Penalty kick rules, explained: the spot, the keeper's line and encroachment
How a penalty is actually taken — where everyone must stand, what the goalkeeper can and can't do, the rules on feinting, and when a penalty gets retaken.
When and where
A penalty kick is awarded when a defender commits a direct-free-kick offence inside their own penalty area. The ball is placed on the penalty spot, twelve yards from goal, and one identified kicker takes it against the goalkeeper. Every other player must stay outside the penalty area, outside the arc at the top of it, and behind the ball until the kick is taken.
The goalkeeper's rules
The goalkeeper must stay on their goal line, between the posts, facing the kicker, and cannot come off it until the ball is kicked. Under the current law the keeper must have at least part of one foot on, above or behind the line at the moment of the kick — so they can't dart forward early. They can move along the line and try to put the kicker off, but they can't touch the posts, crossbar or net to distract.
Feinting and the double touch
The kicker is allowed to pause and feint during the run-up to wrong-foot the keeper. What's banned is feinting once the run-up is completed — an illegal feint at the moment of striking is penalised. The kicker also can't touch the ball a second time before anyone else does: no tapping it forward to run onto. That's what makes the clever "pass" penalty legal only if a teammate reaches the ball first.
When it's retaken
Encroachment decides retakes. If an attacker enters the box too early and then scores, or interferes, the kick is retaken; if a defender or the keeper encroaches and the kick is missed or saved, it's retaken; if the keeper offends but the penalty is scored, the goal simply stands. If both sides encroach, it's retaken. And once the kick is taken, the ball is live — a rebound off the post or keeper can be followed up by anyone except the original kicker.