How do I judge a player's position, and what is the goal area?

Player location (Rule 6-1, 2026-28)

• A player's location is judged by the center of the head relative to the 2-meter line, 6-meter line, half-distance line and goal line.
• The goal area is now listed among the field-of-play boundaries.

The goal area (Rule 1-6-1e, added 2024-26)

• A continuous red marking on the goal line extends 2 meters from the outside of each goal post.
• Imaginary lines run from the ends of those red markings out to the 2-meter line. The area they enclose is the goal area.

Playing in and around it (introduced 2024-26; these rules received editorial changes only for 2026-28)

• 6-11-1, 6-11-2: an attacker outside the goal area may enter the 2-meter area without penalty.
• 6-11-3: an attacker in the goal area may never be in front of the line of the ball.
• 5-10-1: a foul inside the 2-meter area but outside the goal area is a free throw where the ball is; the attacker only needs to be out of the goal area to take it.