When the whole ball has crossed a line, rebounds off match officials and goal frames, and the in-play/out-of-play distinction.
The ball is out of play when it has wholly crossed the goal line or touchline on the ground or in the air, or when play has been stopped by the referee, or when it hits a match official, stays on the field, and one of the conditions below applies.
The whole of the ball must cross the whole of the line. A ball still overhanging any part of the line is in play, which is why goal-line technology exists.
At all other times the ball is in play, including when it rebounds off a goalpost, crossbar or corner flagpost and stays on the field, and when it rebounds off a match official who is on the field.
Play is stopped, and restarted with a dropped ball, if the ball touches a match official and stays on the field and: a team starts a promising attack as a result, the ball goes directly into the goal, or the team in possession changes. Otherwise play simply continues.
Written against the published IFAB Laws of the Game. For the official text, see IFAB's own Laws documents.
The ball is out of play when it has wholly passed over the goal line or touch line on the ground or in the air, or when play has been stopped by the referee.
3 questions on The Ball In and Out of Play, each with the correct answer and an explanation of the reasoning. These are drawn from the free question bank.
A shot strikes the goalkeeper and rolls so that most of the ball — but not all of it — is beyond the goal line. The goalkeeper then claws it back. What is the correct decision?
A pass strikes the referee and deflects to a team-mate of the passer, with no change of possession and no promising attack resulting. What should the referee do?
Which statement best summarises when the ball is in play under Law 9?
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