Penalty kicks in soccer are one-on-one shots taken from the penalty spot, 12 yards from goal, when a defending team commits a foul inside its own penalty area. The kicker takes the shot against the goalkeeper, and a goal counts immediately if the ball goes in.

When they are awarded

A penalty is given for certain fouls in the box, such as tripping, pushing, holding, charging, or handball. The key detail is where the foul happens: if it’s inside the penalty area, it can become a penalty kick.

How the kick works

Before the kick, the ball is placed on the penalty spot and all other players must stay outside the penalty area and away from the penalty arc. The goalkeeper must stay on the goal line until the ball is kicked, and the kicker must shoot the ball forward after the referee’s signal. After the kick, the taker cannot touch the ball again until another player does.

Shootouts

If a knockout match is still tied after regulation and extra time, teams may use a penalty shootout to decide the winner. Each team usually takes five kicks in alternating order, and if the score is still level, the shootout goes to sudden death.

Simple example

Imagine a defender trips an attacker inside the box during open play. The referee points to the spot, the attacker’s team gets a penalty, and one player gets a clean shot from 12 yards with only the goalkeeper to beat.

Extra note

Some rules can vary slightly by competition details, but the basic setup is the same across standard soccer laws.