Own Goal From a Free Kick: The Rule Explained

You've seen the horror clip: a defender's clearance from a free kick flies straight into his own net. Can an own goal from a free kick count? No. Under IFAB's Laws of the Game, you cannot directly score against your own side from a restart — the referee awards a corner.

TL;DR: An own goal from a free kick (direct or indirect) is never a goal — play restarts with a corner for the opponents.

What the Law Says

Law 13 of the IFAB Laws via The FA states that if a free kick is kicked directly into a team's own goal, a corner kick is awarded. It applies to both direct and indirect free kicks. The attacking side gets a corner — a scoring chance from an opponent's mistake.

Direct vs Indirect Free Kicks

Here's how the restart changes at the other end:

• Direct free kick into the opponents' goal: goal.
• Indirect free kick into the opponents' goal: goal kick.
• Any free kick into your own goal: corner kick.

So an own goal from an indirect free kick also ends in a corner.

Deflections Change Everything

If a free kick from the attacker is on target and deflects off a defender into the net, that counts as a goal. It is only a corner when the ball is directed into the own goal directly.

Frequently Asked Questions

If a defender deflects a free kick into his own net, is it an own goal?

No. A direct free kick deflected into the goal counts as a goal for the attackers. It becomes a corner only when the free kick is directed into the defending team's own goal.

Can a goalkeeper score an own goal from a free kick?

Yes, but it still rests with a corner — keepers cannot score against their own side directly from a restart.

Does an own goal from an indirect free kick give a corner?

Yes. Law 13 rules that any free kick into the kicker's own goal, direct or indirect, restarts with a corner kick.

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