Netball Rules: How the Game Works

Netball is a seven-a-side ball sport in which two teams try to score by shooting a ball through a ring mounted on a post at each end of the court. The rules that make it distinct are simple: you cannot dribble or run with the ball, you must pass or shoot within three seconds of catching it, and every player is confined to specific zones of the court depending on their position.

Netball is one of the most popular team sports for women worldwide, especially across the Commonwealth, yet its rules are unfamiliar to many. Here is how the game actually works, using the framework set by World Netball, the international governing body.

The court, the teams and scoring

A netball court is divided into three equal sections: two goal thirds and a centre third. At each end stands a goalpost 3.05 metres high with a ring but no backboard. At each end there is also a semi-circular shooting circle; only shots taken from inside this circle can score.

Each team has seven players on court. Only two of them, the Goal Shooter and Goal Attack, are allowed to score, and every successful shot is worth one point (some fast formats add a two-point “super shot” from the outer circle, but standard netball is one point per goal).

A standard match is four 15-minute quarters with breaks in between, and the team with the most goals at the final whistle wins.

The seven positions and their zones

The single most important thing to understand about netball is that each position can only go into certain parts of the court. This spreads players out and is why the game looks so structured compared with basketball.

Position	Abbreviation	Can play in	Can shoot?
Goal Shooter	GS	Attacking goal third (incl. circle)	Yes
Goal Attack	GA	Attacking goal third + centre third	Yes
Wing Attack	WA	Attacking goal third (not circle) + centre	No
Centre	C	Everywhere except both shooting circles	No
Wing Defence	WD	Defensive goal third (not circle) + centre	No
Goal Defence	GD	Defensive goal third (incl. circle) + centre	No
Goalkeeper	GK	Defensive goal third (incl. circle)	No

If a player enters a zone they are not allowed in, even without the ball, it is an infringement called offside, and the other team gets a free pass. Learning who goes where is half of learning netball.

The rules that define the game

No dribbling or running with the ball

You may not bounce the ball to yourself, and you cannot run while holding it. Once you catch the ball, your options are to pass it or, if you are a shooter in the circle, to shoot. Movement happens through passing, not through carrying the ball, which makes quick, accurate passing the core skill of the sport.

The footwork rule

When you catch the ball, the foot you land on first becomes your grounded pivot foot. You may lift and pivot on it, but you cannot re-ground it and then move, and you cannot drag or step with it. This is the rule people most often break when they first play.

The three-second rule

You must pass or shoot the ball within three seconds of catching it. Hold it longer and possession is turned over. This keeps the ball moving constantly and is why netball rallies flow so fast.

The 0.9-metre defending distance

A defender must stand at least 0.9 metres (about 3 feet) away from the player with the ball before attempting to defend the pass or shot. Defend closer than that and it is called obstruction. Physical contact that impedes an opponent is a separate penalty called contact. Both give the attacking side a penalty pass or shot.

How play starts and restarts

Play begins each quarter (and restarts after every goal) with a centre pass, taken from the centre circle by the Centre, alternating between the teams. The first pass must be caught in the centre third. From there the ball works up the court through passes until a shooter receives it inside the circle.

The blood rule and safety

Netball has a blood rule: any player who is bleeding must leave the court to be treated and to change any blood-stained clothing before returning. It is a straightforward hygiene and safety measure and is one of several rules that keep the physical side of the game controlled, since deliberate contact is not allowed in the first place.

How netball compares to basketball

Because netball and basketball both involve shooting a ball through a ring, people often assume they are similar, but the rules pull them in very different directions, no dribbling, no running with the ball, fixed zones and no backboard. If you want the full side-by-side, see our breakdown of netball vs basketball. For the defensive shooting concepts that netball shares loosely with the hardwood game, our explainers on the shot clock in basketball and the technical foul offer useful contrast.

The game in a nutshell

Netball rewards positioning, quick hands and teamwork over individual dribbling flair. Seven players, fixed zones, no running with the ball, a three-second limit and only two designated scorers: master those five ideas and you understand the sport. From there, the tactical richness, feeding the circle, timing a drive, defending without contact, is what keeps players and fans coming back.