The old six-second rule was rarely enforced. The modern law is designed to be clearer: the referee judges control, counts the last five seconds visibly, and awards a corner if the goalkeeper keeps the ball too long.
The sanction changed from an indirect free kick to a corner kick because indirect free kicks inside the penalty area were awkward, slow, and rarely used for this offence. The new corner-kick sanction is simpler and more visible.
Opponents cannot challenge a goalkeeper who has hand or arm control of the ball. If they interfere with the release or obstruct the goalkeeper during the count, the referee can stop the count and punish the opponent instead.
Control includes holding the ball, trapping it between a hand or arm and the ground or body, touching it with part of the hands or arms, bouncing it, or throwing it into the air. The goalkeeper cannot release the ball from the hands and then handle it again before another player touches it. Dribbling with the feet after a genuine release is different, but a deliberate bounce or toss remains part of the same controlled possession. The referee starts timing once control is established and the goalkeeper is reasonably able to release, taking account of an immediate challenge, collision, or need to regain balance.
The referee raises a hand and visibly counts the last five seconds. This signal tells the goalkeeper how little time remains and warns opponents not to interfere. It does not mean the goalkeeper receives five additional seconds after an earlier hidden count; it is the closing portion of the eight-second limit. The referee can pause judgment when an opponent prevents release or when a genuine playing incident makes distribution temporarily impossible. Ordinary tactical delay, walking with the ball, or waiting for teammates to spread out does not extend the allowance.
If the limit is exceeded, the opponents receive a corner kick from the corner area nearest the goalkeeper's position when penalised. The offence itself does not automatically require a yellow card, although repeated delay, dissent, or another separate act can still lead to misconduct. This sanction applies to excessive hand or arm control inside the goalkeeper's own penalty area. Handling a deliberate kick from a teammate, regathering after release, or touching a teammate's throw-in are different restrictions that normally produce an indirect free kick rather than this corner.
The visible countdown is itself preventative communication. If the goalkeeper still holds the ball beyond eight seconds, the referee can award the corner on the first occurrence without issuing a separate verbal warning. Match management may address behaviour before the limit expires, but repeated enforcement is not a prerequisite. The count concerns continuous control, so transferring the ball between hands or pausing a bounce does not create a fresh eight seconds.
The referee decides when control begins. The visible countdown is only the final five seconds, so fans may not see the first part of the timing even when the referee has already started judging the delay.