I.4.1. Main rules

The team

• Beach handball games and tournaments can be organized for male, female and mixed teams.
• A team consists of up to 8 players. At least 6 players must be present at the beginning of the game. A maximum of 4 players per team (3 court players and 1 goalkeeper) may be on the playing court.
• During the whole match, each must have one of the players on the court designated as goalkeeper. A court player can take over the function of the goalkeeper. All players play barefoot or in socks.

The playing court

• The playing court is a 27-metre-long and 12-metre-wide rectangle, consisting of a playing area and two goal areas.
• The playing surface must be composed of at least 40-centimetre-deep sand of fine grains.
• The elastic ribbons marking the boundary lines have to have a width of up to 8 centimetres.  

(http://hawaii2.ithelpportal.com/beach2008/DesktopDefault.aspx?menuid=13837)

Touching and holding the ball

• Just like in indoor handball, it is only permitted to touch the ball by using hands and to hold it only up to 3 seconds.

The goal and the goal area

• The goal is placed in the centre of each goal line, anchored firmly. It has an interior width of 3 meters and a height of 2 meters.
• The goals must have a net that should be attached in such a way that a ball thrown into the goal normally remains in it.
• Goal area is defined by the goal line, parallel to the goal line and 6 meters away from it.

Playing time

• The game consists of two halves, which are counted separately. Each half lasts 10 minutes, the half-time break lasts 5 minutes. The winner of each half is awarded one point. If the score is even at the end of a half, the “Golden Goal Rule” is used.
• Before the match, the referees toss a coin in order to determine the choice of ends and substitution areas. The winning team shall then choose either one of the ends of the court or the respective side of the substitution area.
• After the half-time break, the teams change ends. They do not change the substitution areas.

Substitution area

• The substitution areas are situated on each side of the playing area outside the side lines. The substitution area for the court players is 15 meters long and about 3 meters wide. The goalkeeper must enter or leave the field at side lines of the substitution area or at the side lines that belong to their goal.

Ball

• The game is played with a round, non-slippery rubber ball. The men’s ball has a circumference of 54 to 56 centimetres; the women’s ball has a circumference of 50 to 52 centimetres. A smaller ball may be used for children’s games.

Scoring

• A goal is scored when the entire ball has crossed the entire width of the goal line. A goal shall be allowed, if there is a violation of the rules by a defender but the ball still goes into the goal. Creative or spectacular goals (for instance “inflight” goal) are awarded with two points. A goal scored by a 6-meter throw is awarded with two points. After a goal is scored, the game is restarted with a goalkeeper-throw from the goal area.
• Two points are awarded when a goal is scored by the goalkeeper

Deciding the outcome of the game

• If the score is even at the end of a half, the “Golden Goal” method is used, i.e. the winner is the team that scores the first goal.
• If both teams have won a half, a “Shootout” (“One player against the goalkeeper”) is used.
• Five players who are eligible to play take throws alternating with the opposing team. If a goalkeeper is one of the throwers, he counts as a court player when he takes his throw.

Building the playing court with short introduction in the video below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHCyGKqBuHg

The throw-in

• A throw-in is awarded when the ball has completely crossed the side line or when a court player on the defending team was the last one to touch the ball before it crossed his team’s outer goal line.
• The thrower must stand with a foot on the side line until the ball has left his hand.

The goalkeeper-throw

• A goalkeeper-throw is awarded when the opposing team has scored a goal, the goalkeeper controls the ball in his goal area and when the ball crosses the outer goal line, after having been touched last by the goalkeeper or a player of the opposing team.

The free-throw

The referees interrupt the game and have it restarted with a free-throw for the opponents when:

• the team in possession of the ball commits a violation of the rules that must lead to a loss of possession,
• the defending team commits a violation of the rules that causes the team in possession of the ball to lose it.

The 6-meter throw

• A 6-meter throw is awarded when a clear chance of scoring is destroyed. The 6-meter throw shall be executed from the 6-meter line of the goal area within 3 seconds after the whistle signal.

Punishments

• Certain fouls are awarded by suspension. The suspended player can be replaced or is allowed to enter the playing court as soon as there has been a turnover between the two teams.
• The second suspension of a player results in a disqualification. The player must leave the court and the substitution area immediately.

Special solutions in the video below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4m19yQw6pI