What Is a Foul Throw in Football?
A foul throw occurs when a thrower violates IFAB Law 15 throw-in technique. Common violations: lifting feet, throwing one-handed, releasing from behind the head incorrectly.
Tap to enlargeA foul throw occurs when a thrower violates IFAB Law 15 throw-in technique. The throw-in must be taken with both hands behind and over the head, both feet on the ground (or behind / on the touchline), and from the spot where the ball crossed the line. Common foul-throw violations: lifting a foot, throwing one-handed, releasing the ball forward of the head, or stepping over the line.
Correct throw-in technique (IFAB Law 15)
- Stand behind / on the touchline. Feet must not cross the line.
- Both feet on the ground. Throughout the throw motion until release.
- Both hands on the ball. Equally — not one hand dominant.
- Ball delivered from behind and over the head. Smooth motion; ball must come from behind head.
- Throw to a teammate. Thrower cannot play the ball again until another player touches it.
Common foul throws
- Lifted foot. Most common violation; foot leaves the ground during throw motion.
- One-handed throw. Hands not equally on the ball.
- Forward release. Ball not delivered from behind the head.
- Stepping over the line. Foot crosses the touchline.
- Wrong throw location. Throw not from where the ball crossed the line (within ~1m).
- Penalty. Throw-in awarded to the opposing team from the same spot.
Try it
Foul throw or not?
You are the assistant. Make the call.
A player takes a throw-in with both hands, delivers the ball from behind and over his head, and stands on the correct spot. As he releases, his back foot lifts off the turf and comes down inside the pitch.
Quick question
Which of these is NOT required by IFAB Law 15?
Frequently asked questions
- What is a foul throw in football?
- A foul throw is a violation of IFAB Law 15 throw-in technique. The throw-in must be taken with both hands behind and over the head, both feet on the ground (or behind / on the touchline), from the spot where the ball crossed the line. Common violations: lifting a foot, throwing one-handed, releasing the ball forward of the head.
- What is the punishment for a foul throw?
- The throw-in is awarded to the opposing team from the same spot. There is no caution / yellow card unless the violation is repeated deliberately. Foul throws are particularly common at youth and grass-roots level; referees enforce more strictly at professional level.
- Can you score directly from a throw-in?
- No. A goal cannot be scored directly from a throw-in (per IFAB Law 15). The ball must touch another player before entering the goal. If a thrower's direct throw-in goes into the opponent's goal without contact, it's a goal kick to the opposition.
References
- IFAB Law 15 · The Throw-In · IFAB / The FA
- RefChat · Foul Throw Discussion · RefChat
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