Can You Score an Own Goal from a Free Kick? Rules Explained

Imagine a defender thundering a risky free kick back towards his own goal, only to watch it fly past his helpless keeper. Red faces all round — but does it actually count? Under the Laws of the Game, an own goal scored directly from a free kick is never a goal. Here is exactly what happens instead.

TL;DR: An own goal cannot be scored directly from any free kick — the restart is a corner kick for the opposing team.

What the Laws of the Game Say

Law 13 (Free Kicks) is crystal clear: "An own goal may not be scored directly from a free kick." Whether the kick is direct or indirect, if the ball goes straight into the kicking team's own goal, the referee disallows it and awards a corner kick to the opponents (IFAB Law 13).

Why the rule exists

The rule protects against a quirk that would otherwise benefit a team that scored in error. An own goal should never hand a reward to the team responsible, so the Laws mirror common sense: no goal, corner kick, move on.

What About an Indirect Free Kick?

A similar principle applies if a team kicks a free kick directly into the opponents' goal:

• A direct free kick into the opponents' net is a goal.
• An indirect free kick into the opponents' net is not a goal — it is a goal kick.
• A free kick into your own net is never a goal — it is always a corner kick.

The One Big Exception

If the ball touches another player before finding the net, the rule changes completely. Once a teammate or opponent touches the ball, an ordinary own goal can be awarded against whichever defender last touched it. This is why almost all famous own goals happen on deflections, crosses, and grounded clearances rather than straight free kicks (Free kick rules explained).

Frequently Asked Questions

Does an own goal count from a direct free kick?

No. If a player scores directly into their own goal from any free kick, the referee disallows it and awards a corner kick to the opposition.