Handball: when touching the ball with the arm is an offence

Where does the arm start?

For handball purposes, the upper boundary of the arm is in line with the bottom of the armpit. A ball that hits the shoulder above that line is not handball.

When it is an offence

• Deliberate handball: the player moves their hand or arm towards the ball to touch it.
• Unnaturally bigger body: the arm is in a position not justified by the player's movement in that situation and makes them take up more space. A player who plays with their arms out takes the risk of being hit by the ball.
• Scoring with the hand: a player may not score in the opponents' goal directly from their hand or arm, or immediately after the ball has touched their hand, even accidentally.

When it isn't

• The arm is close to the body or in a natural position for the movement being made.
• The player falls and the arm is between the body and the ground to support them.
• A teammate touches the ball with the hand accidentally and another player then scores: the goal isn't disallowed for that accidental contact by the teammate.

Disciplinary sanctions

Handball itself is penalised with a direct free kick, or a penalty kick if a defender commits it inside their own penalty area. In addition:

• If the handball stops a promising attack, the player is cautioned.
• If a deliberate handball denies a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, the player is sent off.
• If a player tries to score with the hand, they are cautioned.

The goalkeeper

Inside their own penalty area, the goalkeeper can handle the ball without committing handball, except in the specific cases where it isn't allowed (for example, a ball deliberately kicked to them by a teammate), which are penalised with an indirect free kick. Outside the area they are just another player.