A refresher on an illegal free kick out of bounds by Team A (which may be different from other rule codes).
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Free kick (kickoff, or kick after safety, time/score irrelevant).
A1’s kick flies to the B-20, where it lands inbounds and bounces toward a sideline. B99 moves toward the sideline, to the point where the ball will travel out-of-bounds. B99:
A) steps out-of-bounds, and, with both feet touching the ground out-of-bounds, touches the previously untouched ball;
B) has one foot on the ground out of bounds and one foot on the ground inbounds when he touches the previously untouched ball;
C) steps out-of-bounds with at least one foot touching the ground then leaps into the air, with the last body part to leave the ground being the out-of-bounds foot. While airborne, B99 grasps the previously untouched ball, then returns to the ground with both feet inbounds;
D) is striding across the sideline with one foot touching the ground inbounds, and the other foot in the air when he touches the previously untouched ball, then continues his stride out-of-bounds;
E) leaps from inbounds and grasps the previously untouched ball and returns to the ground with one foot being his first body part to touch the ground out-of-bounds.
A) Foul by Team A for a free kick out-of-bounds.
B) Foul by Team A for a free kick out-of-bounds.
C) Foul by Team A for a free kick out-of-bounds.
D) B’s ball at the point where the ball crosses the sideline.
E) B’s ball at the point where the ball crosses the sideline.
When a player has any body part touching the ground out-of-bounds, his entire body is considered out-of-bounds, until he has a body part touching the ground inbounds without any body part touching the ground out-of-bounds. When a loose ball touches anything out-of-bounds (including an out-of-bounds player just described), the ball is out-of-bounds and becomes dead immediately.
A player who becomes airborne from inbounds remains inbounds until any body part touches the ground or anything out-of-bounds.
A player who becomes airborne from out-of-bounds remains out-of-bounds until any body part touches the ground inbounds without any body part touching the ground or anything out-of-bounds.
Team A commits a foul for an illegal kick out-of-bounds when the ball, untouched by Team B, touches a player (including uniform/equipment/attachments), an official (including uniform/equipment), or anything else that is out of bounds.
Yes, a Team B player may deliberately step out of bounds and touch a free kicked ball to cause a Team A foul for a free kick out-of-bounds (if previously untouched by Team B). If Team A wants to avoid that, they just need to keep the kick far enough inbounds to make that impossible.
Added 10/28/26:
Please note that the sidelines and end lines are two-dimensional lines only, and none of their edges are treated as “planes.” So, until a live ball touches the ground or anything on a sideline or out of bounds, it is inbounds, including while loose (or in possession) over, or completely beyond a sideline or end line. An inbounds player who reaches across a sideline and touches a ball that is in-flight over or beyond the sideline is no different than touching a ball completely inbounds.
When a loose ball (inbounds, or in flight above or beyond a sideline/endline) is touched by an out of bounds player (including a player who has one foot on the ground inbounds and one foot out of bounds) is out of bounds, with responsibility by the last team in possession. If such ball is loose from a free kick, untouched by the receiving team, this is a foul for an illegal kick out of bounds.
