A goalie can pick up the ball only inside their own penalty area , and only if the ball was not directly passed or thrown in by a teammate and they have not just released it themselves. They also must release it within 6 seconds once they have possession.

Main rules

  • The ball must be inside the penalty area.
  • The goalie cannot handle a direct back pass from a teammate’s foot.
  • The goalie cannot handle a throw-in from a teammate.
  • After releasing the ball, the goalie must wait until another player touches it before handling it again.
  • Once the goalie has the ball, they have up to 6 seconds to use it.

Easy example

If a defender heads the ball back to the goalie inside the box, the goalie can usually pick it up. If the defender kicks it directly back, the goalie cannot.

Quick rule of thumb

If the ball comes from an opponent, a rebound, or a teammate’s non-foot body part, the goalie can often pick it up in the box. If it comes from a teammate’s direct kick or throw-in, they cannot.