SportsMaze

Handball rules, for watching

Start with how a match works. Then the rules you see every few minutes, then the ones that change results.

Checked 14 October 2026

Settling an argument? Search all 17 rules

Where these rules come from
TagDocument
IHF plus rule and paragraph, as in IHF 7:3International Handball Federation, IX. Rules of the Game: a) Indoor Handball, edition of 1 July 2025. Read for this set: Rules 1 to 18 with their comments and notes; Clarification No. 4 (general guidelines and the forewarning section), No. 5 (in part), No. 6, No. 7 (in part) and No. 8; the Guidelines and Interpretations on the last 30 seconds
R"Why the rule exists", or a point reasoned from the rule, not stated in it
CCommon usage or general knowledge, not a rule

All checked on 14 October 2026.

The rule book says "he" throughout and notes that the rules apply equally to all players. The pages use "they" and "the player", and keep "his" or "him" only inside direct quotations.

Not covered: the hand signals; Clarifications No. 1 to 3 (the free throw after the final signal in detail, time-outs, team time-outs) and the tables in No. 4; the Substitution Area Regulations; the Video Replay Regulations; the Electronic Team Time-Out Regulations; the rest of the Guidelines and Interpretations; the guidelines for courts and goals; the regulations on protective equipment; beach handball and wheelchair handball, which have their own rule books (not saved).

Not covered: the hand signals; Clarifications No. 1 to 3 (the free throw after the final signal in detail, time-outs, team time-outs) and the tables in No. 4; the Substitution Area Regulations; the Video Replay Regulations; the Electronic Team Time-Out Regulations; the rest of the Guidelines and Interpretations; the guidelines for courts and goals; the regulations on protective equipment; beach handball and wheelchair handball, which have their own rule books (not saved).