1.1)    The recommended playing area is a 40m x 20m rectangle; it comprises a playing area and two   forbidden zones. (A 30m x 15m rextangle is the minimum recommended for two full teams.)

1.2)    The long sides are known as the side lines and the short sides as the base lines.

1.3)    The "forbidden" zone is semi-circular in shape, with a 3m radius measure from the centre of each base line.

1.4)    The front base of the rebound net is positioned in the middle of the diameter of this zone.

1.5)    All lines form part of the line they delineate. They should be clearly visible and measure 5cm in width.

1.6)    It is recommended that there will be a 2m clear area around the playing area.

1.7)    Frames must conform to F.I.T.B. standards.

1.8)    The rebound net is 90cm in length and width, (measuring 100cm diagonally) and made of synthetic fibre, with a mesh 4cm in width, elastically suspended in a metal frame.

2.1)    The ball must be round, with a leather covering and a rubber bladder.

2.2)    In men's matched the ball is to have a cirumference of 58cm to 60cm and weigh 425g to 475g.

2.3)    In women's and junior matches the ball is to have a circumference of 54cm to 56cm and weigh 325g to 400g.

2.4)    In mixed matches the ball will conform to the standards of that used for women's and junior matches.

2.5)    Before a match the home team must produce a choice of balls conforming to rules 2.2 and 2.3. The referees will select the match ball from those offered.

2.6)    The match ball may not be changed during a game except in cases of necessity, e.g. ball: damaged, burst or lost.

3.1)    A squad can be made up of 15 players; but for each match only 12 may be written on the team sheet, 9 of whom can be within the playing aea, the remaining 3 act as substitutes.

3.1.1) At least 6 players of each side must be present at the start of a game. Additional players may join a side (up to the maximum allowable), but only after a point has been awarded.

3.1.2) A match must be abandoned if the number of players on either side falls below 6. The points awarded up to the moment then constitute the results provided at least one full period has been completed. If in the opinion of the referee a side deliberately falls below 6 players, the result must be reported to the organising association.

3.2)    Substitutions will take place in front of the scorer's table or team benches, once a point has been awarded, without stopping the flow of the game. The substitution area is to be limited to the team benches or a clearly defined area. The scorer is to supervise substitutions. In cases of default he may intervene in the game. A break-down will be awarded to the non-offending side, taken from the edge of the forbidden zone.

3.3)    Players should be dressed uniformly and have a clearly visible number.

3.4)    Players are to wear sports shoes without studs, however, on grass or other soft surfaces, sport shoes with rubber ridges soles are authorised.

3.5)    It is forbidden to wear any jewellery (whether ring, broach, watch, ear-rings ...).

3.6)    It is forbidden to use any substances or material on the hands, or other parts of the body, if the former would improve the player's ball handling, especially in the skill of catching.

4.1)    The refereeing body for international matches shall comprise 3 persons, of whom one is to be responsible for the scoring and time-keeping.

4.2)    The referees control the game according to the rules and the scorer notes the results, foul-play and that substitutions are correctly made.

4.2.1) Normally referees will control a match, taking "leading and trailing" responsibilities according to the direction of the play. Referees change ends after each period.

4.2.2) In the case of different interpretations between two referees who have blown their whistles for the same incident, the view of the referee with "leading" responsibility in that point of the playing area nearest to the point which the incident occurred, shall take precendence. Where different interpretations persist the "leading" referees decision is final and every effort made to resolve differences in the intervals between play.

4.3)    Their dress must be clearly different from that of the players (grey is the recommended colour for the shirts and trousers).

5.1)    The length of the men's match shall be three periods of 15 minutes, with a maximum interval of 5 minutes between periods.

5.2)    The length of the women's and junior matches shall be three periods of 12 minutes, with a maximum interval of 5 minutes between periods.

5.3)    The referee shall decide when the time clock is to be stopped and restarted (e.g. in case of injury).

6.1.1) Catch, throw, hit or impel the ball in any way with head, hands, arms or trunk.

6.1.2) Make up to three contacts with the feet with the ground whilst in possession of the ball. Receiving the ball with one foot, or two feet on the ground counts as the first contact.

6.1.3) Hold the ball for up to 3 seconds.

6.1.4) Change the ball from hand to hand even if contact with it is temporarily lost and providing it conformas to rule 6.1.2.

6.1.5) Play kneeling or lying down.

6.2.1) Make more than 3 contacts of the feet on the gound whilst holding the ball (juggling a catch is not considered as travelling with the ball).

6.2.2) Make a pass which takes the team count of successive passes over 3. (A point will be awarded to the attacking side if the defence cannot control the ball, following a shot.)

6.2.3) Touch any area outside the playing area.

6.2.4) Deliberately aim the ball at an opponent.

6.2.5) Drop a pass from a team-mate.

6.2.6) Hamper the opposition in any way from playing (whether passing, shooting, catching, moving about the playing area).

6.2.7) Make more than 3 consecutive shots at the same frame (a breakdown or point scored return the count to zero).

6.2.8) Verbally disrupt the game (either as player, coach or trainer).

6.2.9) Coaching from the side line during the course of the game is not allowed while the game is in progress. Offenders will be asked to leave the playing area and reported to the constituent body. They will take appropriate action.

6.3)    Unintentional acts of foul-play will be sanctioned by a break-down at the place where the fault was committed, following a break-down a minimum of one pass must be made before a shot is permitted. The referee is to ensure that the break-down is taken from the place where the fault occurred, or the nearest place on the playing area to where the fault occurred.

7.1)    The attacking team is permitted to enter the forbidden zone, as shooter, passer or acting as a false receiver in dummy switch, providing that there is no interference in any way, (such as blocking vision) with the defending side.

7.2)    Repositioning of the defence by crossing the forbidden zone is not permitted.

7.3)    It is permitted to pass and shoot over the zone, provided that the ball has left the player in possession before contact is made with the forbidden zone. After shooting or passing a player must leave the zone as quickly as possible without impeding the opposition.

7.4)    A ball landing in the forbidden zone, which was clearly intended as a pass shall be deemed a fault, with possession going to the non-offending side.

7.5)    A break-down will result from infringements of rules 7.1, 7.2, 7.3 and 7.4. It will be taken on the edge of the zone closest to where the fault occurred.

7.6)    A point conceded by the offending side will result if:

7.6.1) A ball passes directly out of play within the base line diameter of the forbidden zone, without touching the zone.

7.6.2) A player lands out of play over the base line, within the base line diameter of the zone.

8.1)    A player scores a point if a ball rebounding from the frame:

8.1.1) Touches the playing area before an opponent can catch it.

8.1.2) Touches an opponent who fails to control it by dropping it to the floor, or knocking it out of play.

8.1.3) Touches a defender below the waste.

8.2)    A player concedes a point if:

8.2.1) He shoots and misses the frame.

8.2.2) The ball rebounding from the net, after a shot, falls out of play or into the forbidden zone.

8.2.3) He shoots and the ball rebounds onto himself.

8.3)    A player having caught the ball rebounding from the frame, falls into the forbidden zone or out of play, concedes a point to the attacking team.

8.4)    If a team-mate of the shooter touches the rebounding ball, he has committed a fault, penalised by a break-down. If the action is deliberate, preventing a ball from falling out of play or into the forbidden zone he has committed an intentional foul and his team concedes a point.

8.5)    If a defender deflects the rebounding ball, a break-down is given to the defending side.

9.1)    The team conceding a point is given the benefit of the restart. At the commencement of the match, the toss of a coin shall decide the team to start. At the start of the second and third periods the restart will be taken by the losing team. (In the event of a tie, the referee will retoss the coin.)

9.2)    The restart shall take place behind the base line and beside the frame at which the point was awarded. If there is not sufficient space in the referees' opinion the restart can be taken from inside the forbidden zone.

9.3)    The first shot following the restart need not be at the opposite end. Following the restart, provided the ball has crossed the half-way line (the catcher must have both feet clearly over the line, in the opposite direction to the one from which the restart was taken) the first shot may be at either end.

9.3.1) If a fault occurs by a player shooting before the ball has crossed the halfway line, after any number of passes, a break-down shall be awarded at the forbidden zone where the player shot.

9.4)    The restart throw does not count as a pass.

10.1)    A foul bounce occurs when:

10.1.1) The ball touches the metal edge of the frame.

10.1.2) The rebounding ball does not respect the mirror image as a result of hitting the frame's elastic or clips.

10.2)    If a defending team successfully catches a foul bounce, the game shall continue. If on the other hand they fail to control the ball, the game stops and the defending team shall be given a break-down from where the ball falls onto the playing area.

10.3)    Rules 8.2.2 and 8.2.3 remain in play even after a foul bounce.

11.1)    The referees shall define obstructions before a match.

11.2)    Once the ball hits an obstruction whether the result of a pass, or a shot, a restart will take place where it comes to ground. The passing or defending team will be given the break-down.

11.3)    The ceiling is not deemed to be part of the playing surface.

12.1)    Each player must respect the Tchoukball charter.

12.2)    Players other than the Captain are not allowed to address protests to match officials. Only the team captain or manager may enquire about decisions and conduct of officials and then only in keeping with the spirit of the charter. In general the acceptance of match officials, even where there may be doubt, is to be considered an essential ingredient of the spirit of the game.

12.3)    A player who violates the spirit of the game through disrespectful behaviour towards an opponent, referee, spectator or team-mate will receive a warning from the referees, who can equally, if they consider it necessary, dismiss the player in question.

12.3.1) The persistent and deliberate repetition of faults to gain an unfair adavantage, for example, by wasting time or breaking the flow of the game, may be deemed foul play at the discretion of the referee. The player concerned may be warned or dismissed by the referees according to how they view the player's behaviour.

12.3.2) Unacceptable behaviour from those not playing, but associated with a team (e.g.  trainer, coach or physio) may if the referees deem it necessary to result in a warning or dismissal from the team bench and playing area. Refusal to leave will result in the abandonment of the game and a report being sent to the organising association. The match may be awarded to the non-offending side irrespective of the score at the time of abandonment.

12.4)    A dismissed player cannot be replaced.