Your Guide to Goalball

Goalball is a unique and exciting indoor Paralympic sport played globally; designed specifically for athletes who are blind or partially sighted. It requires teamwork, strategy, precision, fitness and strength. We have created a simple guide to help you understand the game and maybe even get started playing it! Alternatively click on the video to find out about playing goalball at the highest level.

Objective

The main objective of goalball is to score more goals than the opposing team by throwing a ball with bells inside it into the opponent’s goal. The game is played in complete silence (remember to switch your phone to silent!) except for the sound of the ball, which helps players locate it. As a spectator you can cheers and offer support when ball is out of play.

Goalball: A blue rubber ball with bells inside, weighing 1.25 kg (2.75 lbs).

Eyeshades: All players wear eyeshades to ensure an equal level of visual impairment during the game. Athletes also wear eyepatches underneath the eyeshades to ensure complete blackout.

Protective Equipment: Players will wear a variety of protective equipment including knee and elbow pads, boxes, shin pads and chest plates. Where you see a player with a full protective helmet, this will be for medical reasons.

Court: The playing area is 18 meters long and 9 meters wide, divided into three main sections:

  1. the team and landing area (where you shoot and defend from) 6m
  2. the neutral zone (the middle section) 6m; and
  3. the other team and landing area (where the opponents are shooting and defending from) 6m

The court is tactile to aid orientation. This means the coloured tape has string underneath it. Players will use the tactile court markings to orientate themselves using their feet or hands.

Goalball is an explosive, high energy sport. You will often see goal judges wiping the court free from sweat to prevent players from slipping on the court!

Goals: Each end of the court has a goal that spans the entire width (9 meters) and is 1.3 meters high. The goals also act as a key orientation point for the players.

Each team has three players on the court at a time.

  • Centre: Positioned in the middle of the court; responsible for covering the centre area and assisting with defence. Rarely shoots in most teams, due to their focus on defence.
  • Wings (Left and Right): Positioned to the sides of centre. Responsible for defending the sides of the court and often taking the shots.

Teams can also have up to four substitutes during the game and unlimited substitutes at half time.

The coach is the eyes of the team and often considered the 4th player. The trust and relationship between coach and players is paramount. The coach will provide strategies and information on to the players. This will include information such as the oppositions line up, where they can see gaps in the opponent’s defence, style of shots that the opponents seem to struggle to defend, and general offensive and defensive strategies.

A three-whistle blast starts the game or second half.

A two-whistle blast means a goal has been scored.

A single whistle blast can mean:

  • Ball Out of Play: When the ball goes off court. ‘out’ or ‘blocked out’
  • Start of Play: Indicates the resumption of play after a stoppage. ‘quiet please, whistle, play’
  • Substitution or Time Out
  • A Penalty has occurred
  • To end a half or game: ‘whistle half time’ or ‘whistle game’

The officials table keeps track of a team’s use of time outs, substitutions, and 10 seconds (see basic rules). If a team commits a penalty in relation to these rules, a hooter will sound from the table to alert the referee.

Spectators must remain quiet during play so players can hear the ball. Do though feel free to scream and shout when a two-whistle blast heralds a goal!

Throwing the Ball
  • The ball is thrown under arm, generally either with a straight run up or through using a rotation technique. Different types of shots include smooth shots (along the ground), bounce shots (2 bounces), skippy shots (more than 2 bounces) and spin or swerve shots.
  • Player will often move around the court as quietly as they can to deceive the defensive players prior to taking their shot.
  • The ball isn’t just thrown randomly. Players will be executing an agreed game plan, using specific types of shots aimed at precise locations on the court.
  • The ball can reach speeds of up to 60 kilometres an hour.
  • When throwing, the ball must touch the landing area (first 6 metres / first third of the court) at least once. If it doesn’t a HIGH BALL penalty is called. The ball must also touch the neutral zone area (central third of the court) at least once. If it doesn’t a LONG BALL penalty is called.
Defending the Ball
  • Players defend the ball on the ground. They will shift their placement on court depending on where the ball is being shot from, known as ‘shifting’.
  • They will start in a ‘ready position’ and then push to their hands and feet to stop the ball. The defence position they use will change dependent on the type of shot they are defending (bounce shot, smooth shot etc.)
  • The defending team have 10 seconds from when the ball first hits a player to retrieve the ball and get the ball back over the halfway line. If this takes more than 10 seconds, a 10-second penalty is called.
Goals
  • A goal is scored when the ball completely crosses the goal line of the opposing team. Teams can score own goals if the ball completely crosses their own goal line while the ball is in play.
Timeouts and Substitutions 
  • Teams can use up to four substitutions in a game. One must be taken in the first half. If you don’t use it, you lose it!
  • Teams can have up to four 45 second time-outs in a game. One must be taken in the first half. Again, if you don’t use it, you lose it! These are used for the coach to feed on information and strategies or simply to give players a breather.
Timing and Scoring 
  • A standard game consists of two 12-minute halves with a 3-minute halftime. The game clock stops every time a whistle is blown for a stoppage or goal. A game can take up to an hour.
  • If the game is tied at the end of normal time, there may be extra time or a penalty shootout depending on the stage of the competition.
  • The mercy rule is applied when a team leads by 10 goals at any point during the game. When this happens, the game is immediately stopped, and the team with the 10-goal lead is declared the winner.

If a player or team gives away a penalty, a player must defend the entire 9-metre-wide goal on their own. One player from the other team will be selected to take the penalty (normally by their coach). There are several different ways a penalty can be given:

  • High Ball: The ball doesn’t touch the landing area within the first 6 meters of the throw.
  • Long Ball: The ball doesn’t touch the neutral zone. (middle section of the court)
  • 10 seconds: The defending team fails to get the ball back over the half-way line within 10 seconds of first defensive touch.
  • Eyeshades: Players must not touch their eyeshades during play without permission from the referee.
  • Noise: The shooting team makes noise during or after the release of the shot before it first hits a defender.
  • Illegal coaching: A coach talks to a team after the referee calls for ‘Quiet Please’. They do this two times, and they are ejected from the hall!
A Player throwing the ball.
Players defending the ball from a shot.