We all love football and think we know the rules like the back of our hand. Offside? Simple. No back-passes to the keeper? Obvious.
But hidden deep in the rulebook are some lesser-known, downright bizarre laws that will leave even the biggest fans scratching their heads. Here are five absolutely ridiculous football rules that you won’t believe are real.
1. You can’t score an own goal from a free-kick or throw-in
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Sounds strange, but it’s true. If a player takes a throw-in or free-kick and the ball somehow ends up in their own net without touching another player, it’s not an own goal.
Instead, the opposition gets a corner. This almost happened in a clash between Aston Villa and Birmingham when Mellberg’s throw-in ended up in the net. Luckily or unluckily, his keeper Enckelman got the faintest touch, so the goal counted.
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2. A goal kick must leave the box to count
When a keeper takes a goal kick, the ball has to completely leave the 18-yard box before anyone can touch it. If it doesn’t, the kick is retaken. Joe Hart once made this error during a match against QPR.
He fluffed the kick, touched it again, and even though Charlie Austin scored, the goal was disallowed. Hart was saved by a rule most fans don’t even know exists.
3. Goalkeepers have only few seconds to hold the ball
Technically, keepers can only hold onto the ball for six seconds as at now. Ever seen that called in a real match? Rarely.
But in 2015, Liverpool’s Simon Mignolet held the ball for 22 seconds against Bordeaux and actually got penalised for it. It’s one of those rules that exists but is barely ever enforced until it is.
A new rule will take effective from the 2025/26 season that will allow them hold onto the ball for not more than eight seconds.
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) approved a major change to Law 12.2, directly affecting goalkeepers. Starting July 1, 2025, if a goalkeeper holds the ball for more than eight seconds, the opposing team will not be awarded an indirect free kick, but instead will receive a corner kick.
4. Keepers can’t pick the ball up again after dropping it
Once a goalkeeper has released the ball, say by bouncing it or rolling it, they can’t pick it up again until another player has touched it. If they do, it’s an indirect free-kick for the other team. It’s an easy one to forget and has caught out even the best keepers under pressure.
5. No cheating the back-pass rule with your chest or head
Some players get cheeky and try to beat the back-pass rule by flicking the ball up and heading or chesting it to their keeper. While clever, it’s not allowed if it’s clearly done to avoid the rule. PSG’s Marco Verratti tried it once, and the ref wasn’t having any of it.
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He got booked for the effort. So next time you watch a match, keep an eye out and you might just spot one of these mind-blowing rules in action.
