Can a goalkeeper use their hands to play the ball outside their penalty area?

A goalkeeper is permitted to use their hands solely within their own penalty area. The Laws of the Game explicitly state that the goalkeeper can handle the ball only when they are inside this designated area. If a goalkeeper ventures outside their penalty area and touches the ball with their hands, it results in an infringement of the rules, leading to a free-kick awarded to the opposing team.

This regulation is in place to maintain the balance of the game. If goalkeepers were allowed to handle the ball anywhere on the field, it could undermine the role of other players and potentially disrupt the flow of the game, as well as alter the dynamics of play significantly.

Therefore, while a goalkeeper has special privileges regarding ball handling within the penalty area, those privileges do not extend beyond it.