How are technical fouls categorised, and what is the penalty?

Question

Accepted Answer

From 1 October 2026 technical fouls (Art. 36) are split into two categories by nature and severity:

Category 1 counts towards game disqualification. Player examples: disrespectful dealing or communication with referees, table officials or opponents; language or gestures likely to offend or incite spectators; baiting, taunting or provoking an opponent; obstructing an opponent's vision by waving a hand near their eyes; excessive swinging of elbows without contact; faking being fouled.
Category 2 does not count towards game disqualification. Player examples: delaying the game (for example deliberately touching the ball after it passes through the basket, or preventing a throw-in or free throw being taken promptly, or coming on court late to start a half); hanging on the ring so the player's weight is supported by it (unless grasping it momentarily after a dunk or preventing injury); goaltending on the last free throw by a defensive player.
Any technical foul by a person on the team bench is category 1.

Disqualification: a player after two category 1 technical fouls (or two flagrant, or one of each). A head coach after two category 1 technical fouls ('C') for personal unsportsmanlike behaviour, or three category 1 technical fouls arising from the bench ('B' or 'BD'), or a combination as set out in Article 36.2.4.

Penalty: the opponents get 1 free throw, administered immediately, then play resumes with a throw-in for the team that had control (or was entitled to the ball) from the place nearest where the ball was when play stopped. A player's technical foul counts as a team foul; a bench category 1 technical is charged to the head coach and does not.

Referees may prevent technical fouls with warnings, or overlook minor, obviously unintentional infractions with no direct effect on the game, unless the same infraction is repeated after a warning.

Source: FIBA Official Basketball Rules 2026, Article 36 (https://assets.fiba.basketball/image/upload/documents-corporate-fiba-official-rules-2026-v1-1.pdf)