Goalball (IBSA) — Official Rules

Goalball is a team sport designed specifically for athletes with a vision impairment, played indoors by two teams of three players each. There is no able-bodied equivalent. The object of the game is for each team to roll a bell-filled ball along the floor across the opponents' goal line to score, while the defending team blocks the ball with their bodies. Because the ball contains bells, players locate it entirely by sound, so the gymnasium must be kept silent during play. The team that has scored the most goals at the end of the match wins.

Goalball is open only to athletes who meet the minimum vision-impairment criteria and are classified in one of the three IBSA sport classes: B1 (no light perception up to light perception but inability to recognise the shape of a hand), B2, and B3 (the least impaired eligible class). Because athletes across these classes have differing residual vision, all players must wear opaque eyeshades during play so that competition is fair regardless of the degree of remaining sight. International players must hold a valid international classification.

The court is a rectangle 18.0 m long by 9.0 m wide (the same size as a volleyball court) and is divided every 3.0 m along its length into six equal areas. From each goal line outward these are: the Team Area (the 3 m nearest each goal, where players orient and defend), the Landing Area (the next 3 m, into which a thrown ball must first land), and the Neutral Area (the central 6 m, made of two 3 m sections divided by the centre line). The court is identical at both ends so the layout is symmetrical for both teams.

All court lines are 0.05 m (5 cm) wide and are made tactile by placing a thin cord or string under the marking tape, so that players can feel the lines through the floor with their hands and feet to orient themselves. Orientation marks are placed at the players' positions within the team area to help each player locate their centre and wing positions. Tactile lines are essential because players cannot see; they define the goal line, landing-area line, centre line and the players' on-court reference points.

A goal is positioned at each end of the court and spans the full 9.0 m width of the court along the goal line, with crossbars 1.30 m high. The goalposts are placed so that the goal opening occupies the entire back line, meaning a defending team must protect the whole 9 m width. The posts must not protrude onto the field of play and must be firmly secured. A goal is scored when the ball completely crosses the goal line between the posts and under the crossbar.

The official goalball is made of rubber, weighs 1.25 kg and has a circumference of approximately 76 cm. It contains eight (8) holes in its surface and bells inside so that its position can be heard as it rolls. The ball is rigid with minimal bounce, and it is heavier and larger than a basketball. All balls used in a match must meet the official IBSA specification.

The ball must keep its shape and characteristics throughout the match. Under the 2025 edition's revised Rule 29 provisions on ball deformation, a ball that has lost its correct shape, fails to return to round, or no longer rolls or sounds properly may be inspected and replaced. Only a ball that conforms to the official weight, size, hole and bell specifications, and that is not deformed, may remain in play; a non-conforming or damaged ball is exchanged for a compliant one without penalty.

A team consists of a maximum of six (6) players on the roster, of whom three (3) are on court at any time and up to three are substitutes on the bench. The three on-court players play the positions of centre, left wing and right wing. A team must have at least the required number of players able to play or the match cannot continue. A coach and team staff are permitted on the bench but may not coach during live play.

Every player on court must wear opaque eyeshades that admit no light, ensuring that B1, B2 and B3 athletes compete equally. Players also wear eyepatches under the eyeshades as a second layer. Under the 2025 rules, eyeshades at all official IBSA events must include a "beak" (nasal cover). A player may not touch their own eyeshades during play without the referee's permission; doing so is a penalty because it could be used to gain sight. Eyeshades are checked before the match and may be re-checked at any stoppage.

A match is played in two halves of twelve (12) minutes each of actual playing time, the clock stopping whenever play is interrupted. Under the 2025 rules the halftime interval is five (5) minutes (increased from the previous 3 minutes); teams change ends at halftime. The five-minute interval also applies before overtime and before a penalty shoot-out. The official timer manages the game clock and signals the end of each half.

A mercy rule ends the match early in the interest of the players: if at any point during regulation time one team leads by ten (10) goals, the match is stopped and that team is declared the winner with the score standing at the moment the ten-goal margin is reached. This avoids prolonging a one-sided contest once the result is no longer in doubt.

If a knockout match is tied at the end of regulation time, it goes to overtime played on a golden goal basis — the first team to score wins immediately. Under the 2025 rules, overtime is a single six (6)-minute period with no halftime break (replacing the former two 3-minute halves); ends are decided by a coin toss before overtime. If overtime ends still tied, the match is decided by penalty throws (a shoot-out), conducted as in Chapter 9.

The ball is put into attack by rolling or throwing it along the floor with the hand; it must stay low and travel by rolling, not by flight. For the throw to be legal the ball must touch the floor in the thrower's own Landing Area (within the first 6 m of the court) and then touch the floor again in the Neutral Area before crossing the centre line toward the opponents. A throw that fails either contact is penalised (see High Ball and Long Ball). The thrower must release from within their own team/landing area.

When a defending team gains control of the ball, it must return the ball back across the centre line within ten (10) seconds, timed from the moment the ball first touches any defending player. Failing to throw the ball over the centre line within 10 seconds is the "ten seconds" team penalty, awarding a penalty throw to the opponents. The rule keeps the game moving and prevents teams from holding the ball.

A goal is scored when a legally thrown ball completely crosses the opponents' goal line between the posts. During an attack the arena must be silent: spectators and benches stay quiet so defenders can hear the ball. Under the 2025 noise rule, the attacking team must remain silent once the thrower makes a clear movement toward the opponents' goal; making noise that interferes with the defenders' ability to hear the ball is a noise penalty. After a goal, play restarts with the team that conceded taking possession.

Three personal penalties concern a defective throw. Short Ball: the thrown ball stops or fails to reach the opponents' end (it does not have enough force to cross into the opposing team area). High Ball: the ball fails to touch the floor in the thrower's own Landing Area within the first 6 m, i.e. it is thrown too high or lobbed over that zone. Long Ball: the ball fails to touch the floor in the Neutral Area before crossing the centre line. Each is charged to the player who threw it and results in a penalty throw against that team.

Premature Throw: a player throws before the referee's call of "play" to start or restart. Ball Over: a player intentionally directs a controlled ball over the side line so it leaves play, or otherwise illegally puts the ball out of bounds. Third Throw (illegal third throw): the same player throws the ball three consecutive times for their team without another teammate throwing in between — players must rotate throws. Each is a personal penalty giving the opponents a penalty throw.

Eyeshades: a player touches their eyeshades without the referee's permission (which could give an unfair sight advantage). Personal Defence (illegal defence): a defender illegally blocks the ball while not having any part of the body in contact with their own team area, or otherwise defends outside the permitted zone. Personal Delay of Game and Personal Unsportsmanlike Conduct cover individual delaying or improper behaviour. Each personal penalty results in a penalty throw taken against the offending team, with the penalised player having to defend alone.

Team penalties are charged to the whole team rather than a named individual. Ten Seconds: the team fails to return the ball across the centre line within 10 seconds of first defensive touch. Team Delay of Game: the team delays play, including requesting more substitutions or time-outs than permitted (more than 4 substitutions in regulation, more than 3 in the second half, or more than 1 in overtime). Each team penalty gives the opponents a penalty throw, defended by the player designated by the offending team.

Noise: the attacking team (or its bench) makes noise that prevents defenders from hearing the ball, especially after the thrower commits to the goal. Illegal Coaching: team staff communicate with players during live play after the "Quiet Please" call rather than only during dead-ball periods; a repeated offence can lead to removal of the offending staff member. Team Unsportsmanlike Conduct covers collective improper behaviour. Each results in a team penalty throw for the opponents.

When a penalty is awarded, the other team takes a penalty throw and only one defender must guard the entire 9 m goal alone, while the other two defenders leave the court. For a personal penalty, the player who committed the offence must be the sole defender; for a team penalty, the offending team chooses which on-court player defends (typically the player who last threw the ball). A goal scored on the penalty counts; if the defender stops it, play continues normally.

Each team is allowed four (4) team time-outs of 45 seconds each per match, requested by a player or coach when the ball is dead; at least one must be taken in the first half or it is lost. In overtime each team is granted additional limited time-outs. Medical time-outs are separate and are granted for an injured player to receive attention; abuse of medical time-outs can be penalised. A time-out request beyond the allowance is refused and may be charged as Team Delay of Game.

A team may make a maximum of four (4) substitutions during regulation time, of which no more than three (3) may be made in the second half, and no more than one (1) substitution during overtime. Substitutions are requested at a dead-ball stoppage. Exceeding these limits causes the request to be rejected and a Team Delay of Game penalty to be called, giving the opponents a penalty throw. A substituted player may return within the overall limits.

A match is controlled by two referees, one at each end of the court, supported by goal judges, a scorer, a timer, a 10-second timer and table officials. The referees are positioned at the goal lines to judge goals, throws and penalties. Under the 2025 rules, officials may not referee matches involving their own home country to ensure neutrality. Referees enforce silence, call penalties and signal goals; their on-court decisions are otherwise final except where a formal protest applies.

Teams may lodge a formal protest about a rules application or scoring error through the proper procedure and within the prescribed time, accompanied where required by a protest fee, for review by the competition jury. Under the 2025 rules, official tournament livestream footage may be used as evidence in the protest process where it is available. Protests concern the correct application of the rules; they are not a routine challenge of every referee judgement.