# Law 4: Teams (FIBA Official Basketball Rules)

Basketball · Law 4: Teams · Insporta Book (https://book.insporta.app/basketball/laws/law-4-teams/)

Who may play and when: eligible and entitled team members, players, substitutes and excluded players, the make-up of a team, the uniform and shirt numbers, and the equipment a player may and may not wear.

## 4.41 Team Members, Players and Substitutes

Eligible and entitled team members, the three statuses during playing time, the make-up of a team and the moment a substitute becomes a player.

### Test 1: Eligible, entitled, player, substitute, excluded

- Eligibility comes from the regulations of the competition's organising body, including any age limits. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.1.1)
- Entitlement needs an entry on the scoresheet before the game and lasts until a disqualification or a fifth foul. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.1.2)
- A player is a team member on the court who is entitled to play. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.1.3)
- Off the court but still entitled to play: that is a substitute. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.1.3)
- In an interval the player/substitute split pauses: all who are entitled count as players. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.1.4)
- Entitlement needs an entry on the scoresheet before the start of the game; eligibility alone is not enough. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.1.1, 4.1.2)
- A team member stays entitled to play only while he has been neither disqualified nor charged with 5 fouls. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.1.2)
- Eligibility is set by the competition, entitlement by this game's scoresheet, and only five of those are on the court. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.1)
- An entered team member moves between player and substitute until a fifth foul makes him an excluded player. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.1.2, 4.1.3)
- Number 7 has committed 5 fouls and is no longer entitled to play; number 11, on 4, still is. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.1.3)

### Test 2: The make-up of a team

- A team has no more than 12 team members entitled to play. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.2.1)
- The captain is one of the 12, not an extra member. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.2.1, 6.1)
- A team may have up to 8 accompanying delegation members. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.2.1)
- The up to 8 accompanying delegation members include the assistant coaches. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.2.1)
- Where a team has assistant coaches, the first assistant coach is entered on the scoresheet. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.2.1)
- Each team consists of its team members, a head coach and its accompanying delegation. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.2.1)
- Add the maximums: 12 + 1 + 8 = 21. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.2.1)
- 12, then 8, then 5, then 1. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.2.1, 4.2.2)
- 21 people in a full team, 16 bench seats, 12 team members, 5 on the court. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 2.5.5, 4.2.1, 4.2.2)
- Thirteen team members are entered as entitled to play; the limit is 12. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.2.1)

### Test 3: When a substitute becomes a player

- A substitute becomes a player when beckoned on by a referee, or, during a time-out, when he asks the timer. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.2.3)
- In a time-out the change happens when the substitute requests the substitution from the timer. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.2.3)
- Between quarters a player becomes a substitute when the interval ends. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.2.3)
- The same moment that makes the substitute a player makes the replaced player a substitute. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.2.3)
- The team bench area seats include the excluded players; an excluded player is not sent away. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 2.5.5, 4.1.3)
- A scoresheet entry makes him entitled, but only the organiser's rules, age limits among them, make him eligible. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.1.1)
- During playing time each team has 5 team members on the court, and they may be substituted. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.2.2)
- During a time-out the request to the timer is the moment of the change. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.2.3)
- With the ball dead, the referee's beckon is the moment the substitute becomes a player. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.2.3)
- A substitute becomes a player when the referee beckons him to enter the court. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.2.3)

## 4.42 Uniforms and Equipment

Shirts, shorts and socks, shirt numbers, light and dark sets, shoes and logos, and the protective and other equipment a player may wear.

### Test 1: Shirts, shorts and socks

- Shirts and shorts share the same dominant colour front and back. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.3.1)
- All players must tuck their shirts into their playing shorts. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.3.1)
- The rules state that all-in-ones are permitted. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.3.1)
- The shorts must end above the knee. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.3.1)
- Socks must be of the same dominant colour for all team members. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.3.1)
- The 2026 changes removed the requirement for socks to be visible. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.3.1; FIBA OBR 2026 changes)
- Front-to-back colour matching applies to the shorts as much as to the shirts. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.3.1)
- Sleeves above the elbow, shirts tucked in at the waist, shorts above the knee. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.3.1)
- Shirt and shorts share a dominant colour, socks match across the team, shoes may be any colour. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.3.1, 4.4.3)
- Long-sleeved shirts are not permitted; sleeveless shirts and sleeves ending above the elbow are. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.3.1)

### Test 2: Shirt numbers

- Each team member wears a shirt numbered on the front and the back. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.3.2)
- Numbers on the back are at least 16 cm high. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.3.2)
- Numbers on the front are at least 8 cm high. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.3.2)
- The numbers must be at least 2 cm wide. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.3.2)
- Numbers are plain and of a colour that contrasts with the shirt, so they are clearly visible. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.3.2)
- Players on the same team shall not wear the same number. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.3.2)
- Advertising and logos must be at least 4 cm away from the numbers. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.3.2)
- 2 cm, 4 cm, 8 cm, 16 cm. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.3.2)
- A team brings two sets, wears the right one for the game, gives each player a unique number and sizes it correctly. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.3.2, 4.3.3)
- Teams may use 0, 00 and 1 to 99; 100 is outside the range. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.3.2)

### Test 3: Light and dark sets, shoes and logos

- Teams must have a minimum of 2 sets of shirts. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.3.3)
- The first team named in the schedule, the home team, wears light shirts; the second team wears dark. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.3.3)
- The home team's light shirts are preferably white. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.3.3)
- If the 2 teams agree, they may interchange the colours of the shirts. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.3.3)
- During the game a player may wear shoes of any colour combination. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.4.3)
- Flashing lights, reflective material and other adornments on shoes are not permitted. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.4.3)
- No commercial, promotional or charitable name or logo may be displayed, including on the body or in the hair. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.4.4)
- With two sets in hand, the schedule decides the colour: first-named teams wear light. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.3.3)
- Equipment not specifically mentioned must be approved by the FIBA Technical Commission. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.4.5)
- The Bears are named second in the schedule, so they wear the dark set. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.3.3)

### Test 4: Protective equipment

- Equipment designed to increase a player's height or reach, or to give any other unfair advantage, is not permitted. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.4.1)
- Objects that could cut or cause abrasions are banned, so fingernails must be closely cut. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.4.2)
- Jewellery is not permitted. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.4.2)
- Hair accessories are on the list of items that are not permitted. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.4.2)
- Upper arm, thigh and lower leg protection is permitted when sufficiently padded; hard finger-to-forearm guards are not. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.4.2)
- A protector covering an injured nose is permitted, even if made of a hard material. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.4.2)
- Headgear may not cover any part of the face, entirely or partially: eyes, nose, lips and so on. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.4.2)
- Casts made of hard substances are not permitted, even if covered with soft padding. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.4.2)
- Knee, shoulder and ankle braces are all permitted. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.4.2)
- A hard plastic wrist guard is banned even if padded; a padded thigh guard, a knee brace and a clear mouth guard are allowed. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.4.2)

### Test 5: Compression wear, bands and matching colours

- Arm and leg garments, including undershirts and undershorts, made of compression material are permitted. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.4.2)
- Wristbands and headbands may be at most 10 cm wide. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.4.2)
- They must be of textile material. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.4.2)
- A non-coloured transparent mouth guard is permitted. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.4.2)
- Spectacles are permitted if they do not pose a danger to other players. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.4.2)
- Taping of arms, shoulders, legs and so on is permitted. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.4.2)
- Headgear must not have opening or closing elements around the face or neck, or parts sticking out. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.4.2)
- 5 cm, 10 cm, 16 cm. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 2.5, 4.3.2, 4.4.2)
- From the forehead to the mouth, the shoulder and the wrist. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.4.2)
- Compression garments, headbands, wristbands and tapings must be the same solid colour for the whole team. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 4.4.2)

Sources: FIBA Official Basketball Rules 2026 (v1.1), Article 4 (paraphrased in original wording; original questions authored from the Rules, not reproduced)

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