If a goalkeeper's goal kick deflects off the referee and crosses over the halfway line, what is the proper action?

When a goalkeeper takes a goal kick, the ball must be in play and must leave the penalty area before it can be touched by another player. If the ball deflects off the referee and crosses over the halfway line, the match rules indicate that the kick has not been executed properly because the referee inadvertently interfered with the ball in play.

In this case, the correct action is to stop play and restart with another goal kick. This is because the play was disrupted by the presence of the referee in the path of the ball, and the original goal kick did not accomplish its intended purpose of putting the ball into play for the game to continue. Restarting with a goal kick allows the goalkeeper to re-attempt the kick correctly, ensuring that the game is played according to the rules. This approach maintains the integrity of the restart and ensures fairness for both teams.