What constitutes a handball offense?

A handball offense is most commonly defined by the deliberate action of a player handling the ball with their arm or hand. In soccer, the key aspect of this rule is the intention behind the action. If a player deliberately uses their arm or hand to touch or control the ball, that constitutes a foul and can result in a free kick or penalty kick being awarded to the opposing team.

While accidental touches by the arm or hand may occur during play (as noted in some of the other options), they do not typically result in a handball offense unless the player is in an unnatural position or the action leads to a clear advantage for the offending team. Therefore, the emphasis lies on the deliberate nature of the action when determining if a handball offense has occurred.