Goal.com · Feb 4, 2020
What is a back pass in football? Rules explained & potential punishments
The back-pass rule was introduced in 1992 to discourage time-wasting and possession-based football that turned games dull – here's what the rule is
Ever witnessed a melee around your team's penalty area in the midst of a game, wishing your goalkeeper would just pick up the ball to avoid any kind of danger - instead of handling the ball with their feet?
The back-pass rule actually prevents them from doing so. Here's all you need to know about the rule, why it was implemented, its punishments and more.
What is the back-pass rule?
The back-pass rule states that a goalkeeper is forbidden to handle the ball when passed to them by a team-mate, according to Law 12, Section 2 of the Laws of the Game.