No law in football has been rewritten more often than the handball rule. I have lost count of how many times the interpretation has changed. What was an offence last season might not be this season. Here is my understanding of the current state of play.
The Basic Principle
It is an offence if a player:
- Deliberately touches the ball with their hand/arm
- Touches the ball with their hand/arm when it has made their body unnaturally bigger
- Scores directly from their hand/arm (even if accidental)
- Creates a goal-scoring opportunity after the ball touches their hand/arm (even if accidental)
What Counts as “Hand/Arm”?
The boundary is the bottom of the armpit. Anything below that line (toward the hand) is considered hand/arm. The shoulder itself is not.
Deliberately vs Accidentally
Deliberate handball is straightforward - the player moves their hand/arm toward the ball. But what about everything else?
Always an Offence (Even if Accidental)
- Scoring a goal directly after the ball touches hand/arm
- Creating a goal-scoring opportunity immediately after touching hand/arm
- Goalkeeper handling the ball outside their penalty area
- Goalkeeper handling a deliberate back-pass or throw-in from teammate
“Unnaturally Bigger”
A player makes their body unnaturally bigger when they position their arm in a way that is not a consequence of their body movement for that situation.
Key consideration: Was the arm in a natural position for what the player was doing?
- Jumping with arms out for balance = potentially natural
- Arms above shoulder height = rarely justifiable
- Arms spread wide away from body = usually unnatural
What is NOT a Handball?
- Ball played directly from player’s own head/body/foot to their own arm
- Ball played directly from the head/body/foot of another player who is close
- Arm close to body and not making body unnaturally bigger
- Player falling and arm used for support (between body and ground)
The “Accidental Goal” Rule
If an attacker accidentally handles the ball and then scores OR a teammate scores immediately after, the goal is disallowed. This applies even if the handball happened several passes before the goal, as long as it is part of the same attacking phase.
Defending Inside the Box
Defenders in the penalty area get some protection. A handball that occurs when the defender:
- Is falling and using arm for support
- Has arm close to body
- Has ball played from close range with no time to react
…is not automatically an offence.
Goalkeeper Specific Rules
Goalkeepers can handle the ball inside their penalty area except:
- Deliberate back-pass from teammate’s foot
- Throw-in from teammate
- After releasing the ball, they cannot handle it again until another player touches it
Practice Handball Scenarios
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