What is the purpose of the penalty Area on a soccer field?

Answer 1

The Goal Area (sometimes called the 6-yard box) is an area attached to the goal line centered on the goal, which extends 6 yards from the goal line and is 20 yards wide. As with all lines on a soccer field, the boundaries are considered part of the area which they delimit. The Goal Area is considered to be part of the Penalty Area; if a player is in the Goal Area, that player is also in the Penalty Area.

The Goal Area serves four purposes:

1. When a Goal Kick or Free Kick (direct or indirect) for the defending team is awarded, the ball is placed anywhere within the team's own Goal Area (or touching its boundary) and put into play by a member of said team (usually the goalkeeper, but can be an outfield player as well).
2. When an Indirect Free Kick ("IFK") is awarded to the attacking team and the ball would be spotted within the defending team's Goal Area, the ball is instead placed on the Goal Area line (the "six-yard line") parallel to the goal line nearest the spot of the foul.
3. When play is to be restarted with a dropped ball within the Goal Area, it is instead dropped on the Goal Area line parallel to the goal line nearest the spot where the ball would have otherwise been dropped.
4. During kicks from the penalty mark ("Penalty Shootout": the tie-breaker played after regulation and extra time when there must be a clear winner, not actual penalty kicks), the Goal Area box guides the proper positioning of the Referee and the lead Assistant Referee.

Answer 2

During any goal kick the ball must be placed somewhere within the goal area.

Any offense for which the restart is a direct or indirect free kick, then the ball is placed at the top of the goal area (6 yards from goal line) directly out from where the offense occurred. Please note that a penalty kick is an entirely different restart from direct or indirect free kicks.

There is a persistent myth about a rule where attackers cannot enter the goal area during active play. It is untrue. Obviously, there are some restrictions during penalty kicks or kicks from the mark.

Answer 3

There are three purposes.

It defines the area where the defending goal keeper may handle the ball.

It defines an area where a defensive direct free kick foul gets promoted to a penalty kick.

It partly defines the area where non-kicking players must be outside of during the taking of a penalty kick.

Answer 4

The penalty area serves three purposes. First, it delineates the area within which a penalty kick is awarded if the defense commits a penal foul. Second, it outlines the area wherein a goalkeeper may usually handle the ball. It also represents the area that the ball must exit before being in play from a goal kick or any defensive free kick starting within the area.

Answer 5

120 Meters by 60 Meters

393 Feet by 196 Feet

Answer 6

100 yards.