A handball in soccer is an offense where a player touches the ball with the hand or arm deliberately, or with an arm that has made the body unnaturally bigger. Not every touch counts. The penalty is usually a direct free kick, or a penalty kick inside the defender's own box.
That's the short version from Law 12 of IFAB's Laws of the Game (2026/27 edition, in force from July 1, 2026). Below we go through what the law actually says, the calls that confuse parents on the sideline, and the places where high school (NFHS) and rec leagues in the U.S. do things a little differently.
What is considered a handball in soccer?
A handball is a foul for using the hand or arm on the ball in a way the law doesn't allow. The key word in the current law is "offense." IFAB's text says plainly that not every touch of a player's hand or arm with the ball is one. A ball fired at a defender from three feet away that clips a hand hanging by their side is usually play on.
So the referee isn't asking "did it touch the arm?" They're asking two questions. Did the player mean to play it with the arm? And if not, was the arm somewhere it had no business being for that movement?
The second question is a judgement call, and that's where most sideline arguments start, whether it's a U10 rec game or the World Cup. Knowing how the law frames it makes those arguments a lot shorter.
Which part of the arm counts as a handball?
Everything from the fingertips up to the bottom of the armpit. Law 12 sets the upper boundary of the arm "in line with the bottom of the armpit," so the shoulder is not part of the arm for handball purposes. A ball that hits the top of the shoulder and goes in is a legal goal.
For young players, a simple way to picture it: if a sleeveless jersey would leave it uncovered, it's arm. The bit the shirt still covers on top is shoulder.
What are the rules for a handball in soccer?
Law 12 lists a small number of situations that are always an offense, and one that depends on the arm's position. In plain English, a player commits a handball offense if they:
- Deliberately handle the ball. That includes moving the hand or arm toward the ball.
- Touch it with an arm that has made the body unnaturally bigger. IFAB defines this as an arm position that isn't explained or justified by the player's body movement in that specific situation. A player who stretches an arm out wide to block a cross takes the risk of being penalized if the ball hits it.
- Score directly from the hand or arm, even if it was accidental. This applies to goalkeepers too.
- Score immediately after the ball touched their own hand or arm, again even if accidental.
Outside their own penalty area, a goalkeeper has the same handling limits as everyone else. Inside it, they can use their hands, with the restrictions covered in the FAQ below.
Have the handball rules changed over the years?
Yes, several times, and the most recent big rewrite is why older articles and coaches sometimes give different answers. At its March 4, 2021 annual meeting, IFAB clarified that not every touch is an offense and removed accidental handball by a teammate before a goal as an offense. That took effect for the 2021/22 season.
What that means in practice: if the ball brushes your teammate's arm by accident and you then score, the goal stands under the current law. If it brushes your arm by accident and you score immediately, it doesn't.
The "unnaturally bigger" test is the part that still gets refined. Expect the wording to shift again in future editions, and check the current Law 12 page rather than relying on a rule you learned a few seasons ago.
Is it still a handball if it hits your leg first?
Not automatically. The law doesn't give a blanket "off the leg" exception, but it does judge the arm against the player's movement in that moment. A ball that deflects off a defender's own knee into an arm that's close to the body, at short range, is rarely punished, because there was no time to react and the arm wasn't making the body bigger.
If the arm was already stretched out wide, a deflection off the leg first won't save the player. The position of the arm is what's judged, and the deflection is just one piece of context the referee weighs.
Is there a red card for handball in the box?
Sometimes. A field player who deliberately handles the ball to deny a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity is sent off wherever it happens, including inside their own penalty area. The goalkeeper inside their own box is the exception.
If the handball wasn't deliberate, the law is softer. Inside the defender's own penalty area it becomes a penalty kick and a yellow card. Outside the box, a non-deliberate handball that denies an obvious goal-scoring opportunity is still a red.
Yellow cards also come into play when a player handles the ball to stop a promising attack, or handles it while trying to score. Our guide to the yellow card in soccer covers the full list of cautionable offenses.
What happens after a handball?
The restart depends on where it happened and who did it. Here's how it sorts out under the 2026/27 Laws.
| Situation | Restart | Card |
|---|---|---|
| Handball offense in open play | Direct free kick where it happened | None, unless it meets one of the cases below |
| Defender's handball offense inside their own penalty area | Penalty kick | Depends on the case |
| Handball to stop a promising attack | Free kick or penalty | Yellow |
| Handball in an attempt to score | Free kick | Yellow |
| Deliberate handball that denies a goal or obvious chance | Free kick or penalty | Red (except the goalkeeper in their own box) |
| Goalkeeper illegally handles inside own penalty area | Indirect free kick | Usually none |
A goal scored by hand or arm is simply disallowed and play restarts with a direct free kick to the defending team.
Is a handball an indirect free kick or a direct free kick?
Direct. Law 12 lists a handball offense as a direct free kick offense, which means the kicker can score straight from it. If it happens inside the offending player's own penalty area, Law 12 turns that direct free kick into a penalty kick from the spot.
The one exception is the goalkeeper inside their own penalty area. If a keeper handles when they aren't allowed to (say, picking up a deliberate back pass kicked by a teammate), the other team gets an indirect free kick, and someone other than the kicker has to touch it before it can go in. For a refresher on how the two kinds of free kick work, see our quick overview of the rules of soccer.
How do high school and youth leagues call handball?
Mostly the same way, with a few local twists. NFHS high school rules list handling as a direct free kick foul, and its 2026-27 comparative study of NCAA, NFHS and IFAB rules shows the same red card for a deliberate handball (by anyone but the goalkeeper) that denies an obvious goal. One real difference is the yellow card itself: in high school, a cautioned player has to leave the field, and can come back at their team's next legal substitution opportunity.
Rec programs for little kids often relax the rule entirely. The YMCA of Austin's 2023 youth soccer rules, for example, call no handball penalties at all for 4 and 5 year olds, and from age 6 ask the referee to judge intent. Your league's own rulebook is the one that counts, so ask your club for a copy before the season starts.
If you coach or ref young players, the arm position is the bit worth teaching. A defender who learns to keep arms close when blocking a shot gives the referee far less to decide. Our list of soccer referee signals will help you read what the official is calling once they've decided.
Soccer handball FAQ
What is the penalty for a handball in soccer?
A direct free kick to the other team from where it happened, or a penalty kick if a defender commits it inside their own penalty area. A yellow or red card is added in the specific cases in the table above.
Is it a handball if you are protecting your face?
The law has no special "face" exception. The referee still asks whether the arm position was justified by your movement in that moment. Arms pulled in tight to the head and body when a ball is blasted at you from close range are very rarely penalized. Arms flung out wide are a different story.
Can a goalkeeper commit a handball?
Yes. Outside the penalty area a keeper is treated like any other player, so a deliberate handball there is a direct free kick. Inside it, handling a ball kicked back to them deliberately by a teammate, or thrown to them straight from a teammate's throw-in, gives the other side an indirect free kick.
Is it handball if the ball hits your shoulder?
No. The arm starts below the bottom of the armpit, so the shoulder is fair to use, including for scoring.
Do kids get called for handball?
It depends on the league. Many rec programs don't call it at the youngest ages and start enforcing it once kids are 6 or 7. Travel and club games generally follow the IFAB Laws with youth modifications set by the state association or league.
Final thoughts on handball
Handball comes down to two things: a deliberate touch, or an arm that made the body bigger than the movement explains. The shoulder doesn't count, accidental touches usually don't either, and the restart is almost always a direct free kick or a penalty.
If your player wants to work on keeping their arms in when they block shots, set up a few reps at home. The Open Goaaal® 3-in-1 Soccer Goal Trainer combines a goal, rebounder and backstop, so the ball comes back instead of rolling into the street. Next up, read our breakdown of set pieces in soccer, where a lot of handball calls happen.
