Why can handball players not go inside the semicircle in front of the goal?
B · Beginner · The game · 1 of 8Because the goal area, inside the 6-metre line, belongs to the goalkeeper alone. A court player may not touch it, the line included, while playing the ball. A player may jump from outside, shoot in the air and land inside, as long as the ball has left the hand first.
How it works
- The court: "a 40 metres long and 20 metres wide rectangle", with a goal area at each end.
- The goal: 2 metres high and 3 metres wide inside.
- The goal area: bounded by the goal-area line, 6 metres from the goal.
- Lines belong: "All lines on the court are fully part of the area that they enclose." Treading on the 6-metre line is entering the goal area.
- Who may enter: "Only the goalkeeper is allowed to enter the goal area".
- Entered: when a court player "touches it with any part of the body".
- Attacker enters with the ball, or gains by entering: a goalkeeper throw to the other team.
- Defender enters and gains an advantage: a free throw.
- Defender enters and destroys a clear chance of scoring: a 7-metre throw.
- Not penalised: entering after playing the ball, if it creates no disadvantage for the opponents, or entering without the ball and gaining nothing.
- The air above: the ball may be touched in the air over the goal area.
- The other lines: the broken free-throw line at 9 metres, the 7-metre line and the goalkeeper's 4-metre line.
The glossary has the playing court, the goal area, the goal, the free-throw line, the 7-metre line and 4-metre line entry, the entering the goal area entry and the goalkeeper.
Tricky cases
A player jumps from outside the line, shoots and lands inside the goal area. Is the goal good?
Yes. Entering the goal area after playing the ball is not penalised, as long as it does not create a disadvantage for the opponents.
An attacker's toe is on the 6-metre line as they shoot. Does the goal count?
No. The line is part of the goal area, so the attacker has entered it with the ball. The other team has a goalkeeper throw.
A defender stands inside the goal area to block a shot. What is the decision?
It depends on what it prevents. A free throw if the defender gained an advantage, and a 7-metre throw if a clear chance of scoring was destroyed.
The ball is lying still inside the goal area. Can an attacker reach in and take it?
No. A ball lying in the goal area is out of play and belongs to the goalkeeper's team.
Why the rule exists
Without a protected area, attackers would walk the ball up to the goal and the goalkeeper would have no chance. The 6-metre line forces every shot to be thrown from distance or taken while flying over the line. That flying shot is the picture most people have of the sport.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Goal area | Goalkeeper only | IHF 6:1 |
| Free-throw line | Attackers must stay outside it while a free throw is taken | IHF 13:7 |
| Throw-off area | A 4-metre circle at the centre, compulsory at IHF events and senior professional leagues | IHF 1:9 |
| Beach handball | A different court and rule book | Not in this set |
From the rule book
International Handball Federation, Rules of the Game: Indoor Handball (1 July 2025), Rules 1 and 6. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: IX. Rules of the Game, a) Indoor Handball (PDF).