Indirect and Direct Free Kick: Explained for Parents

A direct free kick can score straight into the opposing goal without another player touching the ball. An indirect free kick requires another player's touch before a goal can count in the opposing goal. That distinction answers the direct vs indirect free kick question, and our guide to soccer free kicks explains the wider topic. Here, you will learn how to recognise the signal and explain what happens next in girls' and boys' soccer in Canada.

What Does a Direct Free Kick Allow?

A direct free kick gives the taker permission to score directly, although passing remains an option. Careless tripping is an example of an offence that produces a direct free kick. When a defender commits that offence inside their own penalty area while the ball is in play, the restart is a penalty kick. The location changes the restart for that offence; it does not mean every offence inside the penalty area results in a penalty.

Direct free kicks allow a shot without another touch, but, in my opinion, parents should give the passing decision equal attention. A teammate might have a clearer route towards goal, even when a direct shot is allowed. Contact deserves its own practice time too: The Giro X's Curl Master One trains contact and spin control used in free kicks, penalties and crosses. Understanding the restart gives that practice a purpose, because players still have to choose how to use their strike.

What Makes an Indirect Free Kick Different?

An indirect free kick needs another player to touch the ball before it enters the opposing goal for a goal to count. That player can be a teammate or an opponent, including the goalkeeper. A deliberate pass to a teammate is therefore one way to meet the requirement, but it is not the only possible touch. Playing dangerously without contact can produce an indirect free kick, including inside the defending team's penalty area, where the restart still remains indirect.

If an indirect free kick goes straight into the opposing goal without another player's touch, the restart is a goal kick, provided the referee gave the indirect signal. A touch from a goalpost does not meet the requirement because the post is not a player. There is also an exception worth remembering for either kind of free kick: if the ball enters the kicker's own goal without another player touching it, the opponents receive a corner kick.

How Can Parents Recognise the Referee's Signal?

The referee signals an indirect free kick by holding an arm above the head. After the kick, that arm remains raised until another player touches the ball, the ball leaves play, or a direct goal is clearly impossible. Look for the signal before deciding whether a shot can count without further contact. If the referee forgets the indirect signal and the kick goes directly into the opposing goal, the kick must be retaken rather than awarded as a goal.

The raised arm is the indirect free kick signal, and, in my opinion, it makes a useful starting point for a conversation after the match. Ask your player what restart they saw and how that affected their intended action. That question works equally well for girls' and boys' soccer, giving the decision attention alongside shooting technique. Canada Soccer uses modified rules for grassroots formats, so ask the coach which competition rules apply to your child's game.

Where Is the Kick Taken, and When Is It Live?

A free kick is generally taken from the place where the offence occurred, although the goal area creates exceptions. A defending team can take a free kick awarded inside its own goal area from anywhere within that area. An attacking indirect free kick awarded inside the opposing goal area moves to the nearest point on the goal area line parallel to the goal line. The goal area is the smaller marked area around the goal, inside the larger penalty area.

For either restart, the ball must be stationary and becomes live when it is kicked and clearly moves. The taker cannot touch it again until another player has touched it. This means the taker cannot supply the extra touch for an indirect free kick by tapping the ball and then shooting themselves. When watching a restart, follow who touches the ball after the initial kick before deciding whether the indirect requirement has been met.

How Should Families Practise the Rule and the Strike?

Practise the decision with a teammate, then give ball contact a separate, focused task. Before an indirect restart, have the players identify who will receive the pass and what that player intends to do next. For a direct restart, let them discuss whether a shot or pass suits the situation. In my opinion, explaining the choice is valuable even when the ball does not reach its intended target, because the rule and the execution deserve their own attention.

Curl Master One

For free kick practice between coaching sessions, I recommend getting Curl Master One to give contact and spin control a regular place. It works with a standard ball and offers six speed settings. With no app or subscription required, I would make it a regular part of practice between coaching sessions. It is intended for players from around age eight through adulthood; players aged eight to twelve should have an adult nearby. Ask the coach which contact your player should practise and use the device for that task. Return to teammate practice to rehearse the indirect restart.

Practise with Curl Master One

Bring Curl Master One into your soccer practice to work on ball contact and spin control.

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