Basketball (FIBA) — Official Rules

Basketball is played by two (2) teams of five (5) players each on the court. The aim of each team is to score in the opponents' basket and to prevent the other team from scoring. The basket attacked by a team is the opponents' basket; the basket defended by a team is the team's own basket. The game is controlled by the officials, table officials and, if present, a commissioner.

The team that has scored the greater number of points at the end of playing time shall be the winner. A game cannot end in a tie: if the score is tied at the end of the fourth period, the game shall continue with as many overtime periods of 5 minutes as necessary to break the tie.

The playing court shall be a flat, hard surface free from obstructions with dimensions of 28 m in length by 15 m in width, measured from the inner edge of the boundary lines. The ceiling height shall be at least 7 m.

The three-point field goal area is the entire floor area except the area near the opponents' basket bounded by an arc with a radius of 6.75 m (measured from the centre of the basket). The restricted area (key/lane) is the rectangular area marked on the court limited by the end line, the free-throw line and lines that start at the end line 2.45 m from the midpoint of the end line.

New in 2024: Throw-in lines are marked on the table side of the court. Four lines of 0.15 m in length are marked, two on each side line, with the outside edge of the lines at 8.325 m from the inner edge of the end line. These mark the spot for a frontcourt throw-in when a team advances the ball after a timeout in the last 2:00 of the fourth quarter or overtime (see Art. 17).

A goal is made when a live ball enters the basket from above and remains within or passes through it. A goal counts for:

• One (1) point for a successful free throw.
• Two (2) points for a field goal from the two-point field goal area.
• Three (3) points for a field goal from the three-point field goal area. If a player accidentally scores in the team's own basket, the points are recorded as scored by the opposing team's captain. A goal scored from below the basket counts as a violation.

The game shall consist of four (4) periods of ten (10) minutes each. Intervals of play are:

• 20 minutes before the scheduled starting time.
• 2 minutes between the first and second period (first half), between the third and fourth period (second half), and before each overtime period.
• 15 minutes (halftime) between the second and third periods. Each overtime period lasts 5 minutes. The clock is stopped on every whistle and at every made basket in the last 2:00 of the fourth period and each overtime.

When the game clock shows less than one (1) minute of playing time, the time shall be displayed in tenths of a second. Arena Metrics enables tenth-second display in the final 2:00 of the fourth period and each overtime, which is critical for last-second buzzer-beaters and timing decisions.

Whenever a player gains control of a live ball on the court, that team must attempt a shot for a goal within 24 seconds. The shot clock is reset to 14 seconds when, following an offensive rebound of a shot that touched the ring (or after a foul/violation by the opponents while the ball is in the frontcourt with the shot clock showing less than 14), the same team retains control. A shot is valid if the ball has left the player's hand(s) before the shot-clock signal sounds and then enters the basket. The shot clock is switched off when the remaining game-clock time is less than the shot-clock time.

The game starts with a jump ball in the centre circle at the start of the first period. All other periods and overtimes, and every held-ball or other jump-ball situation, are resolved by the alternating-possession procedure: the team that did not gain control of the ball after the opening jump ball is entitled to the first alternating-possession throw-in. The possession arrow then alternates direction after each subsequent alternating-possession throw-in.

A throw-in is generally administered from the place nearest to where the ball was when play was stopped. New in 2024: when the game clock shows 2:00 or less in the fourth period or any overtime, following a timeout taken by the team entitled to the ball in its backcourt, the head coach may choose to resume play with a throw-in from the throw-in line in the team's frontcourt (opposite the scorer's table) or from the backcourt nearest to where play was stopped.

A player is out-of-bounds when any part of the body touches the floor or any object on, above or outside the boundary line. The ball is out-of-bounds when it touches a player or person who is out-of-bounds, the floor or any object outside the boundary line, or the supports/back of the backboard. The team last to touch the ball before it goes out-of-bounds loses possession.

A dribble ends when the player touches the ball with both hands simultaneously or allows the ball to come to rest in one or both hands. A player shall not dribble a second time after the first dribble has ended (double dribble), unless control was lost. Carrying (palming) occurs when the dribbler allows the ball to come to rest in the hand and continues dribbling. Both are violations and result in a throw-in for the opponents.

Travelling is the illegal movement of one or both feet beyond the limits set in this article while holding a live ball on the court. A player who receives the ball while standing may pivot, but lifting the pivot foot and returning it to the floor before releasing the ball on a pass or shot is travelling. The penalty is a throw-in for the opponents from the place nearest to the violation.

A player shall not remain in the opponents' restricted area for more than three (3) consecutive seconds while the player's team is in control of a live ball in the frontcourt and the game clock is running. Allowance is made for a player who attempts to leave the restricted area or is in the act of shooting.

A player holding a live ball on the court is closely guarded when an opponent is in an active, legal guarding position at a distance of no more than 1 m. A closely guarded player must pass, shoot or dribble the ball within five (5) seconds; failure to do so is a violation.

Whenever a team gains control of a live ball in its backcourt, that team must cause the ball to go into its frontcourt within eight (8) seconds. Failure to do so is a violation, and the opponents are awarded a throw-in.

A player whose team is in control of a live ball in the frontcourt shall not cause the ball to be illegally returned to the backcourt (a backcourt violation). Once the ball has gained frontcourt status for the team in control, it may not be the first to touch the backcourt by a player of that team. The penalty is a throw-in for the opponents.

Goaltending occurs during a shot for a goal when a player touches the ball while it is completely above the level of the ring and on its downward flight to the basket, or after it has touched the backboard. Interference occurs when a player touches the ball or the basket while the ball is within the cylinder above the ring. If committed by a defender, the goal counts; if by an attacker, no goal is awarded and the opponents receive a throw-in.

During the game, the ball is played with the hand(s) only and may be passed, thrown, tapped, rolled or dribbled in any direction, subject to the restrictions of the rules. A player shall not deliberately kick or block the ball with any part of the leg, or strike it with the fist; accidental contact with the leg or foot is not a violation. The penalty is a throw-in for the opponents from the place nearest to the infraction.

A personal foul is a player's illegal contact with an opponent, whether the ball is live or dead. A player shall not hold, block, push, charge, trip or impede the progress of an opponent. If the foul is committed on a player not in the act of shooting, play resumes with a throw-in (or free throws if in the team-foul penalty). If committed on a player in the act of shooting, the basket counts if successful (plus one free throw); if missed, the shooter is awarded two or three free throws depending on the location of the shot.

A double foul is a situation in which two opponents commit personal fouls against each other at approximately the same time. No free throws are awarded. The game is resumed by the alternating-possession procedure (or, if a basket was scored or free throws awarded that offset, the appropriate restart) from the place nearest to where the double foul occurred.

A technical foul is a non-contact foul of a behavioural nature (disrespect to officials, unsporting conduct, delaying the game, illegal substitution, etc.). The penalty is one (1) free throw awarded to the opponents, taken by any player of the opposing team. After the free throw, the game is resumed from the point of interruption — the team that had control of the ball, or was entitled to it, throws in from the place nearest to where the ball was located when play was stopped. (This is NOT a centre-line throw-in.)

An unsportsmanlike foul is a player's illegal contact judged by an official not to be a legitimate attempt to directly play the ball within the spirit and intent of the rules. The penalty is free throws (one if the basket counted, two if a non-shooting foul or missed two-point shot, three if a missed three-point shot), followed by a throw-in from the throw-in line in the team's frontcourt, opposite the scorer's table. A player is disqualified upon committing two (2) unsportsmanlike fouls.

A disqualifying foul is any flagrant unsportsmanlike action by a player, substitute, coach or team follower. The offender is disqualified and must leave the playing area immediately for the remainder of the game. The penalty is two (2) free throws (or as appropriate for a shooting situation) for the opponents, followed by a throw-in from the throw-in line in the team's frontcourt, opposite the scorer's table.

Fighting is physical interaction between two or more opponents (players, substitutes, coaches or team followers) in a hostile or violent manner. Players who leave the bench area during a fighting situation or a situation that may lead to fighting may be disqualified. Any player, substitute or coach disqualified for fighting receives a disqualifying foul, and the head coach is responsible for ensuring team followers do not enter the court.

A player who has committed five (5) fouls (personal and/or technical combined) must leave the game immediately and be substituted within 30 seconds — this is the FIBA "foul-out." In addition, a player is disqualified for the remainder of the game when charged with:

• two (2) technical fouls, or
• two (2) unsportsmanlike fouls, or
• one (1) technical foul AND one (1) unsportsmanlike foul (a technical and an unsportsmanlike count together toward disqualification), or
• one (1) disqualifying foul. The head coach is disqualified after two technical fouls charged personally or three bench-technical fouls, or a combination.

A team is in the team-foul penalty situation (bonus) when it has committed four (4) team fouls in a period. From that point, every subsequent player foul on an opponent not in the act of shooting is penalised by two (2) free throws instead of a throw-in (i.e. the 5th team foul of the period and onward). Team fouls reset at the start of each period. For the purpose of team-foul accumulation, overtime periods are a continuation of the fourth period — team fouls do not reset for overtime.

A free throw is awarded for a foul and is attempted from behind the free-throw line, worth one (1) point if successful. The shooter must release the ball within five (5) seconds of an official handing it to them and may not touch the free-throw line until the ball touches the ring. A maximum of five (5) players (in addition to the shooter) may line up along the restricted-area spaces; the rebound spaces nearest the basket are occupied by the defenders. Players in the rebound spaces may not enter the lane until the ball leaves the shooter's hand.

A charged timeout lasts one (1) minute. Each team is granted:

• Two (2) timeouts in the first half (periods 1-2).
• Three (3) timeouts in the second half (periods 3-4), of which a maximum of two (2) may be taken in the last 2:00 of the fourth period.
• One (1) timeout in each overtime. Unused timeouts do not carry over. A timeout opportunity begins when the ball becomes dead and the game clock is stopped.

A substitution is an interruption requested by a team to replace a player. The substitute must report to the scorer's table and remain seated until the scorer signals. A substitution opportunity begins when the ball becomes dead and the game clock is stopped. Each team has five (5) players on court at all times; a team that cannot field at least two players loses the game by default or forfeit.

Officials may correct an error if a rule is inadvertently disregarded in only the following situations: awarding free throws to the wrong shooter, awarding unmerited free throws, failing to award merited free throws, or wrongly cancelling/counting points. Revised in 2024 to give greater clarity on the WHAT, WHEN and HOW of corrections: an error must be recognised by an official before the ball becomes live following the first dead-ball situation after the clock had started. Points, time and the shot clock are reckoned as if the error had not occurred. Arena Metrics records every correction with a mandatory reason (void or modify) for a full audit trail.

Instant Replay System (IRS) allows officials to review specific situations (e.g. valid shots at the end of a period, who caused the ball to go out-of-bounds in the last 2:00, two/three-point value, shot-clock and game-clock timing). Head Coach Challenge (HCC): a head coach may request one challenge per game to review eligible decisions. Clarified in 2024, the language was aligned with the revised correctable-error rule and now specifies the circumstances under which a coach may withdraw a challenge request.

New in 2024: when a player fakes being fouled (flopping), the referee signals without stopping the game by showing the lower-the-forearm signal twice. Each team is entitled to one (1) warning; the next time any player of that team fakes being fouled, a technical foul is charged. An excessive fake without any contact may be penalised with an immediate technical foul without a prior warning. All faking situations are addressed regardless of whether a foul or violation is also called on the play.