from yahoo

A very common question. The "6", or goal area, is part of the penalty area and has two purposes. It denotes:

1. The area from which all goal kicks must be taken.
2. The area inside which the attacking team cannot take an indirect free kick.

If a foul resulting in an indirect free kick to the attacking team occurs inside the 6, the ball is moved to the point on the long side of the goal area (i.e. the line parallel to the goal line) nearest to where the foul occurred.

In addition to the normal fouls resulting in an indirect free kick, there are special fouls committed by the goalkeeper inside his own penalty area that give indirect free kicks to the attacking team:

1. He holds the ball for more than six seconds.
2. He touches the ball with his hands after giving it up but before another player touches it.
3. He touches the ball with his hands after receiving it from a team-mate by kick or throw-in (headers are OK).

Posted By: essexcanaryOTBC, Dec 30, 00:46:25