Centre Pass Rules in Netball
How the netball centre pass works: who takes it, where every player must start, the three-second limit, and what happens when it goes wrong.
The centre pass starts every quarter and restarts play after every goal. The two Centres take it in turn from the centre circle; every other player must wait outside the centre third until the whistle, and the pass must be caught or touched by a player in the centre third.
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Written for
- Player, parent, umpire
- Rule group
- Court position
The centre pass is how play starts at the beginning of every quarter and after every goal, and it brings several other rules together at once.
The rule in plain English
Centre passes are taken alternately by the two teams' Centres, regardless of who scored (Rule 8.1).
When the whistle is blown to start play:
- The Centre taking the pass must be standing with at least one foot wholly inside the centre circle. Once the whistle goes, they may step out of the circle, but they must obey the footwork rule and release the ball within three seconds (Rules 8.8, 8.12, 8.13).
- The opposing Centre is in the centre third and free to move (Rule 8.9).
- Every other player must be on court in a third their position allows, and must not enter the centre third until the whistle — so before a centre pass, everyone except the two Centres is in one of the goal thirds (Rules 8.10, 8.11).
- The pass must be caught or touched by a player standing wholly in the centre third, or one who lands with their first foot or both feet wholly inside it (Rule 8.14).
A simple example
After a goal, the scoring team's Centre does not automatically take the next centre pass — possession alternates. Before the whistle, the Wing Attack waits in the attacking third, ready to drive into the centre third the moment the whistle blows, while the Centre stands with a foot in the circle and has three seconds to release the ball.
Legal vs illegal
| Legal | Illegal |
|---|---|
| Wing Attack waiting just outside the centre third, then driving in on the whistle | Wing Attack stepping into the centre third before the whistle (breaking) |
| The Centre stepping out of the circle after the whistle, obeying footwork | The Centre not having a foot wholly in the circle when the whistle is blown |
| Releasing the pass within three seconds | Holding the ball for more than three seconds |
| The pass caught by a player who lands with their first foot in the centre third | The pass first caught by a player in a goal third, or by a player landing astride the transverse line |
What the umpire is looking for
Before blowing the whistle, the umpire checks that every player is on court and in the correct third. After the whistle, they're watching for early entry into the centre third, the Centre's footwork and three-second count, and where the pass is first caught or touched.
Restart
Infringements at a centre pass are handled after play has started: the umpire blows the whistle to start the centre pass, then blows again to penalise the infringement (Rule 8.6). The pass is not retaken. Common outcomes:
- Breaking (entering the centre third early): free pass in the centre third by the transverse line where the player entered.
- Incorrect position of the Centre: free pass in the centre circle.
- Pass first caught or touched in a goal third: free pass in that goal third by the transverse line ("untouched").
- Pass going untouched over the side line bounding the centre third: throw-in to the other team.
Querying who takes the centre pass
Under the 2024 rules, an on-court player can ask the umpires to check which team should take the centre pass — but only before it's taken. The umpires then confirm with the scorers (Rule 8.5). Appeals from the bench or coach don't count, and once the pass is taken it's too late.
Common misunderstandings
- "The scoring team gets the next centre pass." Possession alternates regardless of who scored.
- "Players just need to be in their own areas." At a centre pass the rule is stricter: only the two Centres may be in the centre third before the whistle, even though Wing Attack, Goal Attack, Wing Defence and Goal Defence are normally allowed there.
Player tips
- Know where you have to stand before the whistle (outside the centre third unless you're a Centre) so you're never penalised for breaking.
- As Centre, decide your first pass option early — the three-second limit applies to you too.
Umpire tips
- Check every player's position before blowing the whistle, not just the two Centres.
- Remember the sequence: whistle to start, then whistle again to penalise any infringement at the centre pass.
Related rules
The centre pass draws together offside positioning, footwork and the same three-second limit as held ball. For how teams use the centre pass to build an attack, see centre pass tactics.
Common mistakes
- A player other than the two Centres stepping into the centre third before the whistle (breaking).
- The Centre taking longer than three seconds to release the pass.
- The centre pass being first caught or touched by a player in a goal third.
- Thinking the scoring team takes the next centre pass — they alternate.
Official source: checked against the World Netball Rules 2024, published by World Netball. Last checked 10 October 2026.
Always check the official World Netball rulebook for the definitive, current wording. This site explains and illustrates the rules; it does not replace them.