Netball Stoppages Explained
When play stops in netball: injuries, time-outs, and how the clock is managed during a stoppage.
Play can be stopped for an injury, a formal time-out, or another significant disruption — the clock is typically paused during a genuine stoppage, and play resumes from the same point once it's resolved.
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Written for
- Player, parent, umpire
- Rule group
- Administration
Stoppages cover the various ways a netball match can be formally paused outside the normal breaks between quarters.
The rule in plain English
An umpire can stop play for an injury, a serious equipment issue, or another significant disruption to the match. Teams are also typically allowed a limited number of formal time-outs per half, used at a captain's or coach's request during a break in play. During a genuine stoppage, the match clock is generally paused, and play resumes as close as possible to how it stood before the interruption.
Injury stoppages
Player welfare takes priority — an umpire will stop play for a genuine injury concern regardless of the state of the game. Players themselves should not stop play on their own initiative for a suspected injury; that decision belongs to the umpire, partly to avoid a team gaining an unfair advantage by claiming an injury during a promising opposition attack.
The 2024 rules strengthened this specifically for head, neck and suspected concussion injuries: an umpire can now hold time immediately, without waiting for a request from either team, whenever an injury looks obvious or serious. This reflects a broader player-safety focus across the 2024 edition.
Time-outs
Most competitions allow each team a set number of short time-outs per half, requested during a natural break in play rather than mid-passage. The exact number and duration vary by competition, so check the specific rules for the level you're playing at.
Managing the clock
During a stoppage, the match clock is typically paused so that playing time isn't lost to the interruption — this differs from the way some other sports run a continuous clock regardless of stoppages.
Player and coach tips
- Know your competition's time-out allowance before the match, so you can make tactical use of them rather than losing track mid-game.
- Report injuries to the umpire promptly rather than continuing to play through something that needs attention.
Related rules
Stoppages often coincide with substitutions, since a pause in play is the natural point to make a change, and connect to extra time when a match needs a result and regular time ends level.
Common mistakes
- Players stopping play themselves for a perceived injury rather than waiting for the umpire to stop it.
- Not being aware of how many time-outs a team is allowed under the specific competition's rules.
- Confusing a stoppage with a normal break between quarters, which is scheduled rather than a stoppage.
Official source: checked against the World Netball Rules 2024, published by World Netball. Last checked 19 August 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.