SRSport Rules
Football - Law 14

Penalties, keepers, and retakes.

A penalty decision is not finished when the whistle goes. The kick still has strict rules for the taker, the goalkeeper, and every other player around the area.

Quick ruling: check the kick first, then the goalkeeper, then encroachment. The restart changes depending on who offended and whether the penalty was scored.
Decision path

How the call is made

  1. Confirm the ball is on the penalty mark and the taker is clearly identified.
  2. Check that other players stay outside the penalty area, outside the penalty arc, and behind the ball until it is kicked.
  3. Watch whether the goalkeeper stays on the line, facing the kicker, without unfairly moving forward before the kick.
  4. After the kick, decide whether any offence affected the outcome or led to a rebound advantage.
  5. If the taker touches the ball again before another player touches it, punish the double touch.
What changes it

Details fans miss most

  • Encroachment depends on impact: an early step into the area matters most when it affects the result or a rebound.
  • Goalkeepers have limits: they can move on the line, but must not gain an illegal advantage by leaving it too soon.
  • Rebounds are live in normal play: unless an offence or double touch changes the restart.
  • Feinting has a line: feinting during the run-up is allowed, but unfair feinting after the run-up is completed can be punished.
Common argument

"He was in the box early"

That does not automatically mean retake. Referees look at who encroached, whether the penalty was scored or missed, and whether the early player became involved in the next play.