touch is a handball offense, the appropriate direct-free-kick or penalty-kick sanction can apply.
Not every technical mistake produces the same restart. The referee considers the specific offense and the Laws of the Game. A correctly kicked ball that simply misses the goal is not an offense: play continues, and the opponents may take a goal kick if it crosses the goal line outside the goal.
Should a team try a long shot from kickoff?
A kickoff shot can catch an inattentive goalkeeper, but it is usually a low-percentage choice. The center mark is far from goal, and a goalkeeper who is positioned well has time to react. The value of the attempt depends on the goalkeeper’s position, the wind and field conditions, the score, and whether your team is prepared for the rebound.
Before trying it, look up. Check whether the goalkeeper has drifted well off the line and whether the ball is cleanly placed. If the keeper is near the goal line, a quick pass may give your team a better chance to keep possession and build an attack.
There is also a tactical cost. A miss can hand possession to the other team, while a rushed kick may leave your players poorly positioned to defend. If you take the shot, teammates should be ready for a rebound or a long clearance rather than assuming the ball will score.
Practical tip: agree on the plan before the kickoff. If one player intends to shoot, teammates should know whether to move toward the goal, cover the center, or prepare to defend a counterattack. That avoids a hopeful kick leaving the team unorganized.
Soccer kickoff rules versus American football
This answer uses “football” to mean association football, also called soccer. In American football, a kickoff is a different type of play governed by a different rulebook. Do not apply soccer’s kickoff-goal rule to an American football kickoff.
In soccer, the ball is placed on the center mark and a direct shot can score a goal at the opponents’ end. In American football, the kickoff is a free kick used to start play or restart after a score; the scoring rules are different. If you are asking about a specific league or sport, identify it before relying on a rule, since the same word can refer to very different restarts.
Yes, can you shoot from kickoff in football? In soccer, a player may shoot directly from the center mark, and the goal counts if the kickoff is legal and the ball enters the opponents’ goal. If it goes straight into the kicker’s own goal, the opponents get a corner kick instead.
Before the next kickoff, make sure the ball is stationary, wait for the referee’s signal, and check the goalkeeper’s position. If a shot is unlikely to succeed, a planned pass may give your team a better start.