Back-Pass to the Goalkeeper Rule Explained
Learn when the goalkeeper can handle a back-pass, when it is prohibited, and the consequences of the infraction in football.
In football, a defender can pass the ball to their own goalkeeper, but the goalkeeper cannot always pick it up with their hands. Whether the goalkeeper can use their hands depends on how the ball was played by a teammate. The goalkeeper cannot use their hands when receiving a ball deliberately kicked to them by a teammate, a rule intended to prevent teams from wasting time by repeatedly passing back to the keeper who collects it with the hands. For this rule to apply, the ball must have been intentionally played with the foot by a teammate toward the goalkeeper. A simple accidental touch, deflection, or uncontrolled ball can be judged differently by the referee. The goalkeeper is allowed to play the back-pass with their feet; the prohibition only concerns using the hands. Therefore, the goalkeeper can control, pass, or clear the ball with their feet like any other player. The goalkeeper can use their hands in various situations depending on how the ball arrives from a teammate. For example, they can normally collect a ball played with the head, chest, knee, or other body parts besides the foot, according to the rules. A teammate can deliberately pass the ball by head to the goalkeeper, who may then pick it up with their hands unless there is an intentional attempt to circumvent the rule. Players cannot use intentional tricks to bypass the back-pass prohibition; for instance, deliberately flicking the ball up with the foot and then heading it to the goalkeeper to allow them to handle it with hands is not allowed and may be penalized by the referee. If the goalkeeper handles a ball deliberately kicked by a teammate, the referee may award an indirect free kick to the opposing team from the place where the infringement occurred. An indirect free kick means a goal cannot be scored directly; another player must touch the ball before it enters the goal. The rule also applies to throw-ins: the goalkeeper cannot handle the ball if received directly from a teammate's throw-in. Handling the ball after an opponent’s throw-in is allowed since it is not a back-pass from a teammate. An unintentional deflection or accidental touch does not necessarily count as a back-pass and is subject to the referee's judgment. If the ball reaches the goalkeeper after a challenge, deflection, or play not intentionally directed towards them, it may not be considered an illegal back-pass. The goalkeeper must also adhere to rules about handling the ball after playing it with their feet. For example, they cannot deliberately release the ball and then pick it up again without another player touching it. The back-pass rule was introduced to make the game more dynamic. Before it existed, teams often slowed play by passing back to the goalkeeper who could handle the ball freely. Outside the penalty area, the goalkeeper cannot use their hands and is treated like any other player regarding hand use. VAR typically does not intervene directly on simple back-pass infringements; its scope is mainly for goals, penalties, direct red cards, and identity errors. On Football17 you can follow live scores, events, statistics, line-ups, and other match updates. The event pages allow quick checking of game status and principal moments. FAQ: Can the goalkeeper pick up a teammate's pass? It depends on how the pass is made. If deliberately kicked with the foot, the goalkeeper cannot handle it. Can the goalkeeper take a header pass? Normally yes, unless an intentional trick is used to circumvent the rule. What happens if the goalkeeper handles a forbidden back-pass? An indirect free kick may be awarded to the opposing team. Can the goalkeeper handle a teammate’s throw-in? No, if received directly from the teammate’s throw-in. Is an accidental deflection always a back-pass? No, it depends on the referee's judgment of whether the ball was deliberately kicked to the goalkeeper. Can the goalkeeper play the back-pass with their feet? Yes, only the use of hands is prohibited.