Not every touch of a player's hand/arm with the ball is an offence.
A player's hand/arm position should be judged in relation to body movement in that particular situation and players are not expected to move with their arms by their side or behind their back.
New interpretation
A very clear deflection that results in a significant change in the trajectory of the ball should carry greater weight than arm position when considering a handball offence.
However, touching another body part before contact with the arm does not automatically mean a handball cannot be penalised.
| No handball offence | Handball offence |
| Justifiable position/action | Deliberate movement of arm away from body |
| Player plays ball onto own arm | |
| Supportive arm | Clear additional arm movement |
| Clear change of ball trajectory when touched by same player | |
| Played by a team-mate | Arm position - Makes body unjustifiably bigger |
| Proximity |
Contents:
VAR
VAR Improvement Plan
Decision-making process
What VAR cannot do
Threshold for VAR intervention
Attacking Possession Phase
Semi-Automated Offside Technology
Participant Behaviour Charter
Context for Change
Core Principles
Regulatory
Updates for Season 2024/25
Effective Playing Time – Allowance for time lost
Effective Playing Time – Calculation of Additional Time
Effective Playing Time – Delaying the restart
Effective Playing Time – Managing momentum
Holding
Blocking
Denying a goal or an obvious goal scoring opportunity
Penalty kicks
IFAB Trial
Additional Guidance
Decision-making principles
Offside – Delaying the flag
Offside – Deliberate play
Offside – Interference
Handball – Definition of the hand/arm
Handball – Accidental handball before a goal is scored
Serious foul play
Violent conduct
High foot challenges
Challenges on Goalkeepers
Matchday Protocols
Multiball protocol
Substitutes warm up protocol
Concussion substitutions
Pre-match warm up protocols
Post-match warm down protocols