Basic Corner Kick Rules

So, what is the reason for the corner kick?  The basic purpose of the corner kick is to restart play once the ball is played out of bounds.

Specifically, any time the ball is played out of bounds by crossing the goal line, and the last player to touch the ball is from the defending team, a corner kick is awarded to the attacking team.

How is a Corner Kick Taken?

Some basic things to keep in mind when taking a corner kick:

• The ball must be placed inside of the corner arc, with the flag post in place as it cannot be moved
• Like a free kick, all opponents must be at least 10 yards from the ball
• Once the ball is kicked and is moved, it is considered live and the play has restarted
• The player kicking the ball is not allowed to touch it again until it has been touched by another player

Corner Kick Infractions

The FIFA Laws of the Game lists several infractions and the resulting sanctions that are to take place. The manual dictates that:

• In the case of any infraction to the rules, such as a player standing close then 10 yards from the corner arc, then the kick is retaken
• If, during the kick, the kicker touches the ball again before another player does, an indirect kick is awarded to the defending team