<p class="reg-lead">IHF Ethics Code, in force from 27 July 2026.</p>
<table class="reg-facts">
<tr><td>Adopted</td><td><b>27 July 2026</b> — IHF Council</td></tr>
<tr><td>Placement</td><td>Chapter XV of the IHF Regulations</td></tr>
<tr><td>Status</td><td><strong>In force</strong> — replaces the edition of 21 December 2025</td></tr>
</table>
<div class="reg-sec">
<h2>What the Ethics Code governs</h2>
<p>Chapter XV of the IHF Regulations sets the conduct expected of officials, federations and everyone else subject to it: dignity, integrity, conflicts of interest, confidentiality, good governance and the prevention of competition manipulation. Alleged breaches are heard by the Ethics Commission, an independent adjudicating body established by Congress.</p>
</div>
<div class="reg-sec hi">
<h2>What changed in this edition<span class="reg-tag">against the edition of 21 December 2025</span></h2>
<ol class="reg-tl">
<li><b class="t">In force from 27 July 2026</b>Article 13 brings the Code into effect on 27 July 2026 and applies it to violations committed on or after that date. The previous edition continues to govern earlier conduct.</li>
<li><b class="t">The Safeguarding Policy now outranks the Code</b>Article 3 still gives the Code precedence over other IHF regulations in the event of inconsistency — but that precedence is now lifted for the <strong>IHF Safeguarding Policy</strong> as well as the Statutes. Previously only the Statutes were carved out.</li>
<li><b class="t">Wider remit for the Ethics Commission</b>Article 4 extends the Commission beyond breaches of the Code itself to <strong>any other alleged violations falling within its jurisdiction</strong>. The phrase is added to both provisions describing its powers.</li>
<li><b class="t">The Safeguarding Officer as referring party</b>The list of who may refer a case to the Commission — national federation, continental confederation, Executive Committee, Council, and the IOC integrity hotline — gains one route: an alleged breach of the Safeguarding Policy may be referred <strong>only by the IHF Safeguarding Officer</strong>.</li>
<li><b class="t">Broader source of residual sanctions</b>Under Article 8 the Commission may impose any further measure set out in an Appendix to the Code or in <strong>IHF Regulations</strong>; the earlier text pointed only to the Regulations concerning Penalties and Fines.</li>
</ol>
</div>

IHF Ethics Code 2026

<p class="reg-lead">The Safeguarding Policy of the International Handball Federation, in force from 27 July 2026.</p>
<table class="reg-facts">
<tr><td>In force</td><td><b>27 July 2026</b> — adopted by the IHF Council</td></tr>
<tr><td>Structure</td><td>Chapter XXX of the International Handball Federation's body of regulations</td></tr>
<tr><td>Status</td><td><strong>Current version</strong> — the most recently added chapter of the compendium</td></tr>
</table>
<div class="reg-sec">
<h2>What this policy governs</h2>
<p>With this document the International Handball Federation has committed itself to providing a safe environment in which everyone can train and compete with respect, with equality and <strong>free from every form of harassment and abuse</strong>. The Safeguarding Policy rests on Article 1.4 of the IOC Code of Ethics and Article 5 of the IHF Ethics Code — the provision that makes safeguarding the dignity of the individual a fundamental requirement of the world federation.</p><p><em>This chapter has not yet been entered in the list of regulations annexed to the Statutes, which runs to Chapter XXIX; the document itself bears the number XXX.</em></p>
</div>
<div class="reg-sec hi">
<h2>Key points</h2>
<ol class="reg-tl">
<li><b class="t">A non-exhaustive list of prohibited conduct</b>Article 5 enumerates the prohibited forms of conduct and makes clear that the list is not exhaustive: harassment and abuse (including bullying, neglect and psychological or physical violence), any crime or breach of law that raises a safeguarding concern, any form of coercion that results in abuse, and breaches of this Policy or of the Code of Conduct in Annex 1.</li>
<li><b class="t">Failure to report is itself a violation</b><strong>Failing to report a safeguarding concern, suspicion or allegation appears in the list of prohibited conduct.</strong> Knowingly making a false or misleading report, abusing the process and breaching confidentiality are likewise treated as violations.</li>
<li><b class="t">The duty to report where children are concerned</b>Where the concern relates to a <strong>player under 18</strong>, anyone who becomes aware of a possible violation, or reasonably suspects one, <strong>is obliged to report it</strong>. For an adult player, the player's own consent must in principle be obtained, unless there is reasonable cause to believe that danger is imminent or that the conduct may amount to a crime.</li>
<li><b class="t">Protection of the reporter</b>Anyone who reports in good faith <strong>must not be exposed to retaliation</strong>; the world federation has made a confidential reporting system available.</li>
<li><b class="t">Reporting channels</b>An online form on the IHF website and social media that <strong>allows anonymous reporting</strong>, a dedicated safeguarding e-mail address, and approaching in person the Safeguarding Officer or — in that officer's absence at an event — a trained "contact point".</li>
<li><b class="t">The Safeguarding Officer and the working group</b>All reports reach the IHF Safeguarding Officer, who assesses them together with the Safeguarding Working Group. Article 9 also makes training mandatory, and National Federations and Continental Confederations have their own obligations under Article 4.</li>
<li><b class="t">Precise definitions</b>Article 2 defines terms such as <strong>hazing</strong> (humiliating and dangerous initiation rituals for new members of a team), interpersonal violence and neglect — definitions that make the scope of the Policy clear.</li>
</ol>
</div>
<div class="reg-sec">
<h2>Who this document matters to</h2>
<p>For National Federations and clubs, two points carry direct legal weight: the duty to report where players under 18 are concerned, the omission of which is itself a violation, and the requirement to have a safeguarding policy and code of conduct in place at national level. Proceedings for violations run through the Ethics Commission, and the IHF Ethics Code, in its edition of 21 December 2025, has entrusted the route of appeal to the International Handball Court of Arbitration.</p>
</div>

IHF Safeguarding Policy 2026

<p class="reg-lead">The mechanism for the selection of beach handball referees and technical officials of the International Handball Federation, published in July 2026.</p>
<table class="reg-facts">
<tr><td>Published</td><td><b>July 2026</b> — International Handball Federation</td></tr>
<tr><td>Implementing body</td><td>Refereeing Section of the Beach Handball Working Group (BHWG)</td></tr>
<tr><td>Status</td><td><strong>Current edition</strong></td></tr>
</table>
<div class="reg-sec">
<h2>Why does beach handball have a separate mechanism?</h2>
<p>Beach handball is a dynamic discipline with technical, tactical and regulatory characteristics of its own. Referees are therefore expected not only to have an excellent command of the <strong>Beach Handball Rules of the Game</strong>, but to apply them with confidence, precision, teamwork and game understanding in a fast-paced environment. Unlike indoor handball, where responsibility lies with the Playing Rules and Referees Commission, training, evaluation and nomination in this discipline rest with the <strong>Refereeing Section of the Beach Handball Working Group</strong>.</p>
</div>
<div class="reg-sec hi">
<h2>Core elements of the mechanism</h2>
<ol class="reg-tl">
<li><b class="t">Combination of criteria</b>The nomination process combines objective performance evaluation with long-term development through structured training and continuous monitoring, as well as <strong>geographical and gender representation</strong>.</li>
<li><b class="t">Stated objective</b>To appoint the most qualified, most experienced and best-prepared referees and technical delegates for beach handball competitions, while supporting the sustainable global development of the discipline.</li>
<li><b class="t">A different authority</b>The Beach Handball Working Group is the same body to which the Statutes of 21 March 2026 grant the power to approve the trial implementation of rules in this discipline; responsibility for refereeing is likewise concentrated there.</li>
</ol>
</div>
<div class="reg-note">This document bears no adoption date; the date given is the time of its publication on the website of the International Handball Federation.</div>
<div class="reg-sec">
<h2>Who this document matters to</h2>
<p>For referees and federations active in beach handball, the competent body is the Beach Handball Working Group, not the Playing Rules and Referees Commission — a distinction that must be observed in correspondence and applications.</p>
</div>

IHF Selection of Technical Officials and Referees — Beach Handball

<p class="reg-lead">The International Handball Federation's mechanism for selecting indoor handball referees and technical officials, published in July 2026.</p>
<table class="reg-facts">
<tr><td>Published</td><td><b>July 2026</b> — International Handball Federation</td></tr>
<tr><td>Implementing body</td><td>Playing Rules and Referees Commission (PRC)</td></tr>
<tr><td>Status</td><td><strong>Current version</strong> — supplements Chapters XI and XII</td></tr>
</table>
<div class="reg-sec">
<h2>What does this document clarify?</h2>
<p>The IHF seeks to appoint the most qualified and best-prepared referees and technical delegates to its events. This document shows how the nomination process brings together <strong>performance assessment, structured training, continuous monitoring, and geographical and gender representation</strong>. Responsibility for development, assessment and nomination rests with the Playing Rules and Referees Commission.</p>
</div>
<div class="reg-sec hi">
<h2>Requirements and pathway</h2>
<ol class="reg-tl">
<li><b class="t">Prerequisites for referees</b>A referee pair must hold <strong>continental referee rank</strong>, and as a general rule <strong>at least two years' experience at continental level</strong> is required. The maximum age for obtaining IHF referee rank is <strong>40</strong>, and candidates are expected to have several years of high-level refereeing experience. Successful completion of the Global Referee Training Programme (GRTP) or an Official Refereeing Assessment (ORA) is mandatory.</li>
<li><b class="t">Prerequisites for technical delegates</b>Technical delegates must hold continental rank and <strong>officiate actively in the top league of their country</strong>. For former IHF elite referees and former international players, a <strong>fast-track pathway</strong> is provided where their experience and competence justify it.</li>
<li><b class="t">Global talent-scouting network</b>The IHF has established a worldwide network of refereeing experts who continuously observe pairs holding continental rank in domestic and continental competitions. Promising pairs enter a <strong>long-term talent database</strong>, administered by the Playing Rules and Referees Commission, and their performance is assessed over several seasons.</li>
<li><b class="t">Recruitment philosophy</b>The criterion is <strong>long-term capacity, not performance at a single point in time</strong>; continuous observation allows the Commission to support a referee throughout their development.</li>
<li><b class="t">Development projects</b>The IHF Trophy gives referees holding continental or national rank the opportunity to officiate international matches between emerging national teams under experienced Commission lecturers.</li>
<li><b class="t">Priority for women and young referees</b>The document emphasises building sustainable pathways for talented young referees and <strong>increasing the share of women</strong> among referees and technical delegates.</li>
</ol>
</div>
<div class="reg-note">The document bears no adoption date of its own; the date given is the time of its publication on the International Handball Federation's website.</div>
<div class="reg-sec">
<h2>Who this document matters to</h2>
<p>For national federations, this document gives a clear picture of the path by which a referee pair reaches international level, and shows why investment must begin several seasons before a referee approaches the age limit of 40. The Regulations for International and Continental Referees and the Regulations for Official Refereeing Courses set the binding framework for that same path.</p>
</div>

IHF Selection of Technical Officials and Referees — Indoor Handball

<p class="reg-lead">The International Handball Federation's roadmap towards gender equality, with the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games as its horizon — status as of July 2026.</p>
<table class="reg-facts">
<tr><td>Published</td><td><b>July 2026</b> — International Handball Federation</td></tr>
<tr><td>Subject</td><td>The share of women among international referees and delegates</td></tr>
<tr><td>Horizon</td><td>The Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, with a mid-term target of the end of 2026</td></tr>
</table>
<div class="reg-sec">
<h2>What is this document?</h2>
<p>A short, figures-based document that sets the current share of women among international handball referees and delegates against the stated targets. Unlike the chapters of the body of regulations, it lays down no binding provisions; it sets <strong>benchmarks and targets</strong>.</p>
</div>
<div class="reg-sec hi">
<h2>The reported figures</h2>
<ol class="reg-tl">
<li><b class="t">Referee pairs</b>In July 2026 the number of active referee pairs was <strong>76</strong>, and the target for the end of that year is <strong>80</strong> pairs.</li>
<li><b class="t">The share of women in refereeing</b>Of that number, <strong>14 women's pairs</strong> were active — that is, <strong>18.4 per cent</strong> — and the target for the end of 2026 is 16 pairs and <strong>20 per cent</strong>.</li>
<li><b class="t">Delegates</b>The number of active delegates was <strong>56</strong>, with a target of <strong>60</strong>; of these, <strong>16 were women</strong>, that is <strong>28.6 per cent</strong>, with a target of 19 and <strong>31.7 per cent</strong>.</li>
</ol>
</div>
<div class="reg-note">The document bears no adoption date; the date given is the time of its publication on the International Handball Federation's website.</div>
<div class="reg-sec">
<h2>Who this document matters to</h2>
<p>The selection mechanisms for referees and technical officials — in both indoor and beach handball — count gender representation, alongside performance assessment, among the selection criteria, and the regulations governing official refereeing courses likewise allow the Playing Rules and Referees Commission to grant exceptions from the age limit with gender balance in mind. This document shows what figures those provisions have produced in practice.</p>
</div>

IHF Roadmap Towards Gender Equality — July 2026

<p class="reg-lead">Procedure for handling medical emergencies at International Handball Federation events, published in July 2026.</p>
<table class="reg-facts">
<tr><td>Published</td><td><b>July 2026</b> — International Handball Federation</td></tr>
<tr><td>Structure</td><td>Operational procedure — supplements the Athletes' Health and Safety Regulations</td></tr>
<tr><td>Status</td><td><strong>Current edition</strong></td></tr>
</table>
<div class="reg-sec">
<h2>What this procedure determines</h2>
<p>A medical emergency during a handball match can occur <strong>on the court or in the spectator stands</strong>, and each calls for a different approach. On-court incidents concern players and officials; emergencies in the stands concern spectators and other persons. This procedure sets out the steps for managing both situations.</p>
</div>
<div class="reg-sec hi">
<h2>The prescribed steps</h2>
<ol class="reg-tl">
<li><b class="t">Initial recognition on the court</b>Players, referees or coaches must, on seeing a player in an emergency condition or injured, <strong>immediately signal for play to be stopped</strong>.</li>
<li><b class="t">Immediate stoppage of play</b>Officials or referees must assess the situation and, in any serious injury or medical emergency, <strong>stop play immediately</strong>.</li>
<li><b class="t">Notification of the event representative</b>The event representative must be informed immediately so that they coordinate all necessary measures with the organising committee and the medical team.</li>
<li><b class="t">Separation of resources</b>A separate pathway is provided for emergencies in the spectator stands — the same separation that the Athletes' Health and Safety Regulations require in the event medical plan.</li>
</ol>
</div>
<div class="reg-note">This document bears no adoption date; the date given is the time of its publication on the International Handball Federation's website.</div>
<div class="reg-sec">
<h2>Who this document matters to</h2>
<p>For event organisers and event medical staff, this procedure is the operational counterpart of the duties laid down by the Athletes' Health and Safety Regulations and is read alongside them.</p>
</div>

IHF Procedure for Handling Medical Emergencies During Events

<p class="reg-lead">The International Handball Federation's Athlete Health and Safety Provisions, published in July 2026.</p>
<table class="reg-facts">
<tr><td>Published</td><td><b>July 2026</b> — International Handball Federation</td></tr>
<tr><td>Structure</td><td>17 articles — standalone regulations</td></tr>
<tr><td>Status</td><td><strong>Current edition</strong></td></tr>
</table>
<div class="reg-sec">
<h2>What these regulations govern</h2>
<p>Seventeen articles placing the duty of care for player health at International Handball Federation events on the organiser, the participating federations and the medical staff: from the spacing of matches and player workload to the event medical organisation, concussion, nutrition, infectious diseases, insurance and enforcement.</p>
</div>
<div class="reg-sec hi">
<h2>Key provisions</h2>
<ol class="reg-tl">
<li><b class="t">No matches on consecutive days</b>In senior events, a team must not be required to play on consecutive days and must have <strong>at least one full rest day</strong> between two matches, except with the express permission of the IHF in exceptional circumstances. In younger age categories, a maximum of two consecutive days of play is permitted. In beach handball, a maximum of two matches in one day is permitted, with <strong>at least four hours between them</strong>.</li>
<li><b class="t">Additional rest day for long journeys</b>If official travel between venues or accommodation takes more than <strong>four hours and thirty minutes</strong>, the IHF may require an additional rest day.</li>
<li><b class="t">Treatment takes priority over media obligations</b>Media obligations, protocol, sponsors and ceremonies <strong>must not interfere with a player's treatment, recovery or safety</strong>. A player who requires assessment or treatment, is undergoing concussion assessment or doping control, is suffering acute physical or psychological distress, or has been prohibited by a physician, is exempt from attending press conferences, the mixed zone, award ceremonies and the like, and <strong>no player may be sanctioned for an absence with a valid medical reason</strong>.</li>
<li><b class="t">Authority of medical decisions</b>The event medical officer, an IHF official, an event delegate or another authorised physician may require immediate assessment, remove a player from the court, prevent their return, require further testing or hospitalisation, and recommend the modification, postponement, suspension or cancellation of a match. <strong>No sporting official, coach, employer or national federation representative may override a medical decision concerning a player's immediate safety.</strong></li>
<li><b class="t">Concussion</b>A player suspected of concussion or a serious head injury must be <strong>removed from play immediately</strong> and assessed, and must <strong>not return to play the same day</strong>, except with the express permission of the responsible physician. Return to training and competition follows a staged assessment and requires medical clearance. Referees, delegates, the team physician and the event medical officer may all initiate an assessment.</li>
<li><b class="t">Event medical plan</b>The organiser must prepare a <strong>written medical plan</strong> for IHF approval covering the competition and training halls, team accommodation, official transport, emergency care, ambulances, evacuation routes, designated hospitals and major-incident procedures.</li>
<li><b class="t">A physician and an ambulance for every match</b>Every match requires at least <strong>one licensed physician</strong> with emergency or sports-medicine experience, seated in a designated seat with an unobstructed view of the court and immediate access to it. <strong>At least one fully equipped ambulance</strong> must be present for the entire duration of the match — including the warm-up, half-time, extra time and the period immediately after the match. Medical resources allocated to players must not simultaneously be the only medical resource for spectators.</li>
<li><b class="t">Player support programme</b>Article 7 governs the "Indoor Handball Player Support Programme (salary compensation)", which is intended to protect professional players and employing clubs against the financial consequences of injury sustained in eligible IHF competitions or official national-team activity, and supports the payment of the contractual salary of a player temporarily unable to perform their obligations.</li>
<li><b class="t">Nutrition and water</b>The organiser must provide safe food suited to the needs of elite players, accommodate food-allergy options, religious requirements and vegetarian diets, identify all allergens, and make <strong>safe drinking water available free of charge around the clock</strong>.</li>
</ol>
</div>
<div class="reg-note">This document bears no adoption date on its face; the date given is the time of its publication on the International Handball Federation's website.</div>
<div class="reg-sec">
<h2>Who this document matters to</h2>
<p>These regulations are of direct importance to liability cases arising from injury: the organiser's duties are set out in detail and in binding terms, and the provision that a medical decision cannot be overridden entrenches the physician's position against pressure from a club or federation. Article 15 also determines insurance and financial liability, and Article 16 the disciplinary enforcement.</p>
</div>

IHF Athlete Health and Safety Provisions

<p class="reg-lead">The International Handball Federation's Rules of the Game for Wheelchair Handball Four-a-Side, in force from 1 July 2026.</p>
<table class="reg-facts">
<tr><td>In force</td><td><b>1 July 2026</b> — adopted by the IHF Council</td></tr>
<tr><td>Structure</td><td>Chapter IX, Section d of the body of regulations of the International Handball Federation</td></tr>
<tr><td>Status</td><td><strong>Current version</strong> — a self-contained set of 13 rules</td></tr>
</table>
<div class="reg-sec">
<h2>How does four-a-side differ from six-a-side?</h2>
<p>The regulations of the International Handball Federation (IHF) form a set of numbered chapters, headed by the Statutes, with each chapter governing one area. This document is <strong>Chapter IX, Section d</strong> of that body.</p><p>Unlike the six-a-side format, which consists of modifications to the rules of indoor handball, the four-a-side format <strong>has its own self-contained set of rules</strong>: thirteen rules running from the definition of the game and the team to the court, the goal, the ball, playing attire, straps and violations, together with the wheelchair specifications and a section of clarifications.</p>
</div>
<div class="reg-sec hi">
<h2>Structure of these rules</h2>
<ol class="reg-tl">
<li><b class="t">Dedicated rules on the court and the goal</b>Rules 6 and 7 set out the dimensions of the court and the goal separately, because they are not identical to those of indoor handball.</li>
<li><b class="t">Straps as a stand-alone rule</b>Rule 11 is devoted to <strong>the straps securing the player to the wheelchair</strong> — a subject with no equivalent in the other formats.</li>
<li><b class="t">Equipment and attire</b>Rules 9 and 10 govern playing equipment and attire separately from one another.</li>
<li><b class="t">Wheelchair specifications and clarifications</b>The second and third parts of the document are devoted to the technical specifications of the wheelchair and to supplementary clarifications of the rules.</li>
</ol>
</div>
<div class="reg-sec">
<h2>Who this document matters to</h2>
<p>The four-a-side format has its own classification mechanism, which is set out in the Wheelchair Handball classification rules — shared between the six-a-side and four-a-side formats.</p>
</div>

IHF Rules of the Game — Wheelchair Handball Four-a-Side 2026

<p class="reg-lead">The International Handball Federation's Rules of the Game for Wheelchair Handball Six-a-Side, in force from 1 July 2026.</p>
<table class="reg-facts">
<tr><td>In force</td><td><b>1 July 2026</b> — adopted by the IHF Council</td></tr>
<tr><td>Structure</td><td>Chapter IX, Section C of the International Handball Federation's body of regulations</td></tr>
<tr><td>Status</td><td><strong>Current edition</strong> — supplements the indoor handball Rules of the Game</td></tr>
</table>
<div class="reg-sec">
<h2>How do these rules relate to indoor handball?</h2>
<p>The regulations of the International Handball Federation (IHF) form a set of numbered chapters, headed by the Statutes, with each chapter governing one area. This document is <strong>Chapter IX, Section C</strong> of that body of regulations.</p><p>The document states that the rules of wheelchair handball six-a-side <strong>follow the indoor handball rules in principle</strong>, with only the modifications made necessary by the differing abilities of the players added to them. It must therefore be read alongside the indoor handball rules, not in their place.</p>
</div>
<div class="reg-sec hi">
<h2>Key points</h2>
<ol class="reg-tl">
<li><b class="t">Team composition</b>Each team plays with <strong>six players, including one goalkeeper</strong>.</li>
<li><b class="t">Mixed teams and the women's quota</b>Matches are played with mixed teams, and no special rule has been laid down for this; however, <strong>at least three female players</strong> must be present in the team.</li>
<li><b class="t">Delegation size</b>The delegation comprises a maximum of <strong>20 persons</strong>, with a floor of 12 and a ceiling of 16 players.</li>
<li><b class="t">Wheelchair specifications</b>Article 2 of the document specifically sets out the technical specifications of the wheelchair.</li>
<li><b class="t">Basis of the discipline</b>The text defines wheelchair handball on the basis of the spirit of fair play and for players with physical disabilities.</li>
</ol>
</div>
<div class="reg-sec">
<h2>Who this document matters to</h2>
<p>For organisers and wheelchair handball teams, this document is read alongside the guidelines for staging world wheelchair handball competitions and the classification rules — three documents that together form the complete framework of the discipline.</p>
</div>

IHF Rules of the Game — Wheelchair Handball Six-a-Side 2026

<p class="reg-lead">The financial regulations of the International Handball Federation, including the regulations on travel expenses, in force from 6 May 2026.</p>
<table class="reg-facts">
<tr><td>Adopted</td><td><b>6 May 2026</b> — International Handball Federation</td></tr>
<tr><td>Structure</td><td>Chapter XXIV of the IHF body of regulations</td></tr>
<tr><td>Status</td><td><strong>Current version</strong> — supersedes the edition of 2 December 2020</td></tr>
</table>
<div class="reg-sec">
<h2>What these regulations govern</h2>
<p>This document is <strong>Chapter XXIV</strong> of the IHF body of regulations and has two parts: the Financial Regulations — annual membership fees, television and advertising revenue, the financial by-laws, the administrative fee for intercontinental transfers and the solidarity fund — and the Regulations on Travel Expenses, which set the ceilings and the method of reimbursement for travel, accommodation and daily allowances.</p>
</div>
<div class="reg-sec hi">
<h2>Key changes in this edition<span class="reg-tag">compared with the edition of 2 December 2020</span></h2>
<ol class="reg-tl">
<li><b class="t">New article on payments</b>All amounts claimed by the IHF are <strong>net</strong>, and bank charges are borne by the payer so that the full amount reaches the world federation. This rule governs all payments and all amounts set out in the IHF regulations, unless a contract provides otherwise.</li>
<li><b class="t">Increased daily allowance for Council members</b>The daily allowance for other expenses has risen from <strong>CHF 250 to CHF 350</strong> for Council members; for other IHF collaborators and guests it remains CHF 100.</li>
<li><b class="t">New allowances for staff and experts</b>IHF staff receive CHF 150 per day on working days and CHF 200 at weekends, rising to CHF 200 and CHF 250 while present at an event venue. IHF experts and members of the Rules of the Game Working Group receive CHF 150 per day. At senior World Championships, the Olympic Games and Olympic qualification tournaments, the daily allowance is CHF 150 for officials and CHF 175 for referees; at junior and youth World Championships, CHF 125 and CHF 150.</li>
<li><b class="t">Increased per-match fees for referees</b>Referees' fees at senior World Championships have risen by about a quarter: the preliminary round from 200 to <strong>250</strong>, the main round from 250 to <strong>312.5</strong>, the quarter-finals from 400 to <strong>500</strong>, the semi-finals and final from 500 to <strong>625</strong>, the President's Cup from 100 to <strong>125</strong>, and placement matches 5 to 12 from 300 to <strong>375</strong> Swiss francs. The figures for the Olympic Games and for junior and youth championships are unchanged.</li>
<li><b class="t">New tables for coaching courses</b>For lecturers and experts on IHF coaching education courses, separate tables have been added based on licence level (D, C, B and A), broken down into online, in-person and travel days.</li>
<li><b class="t">Membership fees and transfer fees unchanged</b>Annual membership fees are untouched, and <strong>Iran remains in category A at CHF 3,500 per year</strong>, with a fine of CHF 50 for each month of delay. The administrative fee for intercontinental transfers is also unchanged: CHF 150 to the releasing federation and CHF 150 to the IHF for an amateur-to-amateur transfer, and 1,500 plus 1,500 Swiss francs in all other cases.</li>
</ol>
</div>
<div class="reg-sec">
<h2>Who this document matters to</h2>
<p>For national federations, two points carry a direct financial burden: the new net-payment article, which places the bank charges of currency transfers on the payer, and the monthly fine for late payment of membership fees, which remains in place.</p><p>For referees and delegated officials, this document is the basis for calculating allowances and fees, and its figures have been revised in this edition.</p>
</div>

IHF Financial Regulations 2026

<p class="reg-lead">The International Handball Federation Rules of the Game — Beach Handball, in force from 1 April 2026.</p>
<table class="reg-facts">
<tr><td>In force</td><td><b>1 April 2026</b> — adopted by the IHF Council</td></tr>
<tr><td>Structure</td><td>Chapter IX(b) of the International Handball Federation body of regulations</td></tr>
<tr><td>Status</td><td><strong>Current edition</strong> — the free-standing rules of beach handball</td></tr>
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<h2>Why does beach handball have separate rules?</h2>
<p>The regulations of the International Handball Federation (IHF) form a set of numbered chapters, headed by the Statutes, with each chapter governing one area. This document is <strong>Chapter IX(b)</strong> of that body of regulations.</p><p>Beach handball is a discipline with a different scoring logic and game structure, and it does not follow the rules of indoor handball. The IHF Regulations for Competitions were likewise confined to indoor handball in the edition of 21 August 2024, and beach competitions were moved to their own regulations.</p>
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<h2>Structural differences from indoor handball</h2>
<ol class="reg-tl">
<li><b class="t">A 6-metre throw instead of a 7-metre throw</b>In beach handball the penalty throw is taken from a distance of <strong>6 metres</strong>.</li>
<li><b class="t">Referee throw</b>Play is started and restarted with a <strong>referee throw</strong> (Rule 10), not a throw-off.</li>
<li><b class="t">Deciding the result</b>Rule 9 covers not only the scoring of goals but also <strong>how the winner of the game is determined</strong> — a mechanism that sits elsewhere in indoor handball.</li>
<li><b class="t">Team time-out within the text of the rules</b>Rule 2 governs playing time, the final signal, time-out and <strong>team time-out</strong> in one place.</li>
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<h2>Who this document matters to</h2>
<p>For federations and clubs active in beach handball, this document is the free-standing reference, and reliance on the indoor handball rules has no place in this discipline. The authority of the Beach Handball Working Group to approve the trial application of rules is also expressly stated in the Statutes of 21 March 2026.</p>
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IHF Rules of the Game — Beach Handball 2026

<p class="reg-lead">The Statutes of the International Handball Federation, as amended at the Ordinary Congress in Cairo and in force from 21 March 2026.</p>
<table class="reg-facts">
<tr><td>Adoption</td><td><b>21 December 2025</b> at the Ordinary Congress in Cairo — in force from <b>21 March 2026</b></td></tr>
<tr><td>Structure</td><td>Chapter I of the International Handball Federation's body of regulations</td></tr>
<tr><td>Status</td><td><strong>Current version</strong> — supersedes the edition of 3 October 2019</td></tr>
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<h2>What is the place of the Statutes?</h2>
<p>The regulations of the International Handball Federation (IHF) form a set of numbered chapters, and the Statutes stand at the head of that set as Chapter <strong>I</strong>. The structure of the organs, the membership of national federations, the jurisdiction of the adjudicatory bodies and the final avenue of appeal are all determined in this document; the other chapters are drafted within its framework and refer back to its articles.</p>
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<h2>Key changes in this edition<span class="reg-tag">compared with the edition of 3 October 2019</span></h2>
<ol class="reg-tl">
<li><b class="t">Establishment of the Handball Court of Arbitration (IHCA)</b>Article 23 has changed the final avenue of appeal: once the federation's internal stages are exhausted, a final IHF decision may be challenged before the <strong>Handball Court of Arbitration (IHCA)</strong>, seated in <strong>Basel, Switzerland</strong>, rather than before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Two exceptions remain: doping cases are heard by the <strong>CAS Anti-Doping Division</strong>, and disputes relating to the Olympic Games are heard exclusively by <strong>CAS in Lausanne</strong>. Cases commenced before CAS prior to the establishment of the IHCA are concluded there.</li>
<li><b class="t">Age cap of 75</b>A candidate for an office that carries membership of the Executive Committee must not have reached the age of <strong>75</strong> at the time of election.</li>
<li><b class="t">Redefinition of the adjudicatory bodies</b>The term “legal bodies” replaces the previous arrangement: the Arbitration Commission, the Arbitration Tribunal and the Ethics Commission are designated “adjudicating bodies”, while the Disciplinary Commission and the Jury are designated “disciplinary bodies”, active only during events. The powers of these bodies do not limit the disciplinary powers of the Congress and the Council.</li>
<li><b class="t">Expanded scope of jurisdiction</b>The exclusive jurisdiction of the IHF bodies now extends beyond players, officials and national federations to <strong>clubs, players' agents and coaches</strong>.</li>
<li><b class="t">Oversight of national federation governance</b>Any amendment to a national federation's statutes must be submitted for approval to both the IHF and the relevant continental confederation before it is put to that federation's general assembly. An elective assembly must be notified to the IHF in advance, and its results must be reported together with the required documentation — including the minutes of the assembly, confirmation from the National Olympic Committee and the list of board members. The IHF may appoint an observer to report on the conduct of the assembly to the Head Office.</li>
<li><b class="t">Definition of “exceptional circumstances”</b>The IHF's power to install a provisional committee in a national federation remains in place, but this edition enumerates its instances for the first time: where the lawfulness of an election is contested and the National Olympic Committee refuses to recognise the results on grounds the IHF accepts; where a majority or all of the board members resign without timely replacement; where the elective assembly fails to reach a quorum in the absence of internal rules; and where a majority or all of the board members are sentenced to imprisonment or banned from handball activities by a court or arbitral body.</li>
<li><b class="t">Expulsion from membership and suspension</b>Expulsion from membership is now effected <strong>at the request of the Council</strong> and follows “serious and/or repeated” violations. The Council's power of immediate suspension is limited to national federations, and a suspension must be put to a vote at the next Congress; the Council may also refer a stakeholder's case to the Ethics Commission.</li>
<li><b class="t">Electronic meetings</b>Any IHF organ may hold meetings and take decisions remotely — by telephone, video or any other suitable electronic means.</li>
<li><b class="t">Manipulation of results and betting</b>All stakeholders are required to comply with the rules on the manipulation of results, collusion and betting as set out in the ethics regulations.</li>
<li><b class="t">Rules of the Game and wheelchair handball</b>The Rules of the Game for wheelchair handball, in both six-a-side and four-a-side formats, have been added to the list of regulations, and the Beach Handball and Wheelchair Handball Working Groups, alongside the Playing Rules and Referees Commission, may approve the trial application of amended rules. Changes published on 1 March may be applied in IHF competitions before their general entry into force on 1 July.</li>
<li><b class="t">Commercial rights</b>In the list of events in which the IHF is the original owner of the rights, <strong>electronic sports</strong> has taken the place of beach handball competitions.</li>
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<h2>Who these changes matter to</h2>
<p>The most significant practical effect is the change of the final appellate forum. A dispute that previously went to CAS once the internal stages were exhausted is now heard — except in doping matters and Olympic events — by the Handball Court of Arbitration in Basel; the procedure, the time limits and the foreseeable costs of a case therefore change.</p><p>For national federations, the new obligations to give notice of elective assemblies and to submit statutory amendments for prior approval are duties whose breach can lead to IHF intervention; and the list of “exceptional circumstances” is the first clear criterion for assessing such intervention.</p>
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International Regulations