In football, when the ball strikes the frame of the goal or the referee and remains within the goal and touch lines, it is:

The correct answer is still in play.

Key Points

• If, for any reason, the ball strikes the frame of the goal or the referee and remains within the goal and touch lines, it is still in play. A goal is scored when the entire ball has crossed the goal line within the frame of the goal.
• A challenge or tackle that threatens an opponent's safety or makes use of excessive force or brutality must be penalized as serious foul play.
• Serious foul play is committed by any player who lunges at an opponent while vying for the ball from the front, the side, or the back, using one or both legs, with excessive force, or while putting the opponent's safety in peril.

Additional Information

• The ball is out of play when it has wholly passed over the goal line or touchline on the ground or in the air play has been stopped by the referee it touches a match official, remains on the field of play and a team starts a promising attack or the ball goes directly into the goal or the team in possession of the ball changes in all these cases, play is restarted with a dropped ball.
• Ball in play
  • The ball is in play at all other times when it touches a match official and when it rebounds off a goalpost, crossbar or corner flagpost and remains on the field of play.
• Trophies related to Football:
  • Euro Cup
  • UEFA Champions League
  • Santosh Trophy
  • EFL Cup
  • Durand Cup 
  • FIFA World Cup
  • FA Cup