The rule "changes" are rather updates or clarifications of existing rules. Each measure plays a vital role in strengthening the professional image of handball across the continent and contributes to the smooth, credible and consistent delivery of all EHF competitions.
With the external links the amendments mentioned can be immediately tracked and referenced.
Amendments to the IHF Rules of the Game for Indoor Handball:
- Coaching zone (rule 1.11, page 5): extension of the zone
- 7m shootout (rule 2 comment, page 8-9): when the procedure ends
- Number of players (rule 4.1, page 12): up to 16 per match
- Number of team officials (rule 4.2, page 12-13): up to five per match
- Penalisation (rule 8.8, page 24-25): two-minute suspension (instead of a red card) following a goalkeeper headshot from a 7m penalty; official’s interference
- 7m call (rule 14.1b, page 34): external intervention
- Referees (rule 17.5-6, page 42): referee substitution, call disagreement
- Use of Video Replay (rule 17.13, page 43): subject to competition authority; referees may apply it as per regulations
- Passive play (clarification 4, page 57-68): clarifications
Amendments to the use of officiating technology (Video Replay, electronic team timeout):
- Last 30 seconds of the game (situation #9, page 1): widening of the use of VR
- Simulation (rule 8.7-10, page 2): VR-identified simulation leads to punishment for unsportsmanlike conduct
- Delegate intervention (page 2): delegate can advise for the use of VR
- Timely use of VR (page 2): VR no longer allowed after two changes of ball possession
- Timeout start (intro, page 1): a timeout starts with the pressing of the buzzer, confirmed by audio signal and timestamped at moment of activation
- Misuse of the system (rule 1, page 1): penalisation for system misuse
Amendments to the EHF Competition Regulations:
- team officials' designation: The responsible team official will always be designated with the letter A, the head coach with B.
- match timing: The match timing will be displayed as a continuous upward count: from 0 to 30 minutes for the first half, 30–60 minutes for the second half, 60–70 minutes for the first overtime, 70–80 minutes for the second overtime; so, the match clock will not be reset between regulation time and overtime periods. (In venues where the existing scoreboard software does not yet support this format, an exception will be tolerated for the 2025/26 season, though full alignment with this standard will be required from 2026/27.)
