Corner kick procedure, the corner arc, opponent distance and offences by the kicker.
A corner kick is awarded when the whole ball crosses the goal line, having last touched a defender, and a goal is not scored. It is taken from the corner arc nearest to where the ball crossed.
The ball must be placed inside the corner arc and be stationary, and it is in play once kicked and clearly moving — it does not have to leave the arc. The corner flagpost must not be moved.
Opponents must stay at least 9.15 m from the corner arc until the ball is in play. Any player may take the kick: there is no requirement that a particular player does so.
A goal may be scored directly from a corner kick against the opponents. If the ball goes directly into the taker's own goal, a corner kick is awarded to the opposing team.
If the taker plays the ball again before it has touched another player, an indirect free kick is awarded; deliberate handling gives a direct free kick, or a penalty if inside their own penalty area.
A deflection off a defender before the ball crosses their own goal line still produces a corner — the Law looks at who touched it last, not who originally struck it.
Written against the published IFAB Laws of the Game. For the official text, see IFAB's own Laws documents.
The ball is placed in the corner arc nearest the point where it crossed the goal line and is in play once kicked and clearly moving; it need not leave the arc. Opponents must be at least 9.15 m away until then.
6 questions on The Corner Kick, each with the correct answer and an explanation of the reasoning. These are drawn from the free question bank.
At a corner kick, must the ball leave the corner arc before it is in play?
A corner kick is swung directly into the kicker's own goal without touching anyone. What is the decision?
How far must opponents remain from the corner arc until the ball is in play?
The kicker asks to move the corner flagpost because it is obstructing the delivery. What should the referee say?
The corner-kick taker deliberately handles the ball again before another player touches it, just outside their opponents' penalty area. What is awarded?
Where must the ball be placed for a corner kick?
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