A goal line is the boundary line at each end of a playing field that a team must cross to score points. In football, when a player carrying the ball crosses the goal line into the end zone, the team scores a touchdown. In soccer, the goal line runs along the ground between the two goalposts, and the entire ball must cross it for a goal to count.

The exact position of the goal line matters enormously in sports. In football, referees sometimes review slow-motion video to determine whether the ball broke the plane of the goal line before a player's knee touched the ground. A fraction of an inch can mean the difference between six points and zero.

The phrase goal-line stand describes a crucial moment when a defensive team stops their opponents from scoring even though they're extremely close to the goal line. These tense moments often decide close games. Beyond sports, people sometimes describe being very close to completing something difficult as being “at the goal line,” just inches from success.