How Corner Kicks Work in Football: Rules Explained
When corners are awarded, where players stand, short corners, and what goalkeepers can do inside the six-yard box.
A corner kick restarts play when the ball wholly crosses the goal line after last touching a defender. The attacking team gets the ball from the corner arc on the side where it went out โ a high-value set piece in every league.
When the referee awards a corner
The assistant or referee must judge last touch. If an attacker sends the ball out off a defender (including the goalkeeper), it is a corner. If an attacker touches it last, the restart is a goal kick.
Deflections off the post then off a defender still count as defender last touch. Quick communication between officials prevents angry bench protests.
Where everyone must stand
The ball sits inside the corner arc. Opponents must stay at least 9.15 m (10 yards) from the corner arc until the ball is in play. The kicker cannot touch the ball twice before another player does.
Attackers often pack the six-yard box; defenders may mark zonally or man-to-man. Goalkeepers choose a starting position between near post, centre, and sweeping behind the line.
Short corners and routines
Teams increasingly play short corners to retain possession and pull defenders out of the box. The same distance rule applies: defenders cannot close down until the ball moves.
Rehearsed routines โ near-post flick-ons, blocker screens, decoy runs โ are legal if they do not hold or strike opponents. Referees punish clear obstruction with free kicks.
Goalkeeper rights on corners
Inside their penalty area, goalkeepers may use hands on any playable ball. They punch, catch, or parry under pressure from multiple jumpers. Contact with an opponent in a fair challenge for the ball is allowed; holding shirts is not.
If the ball rebounds off the keeper and crosses the line off an attacker, play continues. If it crosses off a defender, another corner may follow โ a common source of chaotic scrambles.
Defending corners at amateur level
Sunday-league teams concede from poor spacing more than elite routines. Assign one player to attack the ball, one to cover the short option, and one on the post. Shouting "second ball" prevents panic when the first header drops.
Attackers should mix near-post flicks with back-post targets โ predictable runs are easy to mark. Goalkeepers: call early for punches versus catches; hesitation causes own goals off teammates' heads.
Film one corner per match you play or coach. Patterns repeat โ the same runner drifts to the back post every time until someone tracks them.
FAQ
Can you score directly from a corner?** Yes. A direct shot into the goal without another touch is valid.
What if the ball never enters the field?** The kick is retaken.
Are back-pass corners allowed?** Yes โ short options to a teammate on the touchline are standard.
Related Reading
- [Offside rule explained](/football/football-offside-rule-explained)
- [How VAR works](/football/how-var-works-football)
- [Football positions guide](/football/football-positions-explained)
Football rules editor covering set pieces and officiating for global readers.
