New rules, explained ahead of the 2024 season

What doesn’t change:

• At kickoffs, the ball will be kicked from the 35-yard line facing the longer side of the field
• For safety kicks, the ball will be kicked from the 20m line facing the longer side of the field

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What’s new this year:

Vocabulary to know:

• Landing area: the area between the receiving team’s end zone and the 20-yard line.
• Configuration area: the area between the receiving team’s 30- and 35-yard lines.
• Restraint line: the receiving team’s 35-yard line

Pre-strike

• The kicker stands alone at the kicking team’s 35-yard line
  • He cannot cross the 50-yard line until the ball reaches the ground or a player (returner) in the touchdown zone or end zone.
• Each kicking team player, other than the kicker, lines up on the receiving team’s 40-yard line
  • Those 10 players cannot move until the ball reaches the ground or a player (returner) in the touchdown zone or end zone.
• At least seven players from the receiving team must line up on the touchline (own 35-yard line)
  • Players not on the holding line must still be in the setup area and lined up outside the hash marks
  • Players in the end zone may not move until the ball reaches the ground or a player (returner) in the end zone or end zone

Hit results:

• Kick lands in landing zone: must be returned
• Kick lands out of bounds: Treated as penalty for delay of game on kickoffs – ball spotted on receiving team’s 40-yard line
• Kick lands in the landing zone, bounces in the end zone: must be returned or knocked down. If downed, the ball is spotted at the receiving team’s 20-yard line
• Kick in end zone, stays in: Can be returned or downed. If downed, the ball is spotted at the receiving team’s 30-yard line
• Kick hits the end zone, goes out of bounds: The ball is spotted at the receiving team’s 30-yard line