Umpire's Guide to Netball South Africa World Netball Rules Senior 2026

Before the match (World Netball Rule 4.3): both umpires check that:

• the field of play, goalposts and match balls meet Rule 1. Posts are 3.05 m high with a ring of 380 mm internal diameter; match balls measure 690-710 mm round and weigh 400-450 g;
• the players, checked off court, meet the uniform rules (3.9) and the jewellery, nails and hair rules (3.12).

Captains' toss (Rule 3.13): on the field of play, the first-named team's captain tosses and the other calls (unless the event organiser says otherwise). The winner chooses either the first centre pass or a goal end; the other captain gets the other choice. The captains tell the official bench and the umpires.

Umpires' toss (Rule 4.5): you then toss between yourselves. The winner controls the side line nearer the official bench and the goal end to the right when facing the court. Each umpire controls the same half of the court for the whole match. A team official from either team may ask to watch your toss.

Whistle cues: tell the players when 30 seconds and 10 seconds remain before each period of play. At the 10-second call, teams must take the court. A team with fewer than 5 players gets up to 30 seconds; after that the match is awarded to the opponents.

From the World Netball Rules 2024 (umpire's terminology in brackets):

On the line: a player isn't offside or out of court if any part of the body is on, but not over, the line. A ball landing on (not over) the line is still in court.

World Netball Rule 6:

Key conditions:

• Any player allowed in that area may take it, from the spot you indicate.
• Free pass: the taker may not shoot. If they do, it's a free pass the other way and no goal.
• Penalty pass: the infringer must stand out of play: move quickly to where you indicate, beside but away from the taker, and take no part (including talking) until the ball is released. If not, award a further penalty pass, which may be advanced.
• A GS or GA taking a penalty pass in the goal circle may pass or shoot.
• A correctly placed player may take a penalty pass straight away, before it's set. You may call "taken" sparingly to make that clear. The infringer still can't take part until the ball is released.
• If the infringer is substituted or changes position, whoever takes their position stands out.
• After a suspension or ordering off, nobody from the infringing team stands out.
• Throw-in: the taker stands outside the court with at least one foot within 15 cm of the line, and can't step on court until the ball is released. From the goal line it must go into the goal third; from the side line into the nearest or adjacent third.

World Netball Rule 16. Obstruction is a penalty pass, taken where the infringer was standing (or where the obstructed player was, if that would disadvantage the non-infringing team).

A defender may try to intercept, deflect or defend the player with the ball if there's at least 0.9 m (3 ft) on the ground between the nearest part of the landing foot of the player with the ball and the nearest part of the defender's nearer foot.

Measuring:

• One-foot landing: from the landing foot; if it's lifted, from where it was grounded.
• Two-foot landing: if neither foot moves, from the closer foot; if one foot moves, from the foot still grounded.
• Pivoting: the measuring point moves with the landing foot, and the defender must readjust.
• Lifted defender: measured from either defender's nearer grounded foot.

Allowed:

• From the correct distance, jumping upwards or towards the player and landing inside 0.9 m, as long as it doesn't interfere with the pass or shot.
• Being closer because the player with the ball moved closer.
• Standing inside 0.9 m without making any attempt to defend (and without interfering with the pass or shot).

Players without the ball (16.8-16.9): within 0.9 m of an opponent, a player may stretch out their arms only to catch, deflect or intercept a pass or fake pass, to catch, deflect or bat a rebound, or to signal briefly. Arm movements away from the body that block an opponent's movement are obstruction, beyond natural body stance.

World Netball Rule 17. Every contact infringement is a penalty pass, taken where the infringer was standing (or where the contacted player was, if that would disadvantage the non-infringing team).

Interference (17.1-17.3): a player must not make contact, accidental or deliberate, that unfairly interferes with an opponent's play. Examples: pushing, tripping, grabbing, holding or leaning; knocking or hitting (including when shooting); hitting or putting hands on a ball an opponent holds; pushing the ball into an opponent.

It's only contact if it causes:

• the opponent to lose the ball;
• interference with their pass or shot; or
• a change in their body position that stops them moving freely and puts them at an unfair disadvantage.

Incidental contact that causes none of these is a fair contest. Play on.

Causing contact (17.4-17.7):

• A player who jumps from an on-court position must be allowed to land. When opponents jump together, the one who gains possession has priority to land along the line of the pass, and the others must yield.
• Don't move into a jumping player's landing place.
• Don't step so close or so quickly into a moving opponent's path that they can't stop or change direction. The more speed, the more time and space they must be given.

Inevitable contact (17.8): a player must not stand so close that the opponent can't move at all without contact.

Player safety (17.9): contact with an airborne player that risks their landing, moving into or not yielding a landing place, and forceful or reckless contact causing head or neck contact are normally dangerous play, needing a suspension or ordering off on top of the penalty pass.

World Netball Rule 7. Don't blow the whistle if doing so would disadvantage the non-infringing team. Apply advantage when that team has a clear and real opportunity to play the ball to:

• a territorial advantage (towards their goal end),
• a tactical advantage (free to play the ball as they wish), or
• both.

Signal it: call "advantage", state the infringement and the infringer's playing position, and use the advantage hand signal.

Never apply advantage to:

• unfair play, unsporting behaviour or dangerous play;
• anything that would lead to an immediate suspension or ordering off;
• any incident with head or neck contact, including contact with the goalpost or any part of the playing enclosure;
• any incident where you suspect a player is seriously injured.

Once you've blown the whistle, you must award the sanction. The only exception: if a goal is scored that benefits the non-infringing team, award the goal, call "advantage" and state the infringement and position.

World Netball Rule 19 has three types of foul play. Each must be dealt with by the prescribed game management action.

Intimidation examples: covering an opponent's eyes, swiping the ball at their face, sudden loud noises, stomping, erratic arm waving and sledging.

Disputing: a player may ask you to repeat a call they didn't hear, or ask where a sanction is to be taken. That isn't disputing.

Suspension or ordering off? Consider whether the action was intentional, reckless or avoidable; its impact on safety; its speed; on the ground or in the air; the force; and whether the player was stationary or moving.

World Netball Rule 18. On top of the sanction for the infringement, you can use:

1. Proactive advice: short, specific feedback, without holding time. You can also hold time and ask the on-court captain to speak to the player. Having to speak to a player more than once counts as repeated infringing.
2. Advance and/or escalate: move the sanction up to half a third (into the goal circle if it happened in the goal third) and/or turn a free pass into a penalty pass. Multiple advanced sanctions for one player, or cumulative ones for a team, mean the next infringer must be warned.
3. Warning: only one per player per match. A warning is compulsory for any unsporting behaviour.
4. Suspension: the player sits out 2 minutes of playing time, starting when play restarts, at the umpires' bench under the reserve umpire. No substitute (if it's the Centre, someone moves to Centre). Only one suspension per player per match. They (or a substitute) return to the same position at the next break in play.
5. Ordering off: the player takes no further part. The team plays short for 4 minutes of playing time, then a substitute may come on at the next break in play.

Order of use: normally in that sequence, but go straight to a higher level for serious offences. You must suspend for dangerous play, and must order off for intentional or highly reckless dangerous play.

How to give a warning, suspension or ordering off: hold time, give the hand signal to the official bench, use the word ("warning", "suspension" or "ordering off") and tell the player why. It must be applied in the same period of play as the infringement, and counts as a joint decision of both umpires.

Before the match both umpires check the players off court against Rules 3.9 and 3.12, and keep enforcing them throughout (Rule 4.3-4.4).

Safety (Rule 3.12):

• No body piercings, including earrings.
• No adornment that could endanger player safety, and no communication devices.
• Any other adornment must be securely covered with tape and/or padding. Medical devices may be worn if securely covered the same way.
• Player monitoring devices must be secured inside the playing uniform.
• Fingernails short and smooth.
• Hair tied back (for example ponytail, plait or braids) and free from adornment.

Uniform (Rule 3.9):

• Registered playing uniform with the player's name or team number, distinct from the opponents'.
• Suitable sports shoes, not spiked.
• Position initials 150 mm high, clearly visible above the waist on front and back.

If a player breaks these rules during play, penalise them as a late player (Rule 3.8): send them off court and award possession to the other team where the ball was. Once they comply, they may come back on at the next break in play after telling the umpire.

World Netball Rule 10.5-10.22.

When to hold time:

• Must: for injury or illness after a verifiable request from an on-court player, a primary care person or the independent concussion observer; and when you see active bleeding, an open wound or blood-stained clothing.
• Without a request: if the injury is obvious or serious.
• If a player is shooting, the shot may be completed first unless it's urgent.

During the stoppage:

• The player must leave the court within 30 seconds and be treated off court. Timekeepers tell you when 10 seconds remain.
• Only primary care persons may come on to assess the player. If they say the player can't be moved safely in 30 seconds, extend the time and tell the official bench. You may let others, including team officials, help the player off.
• Other players stay on court; both umpires stay on their side lines.
• Both teams may make substitutions and team changes within the time allowed.
• Blood-stained clothing must be replaced within the stoppage. Swap a ball with blood on it, and have blood on court cleaned before play restarts.

After:

• If nobody replaces the player, play resumes with the position vacant (someone must move to Centre if needed).
• The player or a substitute can only return at the next break in play. Coming on while play is in progress is penalised as a late player.

Concussion: a primary care person or the independent concussion observer may ask, via the reserve umpire, to stop play so a player with suspected concussion can be substituted.

World Netball Rule 2:

• Four quarters of 15 minutes playing time.
• 4-minute intervals after the first and third quarters.
• 12-minute half-time, or 8 minutes if the event organiser and both teams agree.
• Teams change ends every quarter.
• If a penalty pass is awarded in a team's attacking goal circle before time is signalled, blow to end the period and tell the players time is extended for that penalty pass (including any further infringement at it).

Extra time applies only if the event organiser announced it before the match:

1. A 4-minute interval after full time.
2. Two halves of no more than 7 minutes each, with a 1-minute half-time. Teams change ends.
3. The first centre pass in each half goes to the team entitled to the next centre pass.
4. If still level, a visual signal goes up at the official bench and play continues until one team leads by 2 goals.

Shorter matches: under Rule 21, the controlling authority for a competition (for example a league or school competition) may use halves of up to 20 minutes, shorter quarters or intervals, or different extra-time rules. The Telkom Netball League, for example, uses an 8-minute half-time.

World Netball Rule 18.43-18.47.

Leaving the bench (18.43): during play, team officials and bench players must stay at the team bench. Bench players may leave for a valid reason, such as warming up.

• Sanction: free pass to the other team where the ball was when play stopped ("bench movement"). If the ball was out of court, take it on court in line with where it went out.

Bench behaviour (18.44): at any time in the match (including intervals and stoppages), team officials and bench players must not:

• criticise the umpires or their decisions;
• use offensive, insulting or abusive language or gestures;
• make excessive noise or interruptions;
• encourage foul play;
• come on court, except in extreme circumstances where player safety is at risk.

Sanction: penalty pass to the other team where the ball was (or where play was due to restart). No player stands out of play.

Escalating:

1. Either umpire may also give a warning, to one person or to all of that team's officials and bench players. It counts as a joint decision.
2. If they ignore the warning, ask the event organiser to remove them from the playing enclosure for the rest of the match, including contact with the team at intervals and stoppages.
3. In a serious case, you may ask for removal without a warning.