When is a player or head coach disqualified?
Rule- England
- Basketball England
- FIBA rules
- FIBA Official Basketball Rules 2026
- All ages
- 2026/27
- Referees
Players
- 5 fouls: the player must leave the game straight away (any foul charged as a player foul counts, including disruptive and technical fouls). A player-coach with 5 fouls can carry on as head coach.
- Game disqualification: two flagrant fouls, two category 1 technical fouls, or one of each. The timer raises the game disqualification (GD) marker. Only the last foul is penalised; there's no extra penalty for the disqualification.
- Disqualifying foul: any flagrant unsportsmanlike action, including flagrant aggression towards opponents or referees. The crew chief reports it to the competition organiser.
Head coach
- Two category 1 technicals ("C") for their own behaviour, or
- Three category 1 technicals made up of "B"/"BD" (bench behaviour) or including one "C".
Fighting: substitutes, excluded players and accompanying delegation members who leave the team bench area during a fight (or a situation that may lead to one) are disqualified. Only the head coach and first assistant may leave, to help restore order. One "B" technical is charged to the head coach however many are disqualified.
Anyone disqualified must leave within 30 seconds and go to the dressing room or leave the building. In the Junior NBL, a licensed coach or bench person must accompany a disqualified junior out of the hall.
Added 21 Oct 2026