This article has been updated to comply with the Laws of the Game 2023/24. It lists all the rule changes in the Laws of the Game and other association football codices before 1886 I know of. More on trials or withdrawn and defeated football rule proposals discussed at the Annual General Meeting of The IFAB on request (Contact).
In this article the development of the corner kick is described.
Note: Until the FA Rules, there is no distinction between (early forms of the) goal kick and corner kick. The same laws always apply for the restart of the game as soon as the ball is behind the goal – outside the goalposts. The differentiation between goal kick and corner kick nowadays was introduced 1867/1872.
| Year (Source) | new or changed laws (proposing club/association, if known) |
| 1857 (Eton Field Game) | After the ball has crossed the goal line, the game is restarted with a bully opposite the point where the ball had gone out. |
| 1858 (Sheffield FC) | Goal kick from a point 25 yd behind the goal. |
| 1858 (Harrow Football) | When the ball has crossed the goal line, it must be kicked directly on the field. There, it must be first touched be the attacking team before the defending team is allowed to touch it. |
| 1862 (Blackheath FC) | When the ball is behind the goal line, the game restarts with a place kick from the goal line by the team that owned the goal. |
| 1862 (The Simplest Game) | When the ball is behind the goal line, the game restarts with a place kick from the goal line by the team that owned the goal. |
| 1863 (Shrewsbury School) | When the ball is behind the goal the game restarts with a place kick by the opposing team (place not specified), either as an unhindered kick or as a „hoist“ (nowadays: a volley). |
| 1863 (Cambridge University) | When the ball is behind the goal line, the game restarts with a place kick 25 yd behind the goal. Which team performs the kick is not mentioned. |
| 1863 (FA) | When the ball is behind the goal line, it was crucial which team touches it first. If it is behind the opposite goal, there is a kick from the point of touch as a free kick to the field. |
| 1866 (FA) | Added: During a free kick from behind the goal, the team that owns the goal had to remain behind the goal until the ball is kicked. |
| 1868 (Sheffield FA) | Corner kick from that corner which is nearer to the point where the ball went behind the goal line. From 1868 to 1871 the corner kick was an indirect free kick, from 1871 to 1877 a direct free kick. |
| 1872 (FA) | Corner kick as an indirect free kick from that corner which is nearer to the point where the ball went behind the goal line. All players must be at least 6 yd away from the ball until the ball is kicked. |
| 1874 (FA) | Added: The ball is kicked from a quarter circle around the corner flag, so that the flag no longer disturbs. The quarter circle has a radius of 1 yd (Maidenhead FC). From 1877 this quarter circle was also marked on the field. |
| 1883 (FA) | Added: When a corner kick is performed, no offside is possible. |
| 1888 (IFAB) | The passage is changed so that the distance only applies to the opposing players. |
| 1914 (IFAB) | Change of the distance for opponents from six to ten yd. |
| 1924 (IFAB) | Change: A goal can be scored directly with a corner kick. |
| 1938 (IFAB) | Specification: It does not matter whether the ball crosses the goal line on the ground or in the air, once the ball has last touched a player of the defending team there is a corner kick. For this, the ball must be kicked inside the quarter circle of the corner closer to the point where the ball went out. The corner flag may not be removed for this purpose. Increase the distance of the opponent’s players from 6 yd to 10 yd until the ball is in play. Touching the ball repeatedly by the player taking the kick is not allowed. For an offence [= repeated ball contact] an IDFK is awarded. |
| 1960 (IFAB) | The corner flag must not be removed or moved for the corner joint to perform. |
| 1973 (IFAB) | For any other offence against this law other than repeated touching of the ball, the corner kick is repeated. |
| 1978 (IFAB) | It is added that – when a player commits an infringement in his opponent’s goal area – the free-kick shall be taken from a point anywhere within that half of the goal area nearest to where the offence occurred. |
| 1987 (IFAB) | Supplement that when taking a free kick after an infringement, the general conditions for free kicks from Law 13 apply. |
| 1997 (IFAB) | It is added to the passage that only one goal can be scored into the opponent’s goal with a corner kick. [This passage can be found in law 13 as early as 1931.] Addition: A DFK is awarded for a handball. The ball is already in play when it is kicked and moves, not after 68 cm. |
| 2008 (IFAB) |
The ball is must be placed inside the corner nearest to the point where the ball crossed the goal line.
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| 2016 (IFAB) | It is added in the text that if the ball directly enters the kicker’s goal a corner kick is awarded to the opponents. |