In football, what is the distance between the goal line and the penalty spot?

In football (soccer), the penalty mark (penalty spot) is placed 11 metres (12 yards) from the goal line, equidistant from the goalposts. A penalty kick is taken from this spot when a defending player commits a direct free-kick foul inside his own penalty area.

Key field markings in football:

Penalty area: extends 16.5 m (18 yards) from the goal line and is 40.3 m (44 yards) wide. The goalkeeper can handle the ball only inside it.

Goal area: extends 5.5 m (6 yards) from the goal line and is 18.32 m wide. Goal kicks are taken from here.

Penalty arc ("D"): an arc of 9.15 m (10 yards) radius from the penalty spot, outside the penalty area. During a penalty kick, all players except the kicker and the goalkeeper must be outside the penalty area and the arc.

Centre circle: has a radius of 9.15 m (10 yards). Opponents must stay this far away at kick-off and at free kicks.

Goal: 7.32 m (8 yards) wide and 2.44 m (8 feet) high.

Field size for international matches: 100-110 m long and 64-75 m wide.

Other rules:

• Each team has 11 players, including a goalkeeper.
• A match lasts 90 minutes (two halves of 45 minutes), with extra time of 30 minutes and a penalty shoot-out if needed in knockout games.
• Since 2020-22, up to five substitutes are allowed in most competitions.
• The Laws of the Game are made by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), founded in 1886, and the sport is governed by FIFA.
• The penalty kick was invented in 1890-91 by William McCrum, an Irish goalkeeper.

Why not the other options?

• ✗10 yards (9.15 m) is the radius of the centre circle and the penalty arc.
• ✗18 yards (16.5 m) is the depth of the penalty area.
• ✗6 yards (5.5 m) is the depth of the goal area.