Korfball (IKF) — Official Rules

Korfball is a sport played by hand within a rectangular field of play in which two mixed teams try to shoot a ball into the korf (basket) of the opposite team. Its main characteristics are all-round skills, cooperative play, controlled physical contact, gender equality, players' right to protected ball possession, and scoring from 360 degrees around the korf. Each goal is worth one point and the team scoring the most goals wins.

The field is divided by a centre line into two equal zones. Each team has, at any moment, two attackers and two defenders in opposite zones: a team attacks at the korf in the zone where it has its attackers and defends at the korf in the zone where it has its defenders. Players may only act (touch the ball or hinder an opponent) within their own zone.

The field of play measures 40 m long by 20 m wide, divided into two equal zones by a centre line parallel to the ends of the field. The free height above the field must be at least 7 m, and the floor must be even, dust-free and non-slippery. Boundary lines (endlines, sidelines, centre line) are 3.0-5.0 cm wide, and a border area at least 1 m wide, kept free of obstacles, surrounds the field.

A post (external diameter 4.5-8.0 cm) is fixed in each zone midway between the sidelines and one-sixth of the field length from the endline (about 6.67 m from the endline). To each post an IKF-approved synthetic korf is fitted: cylindrical and without a bottom, in strong contrasting yellow, facing the centre of the field, with its top edge 3.50 m above the ground. The korf is 23.5-25.0 cm high with an inner diameter of 39.0-41.0 cm at the top.

In front of each post a penalty spot is marked, its far edge 2.50 m from the front of the post. The penalty area is the area within 2.50 m in all directions from the penalty spot, the post and the line between them. The free pass area is a circle of 2.50 m radius measured from the centre of the penalty spot, whose outer edge touches the front of the post.

Korfball is played with a round, IKF-approved number 5 ball with a circumference of 68.0-70.5 cm and a weight of 445-475 g. The ball must be inflated so that, when dropped from about 1.80 m, it rebounds to between 1.10 m and 1.30 m. Its printed pattern of at least two colours must keep it looking round while turning.

From each team four (4) male players and four (4) women are declared as the starting team, with two of each gender in each zone. The remaining players are substitutes (maximum six: three male players and three women). One starting player is the captain, who wears a contrasting armband. A team is accompanied by one coach (and optionally one assistant coach).

When a team is incomplete, the game may only start or continue if a line-up is possible in which no zone has fewer than three players from each team and these can be matched by gender (a defender must have a same-gender direct opponent). If injury or a red card leaves fewer players than required, the referees may permit or order a change of line-up to satisfy these conditions.

Substitutions are allowed only during an interruption of the game, up to a maximum of eight (8) per team. The coach requests the substitution from the jury; the substitute must be ready at the substitution spot, and the player leaving must exit the field before the substitute enters. A player sent off by red card must be replaced, and that counts as one of the eight substitutions.

A match is played in two (2) halves of 25 minutes of real (stopped) playing time, each half divided into two equal periods by a technical time-out of one minute. The clock stops on every whistle and on each goal, and starts again at the throw-off and at each restart. At half-time the teams change ends but keep the same line-up; the away team starts the second half.

A goal is scored when the ball, from above, passes completely through the korf (not first thrown from underneath). It also counts if the ball would certainly have fallen through but a defender tapped it back from underneath. Every goal adds one point, credited to the team attacking at that korf. The team scoring the most goals wins; a tie leads to a golden goal period.

A goal is not allowed when: an attacking-team infringement preceded it; the ball was thrown from the defence zone of the attacking team or directly from a throw-off, free pass or re-start (rule 6.10); or the ball left the shooter's hands after the signal ending a period. A goal still counts, however, if the ball had left the shooter's hands and was on its way to the korf when the buzzer sounded.

If the score is level after regular time, a golden goal period of ten minutes is played after a one-minute break; the first goal wins and ends the match. Teams keep the same line-up and attack the same korfs, and substitutions remain available. If still level after the golden goal period, a penalty shoot-out on a sudden-death basis decides the winner: coaches set the order of takers, and penalties are taken in equal numbers until one team leads.

Each time two goals have been scored (counting both teams' goals together), the players change their zones: attackers become defenders and defenders become attackers. There is no change of roles at half-time, only a change of ends. This rotation keeps every player both attacking and defending throughout the match.

The throw-off is taken by an attacker from a point inside their zone no more than 2 m from the centre of the field, under the same conditions as a re-start. A throw-off takes place at the start of each period and after every goal, taken by the team that has just conceded. A goal may not be scored directly from a throw-off.

Each team has the right to request two time-outs per match, each a one-minute break requested by the team's coach. The time-out is granted at the next stop of play; after about 50 seconds the referees whistle for players to retake positions, and play restarts within 60 seconds on the spot and in the manner it would otherwise have restarted. A time-out must be completed before another may be granted.

It is an infringement to hinder an opponent of the opposite gender in throwing the ball (rule 6.6). In practice a player may therefore only defend, mark and contest the ball against an opponent of the same gender (men defend men, women defend women). The offence occurs when the opponent in possession is actually trying to throw and the distance between the two players is less than the combined length of their arms.

A player in possession may not change position by running or dribbling (rule 6.1). A player who receives the ball while stationary may move one foot only if the other stays in place as a pivot foot; a player who catches it while moving must stop in the least possible distance and may not be in possession when a foot touches the ground for the third time after receiving it. Dribbling and bouncing the ball to advance are not allowed.

Solo play is forbidden (rule 6.2): a player may not intentionally avoid cooperation with a team-mate while considerably changing position - for example throwing the ball away to collect it elsewhere (even off the post or another player), or tapping the ball along while running beside it. Korfball is built on cooperation, so a player may not advance the ball entirely on their own.

A player may not hand the ball directly to a team-mate (rule 6.5): the ball must first travel freely through the air or rest free on the ground. It is also an infringement to play the ball intentionally with the leg below the knee or the foot (rule 6.7). Unintentional contact with the foot is not punished.

It is forbidden to shoot from a defended position (rule 6.3). A shot is defended when a defender satisfies all four of these conditions: (a) is actively trying to block the ball; (b) is within one arm's length of the attacker; (c) is nearer the post than the attacker; and (d) has the face turned towards the attacker. This rule rewards cooperation to free a player rather than slick individual shooting.

It is also forbidden to shoot after cutting past another attacker (rule 6.4): an attacker may not shoot when their defender - who was within an arm's length in a defending position - was forced to give up that position because the attacker ran so close past a second attacker that a collision was likely. Cutting itself is not an offence; only shooting after it is, and it also applies after a give-and-go return pass.

It is forbidden to hinder an opponent excessively (rule 6.11): knocking, taking or running the ball out of their hands; blocking their arm instead of the ball; or beating the ball (moving the hand quickly so as to make contact before the ball leaves the opponent's hands). Slight contact that does not affect the pass is played on, but hindering that degenerates into hitting must be punished firmly.

It is forbidden to push, cling to or hold off an opponent (rule 6.12), whether or not that opponent has the ball and even if the ball is in the other zone: examples include pushing, running an opponent down, landing on a stationary opponent, or extending an arm or leg to force an opponent to take a longer path. Because korfball is a game of skill, not strength, holding off is not permitted; an attacker must try to avoid collisions with defenders.

Playing in a dangerous manner is forbidden (rule 6.13) - for example forcing a defender to collide at speed with another attacker, throwing the ball at an opponent's body, or hitting the ball towards an opponent's face. It is also an infringement to touch or hold the post (rule 6.8) when it influences a shot or is used to jump higher, change direction or move away. A defender who moves the post and prevents a likely goal concedes a penalty.

It is an infringement to play outside one's zone (rule 6.14): a player may not touch the ball or hinder an opponent while touching a boundary or centre line or the ground outside their zone, or having jumped from there. An out-ball (rule 6.15) occurs when the ball touches a boundary line, the ground/an object outside the field, or the ceiling; a re-start is awarded against the team that last touched it (the referees may not play on for an out-ball).

Passive play is forbidden (rule 6.9): a player or team may not play solely to keep possession - for example excessive passing to delay reaching the attack zone, intentionally ignoring clear shooting chances, or both teams passively playing in turns. Attacking actions aimed at creating and using scoring chances must remain recognisable, though a leading team may play more cautiously in the closing phase.

Introduced in the 2025 edition, the attacking team has a 25-second time limit in the attack zone (rule 6.16). The team must, within 25 seconds, either score or make the ball touch the korf from a shot by an attacker. The limit is shown on a shot clock, and exceeding it is signalled by the shot-clock buzzer; the referees then award a re-start to the defending team (unless they play on while the non-offending team has the ball).

The shot clock starts from 25 seconds when an attacker first seizes the ball in the attack zone (or after a throw-off, re-start, free pass, missed penalty, or after a defender-injury restart). It is reset to 25 seconds when the ball touches the korf from an attacker's shot, and is stopped and reset to 25 when a defender gains possession, a goal is given, a period ends, or the referees whistle for a re-start, free pass or penalty. For an out-ball or attacker injury, the clock is stopped and later continues from the time it showed.

For each infringement the referees choose: play-on (keep play moving when the non-offending team has the ball after a non-intentional, controlled-contact offence); a re-start (for an unintentional offence without uncontrolled contact, or any offence by an attacker in their own attack zone); a free pass (for any defender's offence committed intentionally or with uncontrolled contact); or a penalty (when an offence causes the loss of a scoring chance or repeatedly hinders the attack unfairly).

A re-start is taken from the spot where the infringement was committed (or near the boundary for an out-ball). Opponents may not hinder the taker, actively or passively; the ball is brought into play once it has travelled at least 2.50 m along the ground. From the moment the referees whistle, the taker has four (4) seconds to bring the ball into play. A goal may not be scored directly from a re-start.

A free pass is taken inside the free pass area by an attacker with one foot just behind the penalty spot. After the signal, the referees give a four-second signal beginning a preparation period in which defenders have up to four seconds to position themselves. Attackers must stay outside the area and at least 2.50 m from each other; no player may straddle the post. Once whistled, the taker must throw within four (4) seconds. A goal may not be scored directly from a free pass.

A penalty is taken from the penalty spot by the attacker who lost (or would have had) the free scoring chance, with all other players outside the penalty area and the opposing team refraining from disturbance. There is no time limit to prepare; once the referees whistle, the ball must go towards the korf and the taker must not touch the penalty spot or the inner zone until the ball has left their hands. A second defender infringement at a single free pass results in a penalty, and a penalty may be taken even after time has expired.

For misbehaviour the referees may warn informally, show a yellow card, show a second yellow card followed by a red card, or show a red card at once for serious misbehaviour. A player given a yellow card must be substituted and sit on the bench for 4 minutes of real playing time. A person shown a red card must leave the playing area and, if a player, must be replaced by a substitute (counting toward the eight substitutions). Striking, kicking or deliberately running an opponent down, and discriminatory comments, are examples of misbehaviour.

The game is controlled by a referee duo, both equally empowered. They decide on the suitability of the field, material and equipment; start, stop and restart play; enforce the rules; use official signals; and act against unfair advantage and misbehaviour. They are supported by a jury with a timekeeper, a shot-clock operator (controlling the 25-second limit) and a scorekeeper. The referees' decisions on points of fact are final.