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One arm, two angles, and a difference that decides whether points can be kicked.
An arm held straight out at about forty-five degrees is a penalty, from which the team may kick at goal. An arm bent at the elbow with the hand against the chest is a free kick, from which they may not. Nothing else about the two signals differs, so a spectator who reads the angle wrongly expects points that cannot be scored.
A straight arm at forty-five degrees is a penalty; a bent arm is a free kick, which may not be kicked at goal.
| Penalty kick signal | Free kick signal | |
|---|---|---|
| The arm | Straight, at about forty-five degrees. | Bent at the elbow, hand on the chest. |
| May kick at goal | Yes. | No. |
| Relationship (from Symbolwise's records) | Commonly confused with Free kick signal — A straight arm at forty-five degrees is a penalty; a bent arm is a free kick, which may not be kicked at goal. | Commonly confused with Penalty kick signal — A straight arm at forty-five degrees is a penalty; a bent arm is a free kick, which may not be kicked at goal. |
World Rugby · retrieved 2026-08-27
The governing body of rugby union, cited for its defined referee signals. Rugby league is a different code with different signals and is not covered by this source.
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