frisparkar

Frisparkar, literally “free kicks” in Swedish, are the standard restarts in association football awarded after a foul or other infringement. They are divided into direct frispark (direct free kicks) and indirect frispark (indirect free kicks). The ball is placed at the spot of the offense, and opponents must remain at least 9.15 meters (about 10 yards) away until the ball is played. The referee signals the restart and enforces related rules, including encroachment and offside considerations.

Direct frispark: A goal may be scored directly from a direct frispark. Common offenses include kicking, tripping, pushing, holding, or jumping at an opponent. If the foul occurs inside the defending team's penalty area, a direct frispark results in a penalty kick. The ball is stationary and kicked with the aim of scoring; defenders may form a wall to block or deflect the shot.

Indirect frispark: The ball must touch another player before a goal can be scored. Indirect frisparkar are awarded for offenses such as dangerous play, goalkeeper handling a ball after a back-pass, or other technical infringements. The kick is taken from the spot of the offense, and a goal can be scored only if the ball touches another player before entering the goal.

Strategy and execution: Teams rehearse set-piece routines for frisparkar, balancing power and placement for direct kicks and rehearsed passes or plays for indirect kicks. Goalkeepers study angles, wall arrangements, and timing to deter shots and disrupt the approaching play.