Navigating the handball rule in football can be perplexing. CAUHOI2025.UK.COM provides a comprehensive breakdown of the current handball rule, its interpretations across various leagues, and potential future changes, offering clarity and guidance for fans, players, and coaches alike. Understand the nuances of this often-debated rule with our detailed analysis, including intent, deflections, and attacker versus defender scenarios. Explore similar sports topics with CAUHOI2025.UK.COM today!
1. Football Handball Rules and FIFA Guidelines
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) sets the Laws of the Game for football leagues worldwide. Defining a handball offence has been a challenge, leading to uncertainty. The latest updates were implemented before the 2022/23 season, with no significant changes since.
IFAB specifies which part of the arm contact is illegal. The “sleeve rule,” introduced in 2019, allowed contact with the top of the arm, providing leeway around the shoulder area. The rule states, “the upper boundary of the arm is in line with the bottom of the armpit,” illustrated with diagrams in the Laws of the Game.
The rule outlines the following handball offenses:
- Deliberately touching the ball with the hand/arm, such as moving the hand/arm towards the ball.
- Touching the ball with the hand/arm when it has made the body unnaturally bigger. This is when the hand/arm position isn’t a consequence of, or justifiable by, the player’s body movement. By positioning the hand/arm in this way, the player risks being penalized.
- Scoring in the opponent’s goal:
- Directly from their hand/arm, even if accidental, including by the goalkeeper.
- Immediately after the ball has touched their hand/arm, even if accidental.
2. Does Intent Matter in Handball Rules?
For defenders, intent generally does not matter when a player makes their body unnaturally bigger while handling the ball. While some leagues provide guidance that occasionally considers intent, the rule as written focuses on the arm’s position, not the player’s intention.
The Laws of the Game allow referees to judge intent and penalize a player for deliberately handling the ball. However, the rule specifically states that intent does not matter when a player has made their body unnaturally bigger or scores a goal. It clarifies that any unnatural touch with the hand/arm, whether intentional or not, should be penalized.
Intent only comes into play when deciding whether to send a player off for deliberately handling the ball to prevent a goal.
There are two major exceptions:
- A handball is not whistled if a player’s body position is “a consequence of, or justifiable by, the player’s body movement for that specific situation.” This often applies when a defensive player slides to block a shot and uses their arm for support.
- For an attacking player, intent doesn’t matter for the goal scorer; any goal scored with any contact with the hand is disallowed. However, in the build-up to a goal, a handball offence by a player other than the goal scorer must be “deliberate” for the goal to be disallowed.
3. Is It a Handball if the Ball Deflects off a Player’s Body?
Under the current rule, a handball is penalized regardless of deflection off another player’s or the same player’s body. However, interpretations vary across leagues.
According to Premier League guidelines for the 2024/25 season, a deflection is considered if the ball comes off the same player or their teammate before striking the arm. This greatly relaxes the rules regarding a “justifiable” arm position. For instance, Premier League officiating chief Howard Webb stated an incident where a deflection occurred would not be a penalty due to the change in trajectory and the defender’s natural use of his arm for balance.
This continues to spark debate. A Champions League incident where Newcastle defender Tino Livramento was penalized for handball after a deflection highlights the varying interpretations. Some argued it was a correct decision because his arm was raised, while others deemed it unjust due to the deflection.
Had that happened in the Premier League, a penalty likely would not have been awarded under the new guidance.
4. Is There a Ball to Hand Rule?
Currently, there is no ball to hand rule. This concept is often linked to intent, suggesting the contact was unavoidable for a defensive player. However, the law states that a defensive player assumes the risk of their arm’s unnatural position, thus ball to hand does not apply. This means a player can be penalized regardless of their ability to react.
Some leagues issue specific guidance on this. For example, the Premier League’s 2024/25 guidance indicates that the defender’s proximity to the ball when it was struck will factor into handball decisions.
5. Handball Rules: Attacker vs. Defender
The handball law applies differently to attacking and defending players. Defending players are subject to the rules discussed above. However, the rule is very simple for an attacking player – if the ball strikes a goal scorer’s arm during a goal-scoring move, the goal is disallowed, regardless of arm position, intent, or other factors.
IFAB determined that goals directly resulting from the ball striking the hand or arm of an attacking player go against the spirit of the game.
Arsenal forward Kai Havertz had a goal disallowed against Aston Villa on December 9, 2023, due to this rule. The ball hit an Aston Villa defender’s hand before striking Havertz’s arm.
PGMOL chief Howard Webb explained that the decision was correct because any handball by a player scoring a goal is a foul, while defenders face a different threshold.
PGMOL chief Howard Webb explains why Kai Havertz’s goal was right to be disallowed in Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat against Aston Villa. pic.twitter.com/vvIqVhDjBk
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) December 12, 2023
For players in the build-up other than the goal scorer, the threshold is lower than that of a defender, but slightly different. Arm position doesn’t matter, but the offence must be considered “deliberate” for the goal to be disallowed.
6. How Premier League Handball Rules are Different
IFAB’s Laws of the Game can’t address every possible situation. Therefore, leagues and governing bodies have their own guidelines for interpreting the rules.
Premier League refereeing chief Howard Webb has issued guidelines for referees and clubs ahead of the 2024/25 season. A balance of subjective considerations is key, and not every touch is an offence.
Factors that suggest waving away handball protests:
- The player’s arm is in a justifiable position or action.
- This threshold is greatly relaxed if there is a clear deflection or change of trajectory just before the ball hits the arm.
- The player plays a ball onto his own arm.
- The arm supports the body on the ground while sliding or falling.
- A teammate plays the ball onto their arm.
- Proximity from the defender to where the ball is struck.
Factors that suggest giving a penalty for handball:
- Deliberate movement of the arm away from the body.
- Clear additional arm movement.
- An arm position that makes the body bigger and unjustifiable.
- Again, the threshold for what is justifiable or unjustifiable greatly relaxes if there is a clear deflection or change of trajectory.
Fans should note that some subjective handball calls they believe are incorrect may survive VAR reviews. The Premier League has heavily stressed the “referee’s call” concept. This advises VAR officials to hold a high threshold for changing on-field decisions.
Therefore, some handball calls a VAR official might have adjudicated differently may not be changed as the VAR official understands they are NOT the head official and should defer to the on-field referee. The focus is on “clear and obvious errors.”
7. How UEFA Handball Rules are Different
UEFA has its own interpretation of the handball rule with its guidelines for the 2023/24 season. The European governing body wants to relax the whistling of handball offences regarding deflections and relax the punishment for yellow and red cards.
The guidelines for 2023/24 suggest that “no handball offence should be called on a player if the ball is previously deflected from his own body, and, in particular, when the ball does not go towards the goal.” This would explain Newcastle’s frustration at conceding that penalty against PSG.
UEFA also states that “not every handball should automatically lead to a caution after every shot at goal, as anticipated by the current guidelines.” Current guidelines encourage officials to give automatic yellow cards for handball offences in the penalty area that result in a penalty. The 2023/24 guidelines relax this.
Finally, UEFA will petition IFAB to change the rule of an automatic red card for denying a goal-scoring opportunity by handling the ball, specifically to take intent into account. Under the UEFA suggestion, a red card would only be shown for an intentional handball to deny a goal, while a yellow card would be shown when intent isn’t clear.
UEFA calls for clarifications to a handball law it applies more strictly, and with a lack of common sense, than any competition governing body in the world.
The handball law isn’t great, but it’s UEFA’s choice for it to be as bad as it is in the UCL, UEL and UECL. pic.twitter.com/g3N9ps5JUf
— Dale Johnson (@DaleJohnsonESPN) April 25, 2023
These recommendations come after UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said that “nobody in the world understands when there’s handball or not.”
“We had the best coaches in the world in the room,” Ceferin said. “We showed them a situation where a ball hits the hand of a player and we said penalty or no penalty, half said penalty, half said no penalty… I think that the referee on the pitch should decide because otherwise we don’t need a referee anymore.”
UEFA chief Aleksander Ceferin wants more clarity on the handball rule. pic.twitter.com/b9c8D2Xy32
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) May 25, 2023
8. Will the Handball Rule in Football Be Changed?
After the controversial decision to award PSG a penalty against Newcastle, CBS rules analyst Christina Unkel stated she believes IFAB will issue new guidance on the handball rule in early 2024. While explaining that the rule was applied correctly in that incident, Unkel said the rule as written has caused too many problems.
“I don’t like the current interpretation in how we are required to apply it right now,” Unkel said. “The football advisory board has specifically said in March they will provide another clarification, because we have gone too objective with the handling offense and it creates harsh decisions such as this one.”
Unkel’s use of “objective” and “subjective” are important. VAR has tried to standardize decision-making. However, because football is fluid, Unkel speculates that IFAB will revert to a more “subjective” rule.
“It IS a penalty.”
Our rules expert @ChristinaUnkel explains why PSG were awarded a penalty against Newcastle. 🍿 pic.twitter.com/rt3utebW4z
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) November 28, 2023
While UEFA hasn’t updated its guidance for the 2024/25 season, other leagues have, leading many to believe that UEFA will follow the trend.
The CBS analyst told Sporting News in October 2024 that while no official rule changes have been made, the Premier League and MLS have issued guidance directing officials to avoid giving penalties for handball incidents that immediately follow a deflection off a defender or their teammate unless the arm is in an exceedingly unnatural position.
9. Key Takeaways and Rule Variations
Here’s a summarized table highlighting the different interpretations of the handball rule across various leagues:
| Rule Aspect | IFAB Laws of the Game | Premier League (2024/25 Guidance) | UEFA (2023/24 Guidelines) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intent | Generally doesn’t matter for defenders; matters for deliberate handling to prevent a goal. | Not explicitly mentioned, but subjective considerations are stressed. | Intent to be considered for red cards when denying a goal-scoring opportunity. |
| Deflections | Penalized regardless of deflection. | Deflection considered; threshold for “justifiable” arm position greatly relaxed if there’s a deflection. | No handball offence if the ball is deflected from the player’s own body, especially if the ball isn’t going towards the goal. |
| Ball to Hand | No “ball to hand” rule; risk is assumed by the defender. | Proximity of the defender to where the ball is struck is a factor. | Not explicitly addressed. |
| Attacker vs. Defender | Different rules apply; any handball by a goal scorer results in a disallowed goal. | Same as IFAB. | Same as IFAB. |
10. FAQ: Handball in Football
Q1: What part of the arm is considered handball?
The area from the bottom of the armpit down to the hand is considered for handball offenses. Contact with the shoulder is generally permitted.
Q2: Does intent matter when judging a handball?
Generally, no, especially for defenders making their body unnaturally bigger. Intent is considered when deciding whether to issue a red card for deliberately preventing a goal.
Q3: Is a handball always called if the ball deflects off another player?
No, interpretations vary by league. The Premier League and UEFA offer leniency if the ball deflects off the player’s own body.
Q4: What happens if an attacker accidentally handles the ball before scoring?
The goal is disallowed, regardless of intent.
Q5: What is the “ball to hand” rule?
Officially, there is no “ball to hand” rule. Defenders are considered to assume the risk of the ball striking their arm.
Q6: How does VAR affect handball decisions?
VAR aims to standardize decisions, but the Premier League emphasizes the “referee’s call,” giving on-field officials more authority.
Q7: Are the handball rules the same in every league?
No, leagues like the Premier League and UEFA have their own guidelines that differ from IFAB’s Laws of the Game.
Q8: What constitutes an “unnatural” arm position?
An arm position that is not a consequence of or justifiable by the player’s body movement for that specific situation.
Q9: How are handball rules different for attackers vs. defenders?
Any contact with the hand/arm by a goal scorer results in a disallowed goal, while defenders are judged based on arm position and whether they made their body unnaturally bigger.
Q10: Is the handball rule expected to change in the future?
Yes, many believe IFAB will issue new guidance to address the rule’s complexities and inconsistencies.
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