Accidental Double-Touch Penalties to Be Retaken Under New Clarification
In a move to address fairness in penalty kicks, soccer’s rule-making body has clarified the laws following a controversial incident involving Julián Álvarez that knocked Atlético Madrid out of the Champions League earlier this year.
The updated interpretation, announced by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), will take effect immediately in UEFA competitions, starting with Wednesday’s Nations League semifinal between Germany and Portugal in Munich. The change means that penalties like the one Álvarez took—and had disallowed—against Real Madrid in March should now be retaken if scored.
During a tense shootout in the Champions League round of 16, Álvarez slipped while taking his penalty, causing the ball to rebound off his standing foot before looping past goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Despite the ball finding the net, the goal was overturned by video review, and Atlético eventually lost the shootout.
At the time, referees correctly enforced the existing rules, but the incident sparked debate over whether the punishment—denying the goal—was too harsh, given that Álvarez’s double touch was accidental.
“This situation is rare, and as it is not directly covered in Law 14, referees have understandably tended to penalize the kicker,” IFAB said in a statement. “However, this part of Law 14 is primarily intended for situations where the penalty taker deliberately touches the ball a second time to gain an advantage.”
Under the clarified rule, if a player accidentally double-touches the ball during a penalty but still scores, the kick will now be retaken. If the penalty is missed due to an accidental second touch, it will not be reattempted—in shootouts, it will count as a miss, while in regular or extra time, the defending team will be awarded a free kick.
The change will also apply at the upcoming Club World Cup in the U.S., beginning June 14, where Atlético Madrid will be among the 32 competing teams.
IFAB, which consists of FIFA and the four British soccer associations, can alter the rules with a minimum of six out of eight possible votes—four held by FIFA and one each by England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
The adjustment aims to ensure that accidental mistakes do not unfairly decide high-stakes matches, bringing more clarity—and perhaps a little more justice—to the beautiful game.
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