Kick-off is the way of starting or restarting play:
– To begin a match
– If a goal has been scored
– To begin the second half
– To begin a period of extra-time
The team that wins the coin toss decides which goal they will attack in the first-half. The opposition will kick off the first-half, with the team that won the toss kicking off the second, attacking the opposite goal.
– After a goal is scored, the kick-off is taken by the other team.
– All players must be in their own half of the field at kick-off.
– The opponents of the team taking the kick-off must be 10 yards away from the ball when it is first touched.
– The ball must be stationary on the center mark.
– The kick-off cannot be taken until the referee gives a signal.
– The ball is in play when it is kicked and moved forward.
– The player kicking off must not touch the ball again until another player has. If this occurs, an indirect free-kick is awarded to the opposition to be taken from the position of the ball where the infringement occurred.
– Any other infringement will lead to the kick-off being retaken.
The Dropped Ball
A dropped ball is a method of restarting play when, while the ball is still in play, the referee is required to stop play temporarily for any reason that is not mentioned elsewhere in FIFA’s Laws of the Game. Instances when this occurs can include a clash of heads, a defective ball or a foreign object entering the pitch.
