Handball scorekeeping guide
How to Keep Score in Team Handball
Indoor handball uses a running goal total. Every legal goal counts once, whether scored from open play, a free throw, or a seven-metre throw.
Start a handball scoreboard- Goal
- 1 point
- Adult match
- 2 × 30-minute halves
- Winner
- Most goals
How handball scoring works
- 01
Add one point for every goal confirmed by the referees.
- 02
Carry the score from the first half into the second.
- 03
A tied league match may finish as a draw.
- 04
Knockout events may use overtime and then seven-metre throws under their competition rules.
Choose the rules your event uses
Governing bodies, age groups, and tournament directors can use different formats. Confirm the format before play.
FormatScoringWhen it applies
Senior indoor2 × 30-minute halves
The standard adult format.
YouthShorter halves
The IHF shortens playing time for younger age groups.
KnockoutOvertime, then tiebreak
Follow the event’s decision procedure.
Courtside checklist
Keep the scoreboard clean
- ✓Add one only after the goal signal.
- ✓Advance at halftime.
- ✓Keep tiebreak throws separate from the regulation score when required.
Read the complete rules
This guide covers scoreboard essentials, not every playing rule. Local competition rules take precedence.