Boundary Umpire's Guide to AFL Community Football Ages 9+ 2026

Under the Laws of Australian Football 2026, the ball is out of bounds on the full when it has been kicked and passes completely over the boundary line without touching the ground within the playing surface or being touched by a player on or above the knee. A kick that touches a behind post, or passes over it, without touching the ground or a player on or above the knee also counts.

A field umpire awards a free kick against a player who (Law 18.10.2):

• kicks the ball out of bounds on the full
• kicks, handballs or forces the ball over the boundary line without showing sufficient intent to keep it in play
• fails to immediately hand the ball to the boundary umpire or drop it directly to the ground once it is out

The free kick is taken at the point where the ball crossed the boundary line. Players are meant to be encouraged to keep the ball in play.

Your job is to signal out on the full. The field umpire pays the free kick.

Under Law 8.2.2(b) of the Laws of Australian Football 2026:

1. When you signal out of bounds, the field umpire immediately blows the whistle to show the ball is out of play.
2. Wait for the field umpire to direct you. Then bring the ball into play by throwing it over your head towards the centre of the playing surface.
3. The field umpire may recall a throw-in that, in their opinion, gives no opportunity for the ball to be contested.

Related rules that affect your throw-in:

• Ruck contests: each team may have only one ruck contesting a boundary throw-in, and a free kick is paid against a player who contests it and is not the ruck (Law 18.4).
• Contact before release: a free kick is paid against a player who makes contact with an opposition ruck before the ball leaves your hand (Law 18.4.3(d)).
• Hitting it out on the full: a free kick is paid against a ruck who hits your throw-in out on the full (Law 18.4.3(f)).
• Handing over the ball: a player must immediately hand you the ball or drop it directly to the ground once it is out of bounds, or a free kick is paid against them (Law 18.10.2(c)).

Keep signalling until a field umpire notices you (Law 8.2.3(a)(i), Laws of Australian Football 2026).

Once the field umpire notices:

• they stop play and direct that the ball be taken to where it crossed the boundary line
• the ball is then thrown in by you, or kicked back into play if it was out on the full
• this applies even if a goal or behind was scored in the meantime, in which case the field umpire directs the goal umpire to annul the score
• it does not apply if a free kick or fifty-metre penalty was awarded before the field umpire noticed your signal

When you are directed to throw in, the field umpire may recall a throw-in that, in their opinion, gives no opportunity for the ball to be contested.

Under the Laws of Australian Football 2026:

• Clock stops: the timekeepers stop the clock when the boundary umpire signals that the ball is out of bounds or out on the full (Law 10.6.1(c)).
• Clock restarts: it restarts when the ball is thrown back into play by the boundary umpire, or brought back into play by a player (Law 10.6.2(d)).
• Ball touches an umpire or official: if the field umpire thinks the ball would have continued out of bounds had it not touched the umpire or official, it is out of bounds or out on the full (Law 8.2.3(b)).
• Ball in the air at the siren: no free kick is awarded for a ball that is kicked and, after the field umpire has heard the siren, lands out on the full (Law 10.5(b)).
• Ball almost out: if any part of the ball is on or above the boundary line, it is not out of bounds.

Under the Laws of Australian Football 2026, a boundary umpire has two jobs around the centre:

After a goal: you bring the football back to the Centre Square (Law 8.2.2(a)(iv)).

Starting positions at the centre throw-up: you decide whether a player has broken a starting position (Law 8.2.2(a)(iii)). The positions in Law 13.1 are:

• six players from each team in each area between the boundary line and the fifty-metre arcs
• four players from each team in the Centre Square
• one of those four, the ruck, in the ten-metre circle in their defensive half
• one player from each team in each shaded area of Diagram 2

Once those positions are met, a player who then fails to hold their position before the ball leaves the field umpire's hand is penalised with a free kick to the opposing player in the Centre Circle (Law 18.2.2(b)). If a team has fewer than 18 on the ground, the numbers can be reduced but not exceeded (Law 13.1(e)).

Your controlling body can change these duties, so your league's rules apply if they differ.

Under the Laws of Australian Football 2026:

• Assisting goal umpires: one of your listed duties is helping the goal umpire determine a score (Law 8.2.2(a)(vi)). Goal umpires in turn help you decide whether the ball is out of bounds (Law 8.2.4(a)(v)).
• Goal umpire's call prevails: if the goal umpire thinks a behind has been scored and you think the ball went out of bounds or out on the full, the goal umpire's decision prevails (Law 8.2.4(b)).
• Behind posts: a ball that touches or passes over a behind post is out of bounds or out on the full (Law 16.1.4).
• Goal umpire changes a decision: when a goal umpire changes a score, they can advise you to signal out of bounds or out on the full instead (Law 16.3.3(b)). Be ready to signal when they do.
• Unsure scores: the goal umpire may consult the field and boundary umpires. If no decision can be reached, the goal umpire gives the lesser outcome (Law 8.2.4(c)).

Boundary umpires must report any player or official who commits a reportable offence (Laws of Australian Football 2026, Law 8.2.2(a)(v) and Law 22). The obligation covers conduct during the match and on match day within the immediate proximity of the arena.

Reportable offences include striking, kicking, kneeing, charging, rough conduct, tripping, spitting, abusive, insulting, threatening or obscene language or gestures, disputing an umpire's decision, and contact with an umpire.

During the match

• Use your best endeavours to tell the person you are reporting, at the time of the incident or before the next quarter starts. If it happens in the last quarter, tell them after the match.
• You may tell the captain, acting captain or a club official if it is impracticable to tell the person.
• Apart from telling them of the report, do not discuss it with the reported person or anyone else.

After the match (AFL National Community Football Policy Handbook, February 2026)

• Complete a Notice of Report and lodge it with the match paperwork to the controlling body no later than 24 hours after the match (or another time the controlling body sets). Keep a copy.
• If you thought a person may have committed an offence but did not report them, complete an Incident Referral Form and lodge it by 5:00pm the next business day.

Under the AFL National Community Football Policy Handbook (February 2026), Section 6:

• Minimum age: boundary and goal umpires must be 9 years or older in the year before the playing year. The league or umpiring group must also consider your physical capacity, experience, skill level and social maturity, and child safeguarding, when appointing you.
• Accreditation: you must be eligible and accredited to umpire a match, unless your controlling body (the league or state body) allows otherwise under its own rules. To apply, you register on the AFL Umpire Learning Platform, complete the application honestly, do any required training, and hold a current working with children check (or the equivalent in your state or territory).
• Field umpires have higher minimum ages by age group: 12 or older in the year before for Under 8 to Under 11, rising to 16 or older for Under 15 to Seniors.
• Disclosure: if after applying you are charged with or convicted of a criminal offence, or your working with children check (or equivalent) expires or is suspended or revoked, you must tell the AFL within seven days by email to umpireregistrar@afl.com.au.