From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishpenalty areaˈpenalty ˌarea noun [countable] DSFthe area in front of the goal in football. The team opposing you is given a penalty if you break a rule there.
Examples from the Corpus
penalty area• McCoist's header fell invitingly to Hateley, who was lurking on the edge of the Leeds penalty area.• He was pacing the floor when Dannie Bulman spun a deep cross into the Leicester penalty area.• Baltusnikas shot wide, scarcely believing he had so much room in the Republic's penalty area.• Ryan Giggs dribbled into the penalty area, beat Andy Griffin once, then went down under a second challenge.• Strachan got the goal, another well-crafted and well-taken strike running into the penalty area from Speed's pass.• Five minutes before the break, Jan Molby's pass gave Rob Jones a chance on the edge of the penalty area.• Williams fouled Hendrie just outside the penalty area on the Middlesbrough left.• Matt Elliott gave the ball away and Niall Quinn found space just outside the penalty area. 