Can an Own Goal Be Scored From a Free Kick? Rule Explained

You can score a goal directly from a free kick — so what happens if you put it into your OWN net by mistake? Under the Laws of the Game, an own goal from a free kick has a surprising twist: if it goes in directly, it doesn't count.

TL;DR: An own goal can never be scored directly from any free kick (direct or indirect). If the ball flies straight into the kicking team's own goal, a corner kick is awarded to the opposition — no goal.

The Rule in Law 13

The Laws of the Game state that a goal may be scored directly from a direct free kick against the opposing side. But crucially, an own goal may NOT be scored directly from any free kick. The free kick rules on Wikipedia spell out the two possible outcomes:

• Ball into the opponents' goal → goal (for direct kicks)
• Ball into the kicking team's own goal directly → corner kick to the opponents

This applies whether the free kick is direct or indirect.

The Deflection Twist

Here's where things get clever. The "no own goal" rule only applies if the ball travels directly into the net from the kick.

• If a teammate touches or deflects the ball before it enters your own goal, it is no longer direct.
• In that case, a regular own goal is awarded to the attacking team.

So a defender trying to be clever by nodding the ball home from their own free kick risks one outcome: if it's untouched, it's a corner; if it grazes a teammate, it's a real goal against them.

Why the Rule Exists

The corner-kick outcome mirrors what happens when an indirect free kick goes straight into the goal. It stops the attacking (kicking) team from benefiting unfairly from their own restart and keeps set-piece logic consistent.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you score an own goal from a direct free kick?

No — not directly. If the ball goes straight into your own net from the kick, it's a corner kick to the opposition.