Netball Umpiring
Netball umpiring guides: positioning, whistle technique, terminology, hand signals, advantage and sanctions, structured around what the umpire sees and calls.
Guides for new and developing umpires, based on the World Netball Rules of Netball (2024 edition). They cover getting started, where to stand, the whistle, the official terminology, all 23 hand signals, and how sanctions escalate.
New to umpiring? Start with beginner umpiring — pre-match checks, the toss, who controls which half, and how to make a call — then umpire positioning and the hand signals.
Every rule page also includes umpire tips: what the umpire is looking for and how play restarts. We don't invent or imply umpiring qualifications — this content helps you understand calls, and isn't a substitute for accredited umpire training and assessment through your national netball association.
Guides in this section
Beginner Umpiring in Netball
Getting started as a netball umpire: what to wear, pre-match checks, the toss, who controls which half, making a call, and the calls to learn first.
Netball Sanctions Explained
How netball game management works under the 2024 rules: foul play, the ladder from advice to ordering off, how sanctions are given, and bench discipline.
Netball Umpire Hand Signals
All 23 official netball umpire hand signals from the 2024 rules, illustrated and explained, plus when signals are used and how to practise them.
Netball Umpire Whistle Technique
Netball umpire whistle technique: when the rules say the whistle is used, the whistle-call-signal sequence, holding time, advantage, and using the whistle well.
Netball Umpiring Terminology
The official terms netball umpires call under the 2024 rules: every infringement phrase, the calls that keep play going, and the words for game management.
Umpire Positioning in Netball
How netball umpires position themselves on court: the two-umpire system, court halves, and staying in position to see key calls.