A kick‑off in football is the method used to start play at the beginning of a match, at the start of the second half, and after a goal has been scored. The kick‑off is taken from the center mark at the middle of the halfway line, with one player from the kicking team playing the ball forward to a teammate to begin or restart play. All players of both teams must be in their own half of the field at the moment of the kick‑off, and opponents must remain at least ten yards from the ball until it is in play.
The ball is in play once it has been kicked and moves forward; the team taking the kick‑off cannot touch the ball a second time until another player touches it. Kick‑offs set the tempo for the match and give the scoring team a clear chance to restart positively, often with a planned passing sequence to retain possession from the first touch.
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