Handball offence
A foul in football committed when an outfield player deliberately handles or controls the ball with the hand or arm.
Overview
Outfield players may not deliberately play the ball with their hand or arm. The referee looks at whether the movement of the arm was intentional or made the body unnaturally bigger, and where the arm was in relation to the play.
The goalkeeper is the exception inside their own penalty area, where they are allowed to handle the ball. A handball offence is punished with a free kick, and if it happens inside the defending penalty area it can result in a penalty kick.
Key points
- Contact with the hand or arm alone is not automatically an offence — intent and arm position matter.
- A goalkeeper may handle the ball only within their own penalty area.
- Accidental contact is generally not penalised unless it leads directly to a goal or clear chance.
- A handball inside the defending penalty area can lead to a penalty kick.
Where it’s used
Sports that use handball offence:
Related rules
Offside
A rule that prevents an attacker from gaining an advantage by being positioned too close to the opponents' goal ahead of the ball and the last defenders.
Direct and indirect free kicks
The two types of free kick awarded in football to restart play after a foul or other stoppage.
Penalty kick award
A one-on-one kick against the goalkeeper awarded when a defending player commits a direct-free-kick foul inside their own penalty area.
How it connects
The meaning-bearing relationships that place Handball offence in the wider knowledge graph — each one with the reason it exists.
Frequently learned together
Taught side by side in the same stage of a learning path.
- OffsideBoth are taught in the “Get to know the game” stage of the Football learning path.
- Direct and indirect free kicksBoth are taught in the “Get to know the game” stage of the Football learning path.
- Penalty kick awardBoth are taught in the “Get to know the game” stage of the Football learning path.
- Yellow and red cardsBoth are taught in the “Get to know the game” stage of the Football learning path.
- Throw-inBoth are taught in the “Get to know the game” stage of the Football learning path.
Explore across the knowledge base
Follow the threads that connect Handball offence to the rest of SocialSportHub.
Officiating
- RefereeThe primary on-field official who enforces the rules, controls play, penalises fouls, awards restarts, and blows the whistle to start and stop a match.
- Video ReviewVideo review lets officials re-examine footage of a contested moment to confirm or overturn a close call — a goal, a line, a foul — an aid used across many sports.
- AdvantageIn many sports, officials let play continue after a foul when stopping would help the offender, so the fouled team keeps the advantage it has gained.
- Foul callA foul call is an official's ruling that a player broke a rule of contact or conduct, triggering a penalty such as a free kick, free throw or penalty.
- Out-of-Bounds CallAn official's ruling that the ball or a player in possession has left the legal playing area, stopping play and handing a restart or possession to the opponent.
Positions
- GoalkeeperThe goalkeeper is the last line of defence in football and the only player allowed to handle the ball inside their own penalty area.
- Point guardThe point guard is basketball’s primary ball-handler and playmaker, running the offence and setting up teammates to score.
- Centre-backA centre-back is a central defender in football whose main job is to stop opposing attackers and clear the ball from dangerous areas.
- StrikerA striker is the main attacking player in football, positioned furthest forward with the primary job of scoring goals.
- PivotThe pivot is a handball attacker who plays close to the opposition defence, setting screens and looking for chances near the goal area.
Learning paths
Beginner guides
- Your first football sessionA warm, practical picture of what actually happens when you turn up to your very first football session — how it runs, what surprises beginners, and how to enjoy it without any pressure.
- Your first basketball sessionA first basketball session is a friendly, fast-moving introduction to handling the ball, moving your feet and sharing simple play with others — no experience or prior skill needed.
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How this page is maintained
- Content type
- Rule
- Provenance
- Tier A — evergreen educational
- Verified external sources
- 0
- Content updated
- 2026-07-09
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