IFAB Laws of the Game · Law 15

Law 15: The Throw-in

Throw-in procedure, illegal throws, and the restrictions on scoring directly or being offside from a throw-in.

How to take a throw-in correctly

A throw-in is awarded when the whole ball crosses the touchline, to the opponents of the player who last touched it. It is taken from the point where it crossed.

At the moment of delivering the ball the thrower must face the field, have part of each foot on the touchline or on the ground outside it, hold the ball with both hands, and throw it from behind and over the head. A jumping throw released while both feet are off the ground is not a correctly taken throw-in.

All opponents must stand at least 2 m from the point of the throw. The ball is in play as soon as it enters the field.

Common throw-in offences

A goal cannot be scored directly from a throw-in. If the ball goes directly into the opponents' goal, the restart is a goal kick; into the thrower's own goal, a corner kick.

If the thrower touches the ball again before it has touched another player, an indirect free kick is awarded. If they deliberately handle it, the restart is a direct free kick — or a penalty kick if it happened in their own penalty area.

An improperly taken throw-in gives the throw to the opposing team, which is the one restart where the penalty for poor technique is losing possession outright.

Written against the published IFAB Laws of the Game. For the official text, see IFAB's own Laws documents.

Law 15 at a glance

Throw-in procedure

The thrower faces the field, has part of each foot on or behind the touch line, and delivers the ball with both hands from behind and over the head from the point it left the field. A goal cannot be scored directly from a throw-in.

Law 15 practice questions

6 questions on The Throw-in, each with the correct answer and an explanation of the reasoning. These are drawn from the free question bank.

Question 1 Law 15 intro

Which describes a correctly taken throw-in?

A Facing the field, part of each foot on or behind the touch line, delivering with both hands from behind and over the head Correct answer

B Facing the field, both feet fully outside the touch line, using both hands

C Facing any direction, both feet on the ground, using both hands from over the head

D Facing the field, one foot on the touch line, delivering with both hands from chest height

Why Law 15.2: the thrower faces the field, has part of each foot on the touch line or on the ground outside it, uses both hands, and delivers the ball from behind and over the head from the point where it left the field.

Question 2 Law 15 standard

A throw-in is delivered directly into the thrower's own goal without anyone touching it. What is the decision?

A A corner kick to the opposing team Correct answer

B A goal to the opposing team

C The throw-in is retaken

D A goal kick to the thrower's team

Why Law 15: a goal cannot be scored directly from a throw-in. If the ball enters the thrower's own goal, a corner kick is awarded; if it enters the opponents' goal, a goal kick is awarded.

Question 3 Law 15 intro

An attacker in an offside position receives the ball directly from a team-mate's throw-in. What is the decision?

A Play continues — there is no offside offence directly from a throw-in Correct answer

B Offside — an indirect free kick to the defending team

C Offside only if the attacker is inside the penalty area

D The throw-in is retaken

Why Law 11.3: there is no offside offence if a player receives the ball directly from a throw-in, goal kick or corner kick.

Question 4 Law 15 standard

The thrower takes a legal throw-in and then plays the ball again before it has touched any other player. What is the decision?

A An indirect free kick to the opposing team Correct answer

B A throw-in to the opposing team

C A direct free kick to the opposing team

D The throw-in is retaken

Why Law 15: if the thrower touches the ball again before it has touched another player, an indirect free kick is awarded (a direct free kick or penalty kick if the second touch was a handball offence). An improperly taken throw, by contrast, is awarded to the opposing team.

Question 5 Law 15 intro

How far must opponents stand from the point where a throw-in is being taken?

A At least 2 m (2 yds) Correct answer

B At least 9.15 m (10 yds)

C At least 1 m (1 yd)

D At least 5.5 m (6 yds)

Why Law 15 requires opponents to remain at least 2 m from the point on the touchline where the throw-in is taken, a much shorter distance than the 9.15 m required at free kicks and corners.

Question 6 Law 15 standard

A throw-in is not taken correctly — for example, the thrower's feet are fully over the touchline. What is the outcome?

A The throw-in is awarded to the opposing team Correct answer

B The throw-in is simply retaken by the same team

C Play continues if the error is minor

D A dropped ball is used instead

Why Law 15: unlike some other restarts, an incorrectly taken throw-in is not retaken by the same team — it is awarded to the opposing team to throw in instead.

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