Can a player be offside directly from a goal kick?

A player cannot be penalised for offside when receiving the ball directly from a goal kick. The same direct-restart exemption applies to a throw-in and a corner kick. Once another teammate plays or touches the ball after the goal kick, normal offside law applies from that new moment. So a forward may stand beyond the defensive line and receive the goal kick directly. If they then combine with a teammate and receive another pass, their position is judged normally when that pass is played. This is worth teaching because players sometimes stop useful runs after hearing adults call offside incorrectly. The concise message is: no offside from the goal kick itself; normal offside resumes after the next teammate's touch. The same direct-restart exemption applies to a goal kick, throw-in and corner kick. Once a teammate makes the next touch or play, normal offside judgement applies from that new moment. That is worth making explicit to the players because it prevents them carrying the exemption into the next phase of the attack.