How must a player restart play after a foul is called?

A player must restart play after a foul is called with a free kick from the spot of the foul because the Laws of the Game dictate that certain infractions lead to immediate stoppage and require the non-offending team to be awarded a free kick. This free kick allows the team to take an opportunity to advance the ball or create a scoring opportunity while also penalizing the player who committed the foul.

Corner kicks and throw-ins are other methods of restarting play but are applicable in different situations—corner kicks are awarded when the ball goes out of play over the goal line after being last touched by a defensive player, and throw-ins occur when the ball leaves the field of play over the sideline. Passing to a teammate is not a recognized method to restart play following a foul; rather, the specific circumstance of the foul directly dictates the need for a free kick restart. Therefore, the correct procedure following a foul is to initiate the game again with a free kick taken from the location where the foul was committed.