Handball rules explained: halves, 7-metre throws and suspensions
A handball match lasts two halves of 30 minutes with a half-time break that is normally 10 minutes. Each team has seven players on court, usually six court players and a goalkeeper, and the side with more goals wins. League matches may end level; in a knockout tie that needs a winner, the teams play extra time and, if necessary, a 7-metre shoot-out. Everything below follows the Rules of the Game of the International Handball Federation (IHF), in the edition in force since 1 July 2025.
The match at a glance
The court is 40 metres long and 20 metres wide. A squad may hold up to 16 players, and substitutions are unlimited and made on the fly, without stopping the clock. A player may hold the ball for at most three seconds and take at most three steps with it, which is why the game moves so quickly and why scores of around thirty goals per team are ordinary.
For players aged 16 and above the playing time is 2 × 30 minutes. The rules allow federations to set a different half-time break in their own competitions, up to a maximum of 15 minutes. The clock is stopped only when the referees call a time-out; there is no added time as in football.
The lines that decide everything
Three lines in front of each goal explain most of what you see in a live feed.
| Line | Distance from goal | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Goal-area line | 6 metres | Only the goalkeeper may stand inside the goal area |
| 7-metre line | 7 metres | The spot for the 7-metre throw |
| Free-throw line (broken) | 9 metres | Free throws near goal are taken from outside this line |
Court players may not touch the floor of the goal area. Attackers therefore jump from outside the line and release the ball in the air, which is perfectly legal. A defender who stands inside the goal area and gains an advantage gives away a free throw; if he destroys a clear scoring chance that way, the punishment is a 7-metre throw.
The free throw
Most fouls lead to a free throw, taken from where the foul happened. Opponents must stay at least 3 metres away. When the foul occurs between the 6-metre and the 9-metre line, the attacking team takes the throw from outside the 9-metre line, and the defenders may line up directly along their goal area.
The 7-metre throw
A 7-metre throw is awarded when a clear chance of scoring is illegally destroyed, anywhere on the court. The thrower stands behind the 7-metre line and must shoot at goal within three seconds of the referee's whistle, without touching or crossing the line before the ball leaves the hand. All other players wait outside the 9-metre line, and the goalkeeper may come forward only as far as the 4-metre mark.
Warnings, suspensions and cards
Handball punishes fouls progressively: repeated or harder fouls bring heavier sanctions.
| Sanction | Signal | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Warning | Yellow card | No time penalty; a player should get only one, a team no more than three |
| Suspension | Two raised fingers | The player sits out 2 minutes and the team plays one short |
| Disqualification | Red card | The player is out for the rest of the match; the team plays one short for 2 minutes |
| Blue card | Shown after the red | A written report follows and the responsible body may take further action |
A player's third 2-minute suspension automatically becomes a disqualification. And a red card does not leave a team short for the whole match as in football: after two minutes another player may come on. Our guide to cards and suspensions shows how different the two systems are.
Passive play
A team may not keep the ball without trying to attack. When the referees see that tendency, one of them raises an arm: the forewarning signal. From then on the attacking team has a maximum of four passes to finish with a shot on goal; otherwise the ball goes to the opponents with a free throw. National federations may allow up to six passes depending on age and level.
The empty goal and the seventh court player
The goalkeeper may be replaced by a court player at any time, which gives a team seven court players in attack, or six when one of its players is suspended. The price is an empty goal: lose the ball and the opponents can score from their own half.
Team time-outs
Under the basic rule each team has one 1-minute team time-out per half of regular time, and none in extra time. Federations may instead grant three per match, with no more than two in one half and only one in the last five minutes; many top competitions use this version. A time-out can be requested only by the team that has the ball.
When a winner is needed
A drawn league match simply ends as a draw. In knockout matches the procedure is:
- After a 5-minute break, extra time of 2 × 5 minutes with a 1-minute interval.
- If still level, a second extra time of 2 × 5 minutes after another 5-minute break.
- If still level, the competition's own regulations decide; the usual solution is the 7-metre shoot-out.
In the shoot-out each team names five players who throw alternately. If the score is level after five throws each, both teams name five throwers again, the other team starts, and the first difference after an equal number of throws ends the match. Players who are suspended or disqualified at the end of the playing time may not take part.
What changed on 1 July 2025
The current edition brought precise adjustments, two of which a spectator notices. A thrower who hits the goalkeeper's head with a 7-metre throw, when the goalkeeper has not moved the head towards the ball, now receives a 2-minute suspension; the same applies to an unhindered shot in open play. At the throw-off from the throw-off area, the referee whistles only when the ball and the thrower are completely inside that area.
Reading a handball live score
On the handball live scores page a match shows the running score and the half being played. The half-time score is normally given in brackets after the final result, for example 31:28 (15:13). When a match went beyond 60 minutes, the result carries a label such as "after extra time" or "after 7-metre throws"; the general meaning of such labels is covered in match statuses explained. Finished games from the previous day are on yesterday's results, and everything in play right now is on the live matches page. To be told when your team's match starts or ends, mark it with the star as described in alerts and favourites.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a handball match last in real time?
The playing time is 60 minutes plus a half-time break that is normally 10 minutes. With time-outs and stoppages, a match usually takes about an hour and a half from throw-off to final whistle.
Can a handball match end in a draw?
Yes. In leagues a draw is a normal result. Extra time and the 7-metre shoot-out are used only when a winner has to be determined, typically in cups and in the knockout rounds of tournaments.
What does the blue card mean?
It is shown after a red card for the most serious offences. It informs everyone that the referees will file a written report, after which the responsible disciplinary body can impose further measures.