What happens if the defending team encroaches the center circle before the ball is kicked during a kickoff?

When the defending team encroaches the center circle before the ball is kicked during a kickoff, the proper action is to retake the kickoff. This is because the Laws of the Game state that all players of the defending team must remain outside the center circle until the ball is in play. If they do not adhere to this rule, the kickoff must be retaken, and no penalty is assigned to either team. This process ensures the kickoff is carried out fairly, giving the attacking team the opportunity to start the play under the correct conditions.

In this situation, a goal kick, indirect free kick, or penalty kick would not be appropriate actions because they pertain to different circumstances on the field. Thus, the correct procedure following such an infraction is simply to retake the kickoff without further penalties.