This article gives fans an overview of the guidelines and explains how technology will be used to aid the referees in the decision-making process.
All participating teams at the Men’s EHF EURO 2026 have been sent a comprehensive explanation of the refereeing guidelines, which are explained more briefly below and have been developed by the EHF Technical Refereeing Committee.
1. Punishments
Applying punishments, such as two-minute suspensions, is a core mechanism for maintaining fairness and safety on the court. For referees, the guidelines focus heavily on assessing each situation before punishment is handed out.
Assessing the severity of each offence, considering the defender’s intentions as well as the impact of the action on the opponent and consulting the video replay (VR) system when there is any uncertainty are just some of the steps referees are instructed to go through before making their decision. Crucially, consistency in punishment throughout the match is pivotal to ensuring fairness and safety on the court.
2. Penalty shots
Penalty shots are often decisive moments in a handball match, where precision, timing, and
psychological pressures converge. As true as that is for the players, it is too for the referees, who must analyse so many details in a split second, including whether or not the defender has illegally denied a clear scoring opportunity, whether the attacker had full control of the ball before the foul occurred and whether there were any goalkeeper infractions, illegal contact from behind or defending inside the goal area.
3. Passive play
Passive play presents unique challenges to referees as they are required to interpret whether the attacking team is actively progressing toward a goal-scoring opportunity or simply delaying play, evaluating intent and momentum.
As well as recognising physical movement and progress towards goal, referees must take the game context and score into account. This is another area where consistency is key to maintain fairness and the flow of the game.
4. Offensive foul vs. goal-area violation
To distinguish between an offensive foul committed by an attacker, and a goal-area violation committed by a defender stepping inside the goal area, the guidelines instruct referees to take the following into account: the momentum and any potential advantage gained by the attacker, as well as any provocation by the defender.
Before applying punishment, simulation on behalf of the defender or exaggerated reactions by the attacker must be considered, with referees instructed to consult VR in fast and unclear situations.
5. Steps
To differentiate between natural movements that support play and infringements that give an unfair advantage, referees are advised to pay close attention to the ‘zero-step’ concept, where players make minimal visible foot contact to hide step violations. VR should be used to check such movements in critical moments, while ensuring the player’s size, speed or run-up are not mitigating factors.
6. Overreaction by the attacker/defender
As mentioned in point four, referees must be critical of exaggerated reactions, as such behaviour can influence the game’s perception and potentially mislead referees or trigger crowd reactions. Officials must evaluate if the reaction to contact is genuine or not, and there is zero tolerance on simulation or theatrical behaviour.
7. Use of VR
Referees use VR in unclear or fast situations to make quick, confident, and transparent decisions, enhancing precision and fairness without replacing their judgment. The guidelines emphasise that VR is there for accurate and fair decision-making, without disrupting the game flow. However, VR is a tool to support the referee's judgment, not replace it.
