Handball Rules of the Game
Senior 6 · Physical Education
Handball Rules of the Game
Lesson 1 of 4
25 min
Many goals in handball are scored by a player who takes off outside the goal area, flies over the 6-metre line and releases the ball before landing inside it. The jump shot exists because of one rule: court players may not touch the goal area, but a player may land in it after playing the ball. This unit studies the IHF Rules of the Game for Indoor Handball in the edition in force since 1 July 2025, as a player, a coach and an official. This first lesson covers the team, the ball and the playing time, how the ball may be played, the goal area and the goalkeeper, and how a goal is scored.
Definition
Goal area: the area in front of each goal, bounded by the 6-metre (goal-area) line; the line belongs to the goal area.
Court player: any player on the court except the player identified as goalkeeper.
Step: one foot lifted and put down again, or moved from one place to another, while holding the ball.
Substitution line: the 4.5 m of side line next to the centre line, in front of each team's bench, through which its players must leave and enter.
Responsible team official: the one team official who may address the timekeeper, scorekeeper and referees.
| Item | Rule (IHF 2025) |
|---|---|
| Team | Up to 16 players, no more than 7 on court at once (one may be the goalkeeper); at least 5 to start the game; up to 5 team officials |
| Playing without a goalkeeper | Allowed: up to 7 court players, but only one player may be identified as goalkeeper at a time |
| Substitutions | At any time and as often as wanted, without asking the table, but only through the team's own substitution line and once the player being replaced has left. A faulty substitution: 2-minute suspension |
| Uniform | Court players identical; goalkeepers in a colour different from all court players; numbers 1 to 99 (at least 20 cm on the back) |
| Equipment | Sports shoes. No rings, watches, necklaces, earrings, visible piercings or hard objects; nails short. Flat rings and small earrings only if taped over |
| Ball (used with resin) | Size 3: 58–60 cm, 425–475 g (men and boys 16+); size 2: 54–56 cm, 325–375 g (women, girls 14+, boys 12–16); size 1: 50–52 cm, 290–330 g (younger) |
| Playing time | 2 × 30 min (age 16 and over), 2 × 25 min (12–16), 2 × 20 min (8–12); half-time normally 10 min |
| Team time-outs | One of 1 minute per half of regular time; none in overtime (federations may instead allow 3 per match, at most 2 per half) |
| Tie, when a winner is needed | After a 5-min break, overtime of 2 × 5 min; if still tied, a second overtime; then, if the competition says so, 7-metre throwing with 5 throwers per team |
A player may throw, catch, stop, push or hit the ball with the hands (open or closed), arms, head, torso, thighs and knees; hold it for at most 3 seconds; take at most 3 steps with it; bounce it once and catch it, or dribble it with one hand, then catch it again; and play it kneeling, sitting or lying. After a dribble, the ball must again be played within 3 seconds or 3 steps.
A player may not touch the ball again after controlling it unless it has touched the floor, another player or the goal in between (a "double dribble"); touch it with the foot or the leg below the knee, unless an opponent threw it at him or her; or touch it while any part of the body is on the floor outside the court.
Counting steps. A player who catches the ball in the air and lands on one or both feet has not yet taken a step. A step is taken when a foot is lifted and put down again or moved; when a player standing on one foot catches the ball and then puts the other foot down; or when, after a jump, the player hops on the same foot or puts the other foot down. Dragging the second foot behind the first counts as one step.
Worked example
Worked example 1: three steps and a jump shot. A5 catches a pass in the air and lands on both feet at once.
Only the goalkeeper may enter the goal area; a court player has entered it as soon as any part of the body touches it, including the line. The decisions when a court player enters are:
There is no penalty for landing in the goal area after playing the ball (if it does not harm the opponents), or for entering it without the ball and without gaining an advantage. A ball rolling in the goal area is still in play, but only the goalkeeper may touch it.
The goalkeeper may touch the ball with any part of the body while defending inside the goal area and move with it there without step or time limits, but must not delay the goalkeeper throw. He or she may leave the goal area without the ball and then plays like a court player, but may not leave it with the ball under control, bring back a ball lying or rolling outside, touch the ball with the foot or lower leg when it is going out into the playing area, or cross the 4-metre line before the ball leaves the thrower's hand at a 7-metre throw.
Worked example 2: four goal-area decisions
Video: "HANDBALL Rules - Three Steps Rule", Handball Place. Count the steps aloud with each example and decide before the answer is given.
Warning
Common mistakes and safety. The 6-metre line itself is part of the goal area. Catching the ball in the air and landing is not a step. A goalkeeper who leaves the goal area becomes a court player. Before every game, check that the goals are firmly fixed to the floor or wall: an unfixed goal can tip over and cause serious injury. Remove jewellery and cut nails short; a bleeding player must leave the court at once and return only when the wound is covered and the blood cleaned off.
Practice
Remember
Sources and credits
This lesson adapts CC BY-SA material and is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.
