What is the kick-off rule in football

A kick-off in football is the method used to start each half of a match and to restart play after a goal, and it is governed by Law 8 of the IFAB Laws of the Game. The team that does not win the coin toss takes the first kick-off; after a goal, the team that conceded kicks off, and in the second half the teams swap ends and the side that did not kick off the first half takes the kick-off. What changed for 2026/27 is not the kick-off itself but the restarts that follow it: new five-second countdowns on throw-ins and goal kicks, a one-minute injury off-field rule, and a 10-second substitution limit that together rewire how play restarts after every stoppage.

How the kick-off rule works

A kick-off is taken from the centre mark at the midpoint of the halfway line. The ball must be stationary and on the mark. All players must be in their own half of the pitch when the kick-off is taken, and all opposing players must stay at least 10 yards from the ball until it is in play.

The coin toss decides the opening. The referee tosses a coin, and the team that wins the toss chooses which goal to attack in the first half. The other team takes the kick-off to start the match. For the second half, the teams change ends and attack the opposite goals. The team that did not take the first-half kick-off now takes the kick-off to begin the second half.

After a goal is scored, play restarts with a kick-off taken by the team that conceded. That is why a team that just scored cannot immediately get the ball back from the centre spot: the restart belongs to the team that lost the goal.

The ball is in play the moment it is kicked and clearly moves. A goal can be scored directly from a kick-off. If the kicker touches the ball again before another player has touched it, an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposition at the spot of the second touch. Multiple players can stand over the ball to disguise the direction, but two quick taps that move the ball incrementally do not count as a deliberate kick.

The restarts that follow a kick-off

The 2026/27 season brings a package of rule changes that do not alter the kick-off itself but fundamentally change every restart that follows it. The Premier League confirmed all four changes effective from the start of the season on 21 August 2026, and they target the same behaviour: time-wasting on restarts. The full set is covered in the new rules for 2026/27.

The first change is a five-second countdown on throw-ins and goal kicks. When a player is unfairly delaying the restart, the referee whistles, signals and begins a visible countdown with a raised hand. Exceed five seconds on a throw-in and possession reverses to the opposition. Exceed five seconds on a goal kick and the opposition receive a corner. The referee does not have to wait until a player has the ball to start counting; slow retrieval and repositioning can trigger the countdown on their own. A player who is already throwing or kicking the ball as the count ends should not be penalised. This rule is the one most likely to produce a visibly different match: the defender who used to hold the ball to let his team reorganise now risks handing it over.

The second change is the one-minute injury treatment rule. A player receiving on-field treatment or assessment must leave the field and stay off for at least one minute after play restarts, up from 30 seconds. During that minute the team plays with ten men. The old 30-second rule was a free breather; a full minute with ten is a cost that changes the calculation for any player thinking of going down. If the injured player is the goalkeeper, a separate trial now applies: an outfield player nominated by the manager must leave the field for one minute after play restarts instead.

The third change is a 10-second substitution limit. A substituted player has 10 seconds to leave the pitch. If they take longer, the replacement cannot enter until the first stoppage after a full minute has elapsed. The slow walk off is the oldest time-wasting trick in football, and this rule makes it the team's problem. It sits inside the wider substitution rules.

The fourth change allows VAR to review a second yellow card that resulted in a red. VAR cannot issue a yellow itself and cannot review a second yellow that was not given. This is the headline change of the four but the least likely to affect how a match flows, because it only activates when a player has already been booked and then picked up a second yellow that the referee sent him off for.

Edge cases and common confusions

The most common confusion about the kick-off rule is whether a goal can be scored directly from it. It can. The law does not distinguish between a two-yard pass backwards and a 60-yard strike at goal. Both are legal kick-offs.

A second common confusion concerns the coin toss. The team that wins the toss does not automatically kick off. They choose which goal to attack in the first half, and the opposing team kicks off. That choice matters most in matches where conditions such as wind or a noisy stand behind one goal are a factor, and a team that wins the toss may prefer to attack a particular end in the first half even if it means conceding the kick-off.

The double-touch rule at a kick-off is frequently misunderstood. If a player taps the ball a few centimetres and then runs and kicks it again while an opponent rushes towards him, the referee should award an indirect free kick to the opposition. The law does not require the ball to travel a minimum distance at a kick-off. It must only be kicked and clearly move, and once it has moved the kicker has the same restriction as any other player: one touch per possession.

Related restart rules

The kick-off is one of the restart methods under the Laws of the Game. The goal kick rule for 2026/27 carries the same five-second countdown as the restart rules. A delayed goal kick past the count concedes a corner. The ball has not had to leave the penalty area since 2019, meaning keepers can play short to a centre-back immediately, but the countdown now puts a clock on how long they can take to decide.

The throw-in rule has the same five-second limit, with the stronger penalty of losing possession entirely. A delayed throw-in that exceeds the count transfers the ball to the opposition at the same spot where the throw was to be taken. Combined with the substitution limit and the injury rule, these four changes make 2026/27 the season where time-wasting at restarts becomes the most expensive habit a team can have.

Points of emphasis from referees for 2026/27 add another layer. Defenders holding at corners will face greater focus. Goalkeepers get greater protection, with attackers who make unnecessary contact without a genuine attempt to play the ball penalised. And there is no yellow card for denying a goalscoring opportunity if advantage is played and a goal results. Hair-pulling is now a red card for clear, deliberate pulling with excessive force, and a yellow for lesser incidents, a change from the automatic red that applied in 2025/26.

FAQ

Does a goal count if it is scored directly from a kick-off?

Yes. A goal can be scored directly from a kick-off. If the ball goes into the kicker's own goal without touching another player, the opposition are awarded a corner.

Who decides which team kicks off at the start of a match?

The coin toss decides. The winner of the toss chooses which goal to attack in the first half. The other team takes the kick-off. For the second half, the teams swap ends and the other side kicks off.

What happens if a player wastes time on a throw-in in 2026/27?

The referee starts a five-second visual countdown. If the throw-in has not been taken by the end of the count, possession is awarded to the opposing team at the same spot.

How long does a substituted player have to leave the pitch in 2026/27?

Ten seconds. If the player has not left the field within 10 seconds, the replacement cannot enter until the first stoppage after a full minute has elapsed.

Key takeaways

• A kick-off starts each half and restarts play after a goal. The ball is in play when it is kicked and clearly moves, and a goal can be scored directly from it.
• For 2026/27, throw-ins and goal kicks carry a five-second countdown: exceed it and possession reverses or a corner is awarded.
• A player receiving on-field treatment must stay off for at least one minute after play restarts, with the team playing temporarily with ten.
• A substituted player has 10 seconds to leave the pitch or the replacement is delayed by a full minute.
• VAR can now review a second yellow that produced a red but cannot issue a yellow itself.