Basketball · Official Basketball Rules

Law 9: Start and End of a Quarter, Overtime or the Game

2 parts · 2 tests · 20 facts · updated 22 October 2026 · markdown

Five players ready, the home team's bench and warm-up half, exchanging baskets, and the moments a quarter, an overtime and the game start and end.

9.91Starting the Game and the Benches

Five players ready, the home bench on the left, and baskets for each half.

The game cannot start if one or both teams are not on the court with 5 players ready to play.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 9.3 · recall
The first team named in the schedule is the home team for this rule.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 9.4 · recall
If both teams agree, they may exchange the team benches and/or warm-up half-courts for the first half.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 9.4 · recall
Either or both: the benches and the warm-up halves.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 9.4 · applied
Teams exchange their warm-up half-courts and baskets for the second half.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 9.5 · recall
The rule exchanges half-courts and baskets for the second half; the benches stay where they are.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 9.5 · applied
Baskets are exchanged for the second half, so the 1st and 2nd quarters are played the same way round.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 9.5 · applied
With 5 ready on each side, the 1st quarter starts as the ball leaves the crew chief's hands on the toss.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 9.1, 9.3, 9.4 · applied
Baskets change for the second half and stay the same into every overtime.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 9.5, 9.6 · applied
The first-named team has its bench and warm-up half on the left of the scorer's table, facing the court from it.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 9.4 · applied

The toss, the throw-in that starts later periods, and the signal or red lights at the end.

The toss itself, not the tap, starts the 1st quarter.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 9.1 · recall
All other quarters and overtimes start when the ball is at the disposal of the thrower-in.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 9.2 · recall
The toss for the jump ball in the centre circle is the crew chief's.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 9.1 · recall
Every quarter after the 1st, and every overtime, starts when the ball is at the thrower-in's disposal.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 9.2 · applied
In all overtimes the teams continue towards the same baskets as in the fourth quarter.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 9.6 · recall
A quarter, overtime or the game ends when the game clock signal sounds for its end.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 9.7 · recall
Once that last signal has sounded, playing time is over.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 9.7 · applied
The end-of-quarter signal ends playing time and starts the interval.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 8.5, 9.7 · applied
The 2nd quarter starts the moment the thrower-in has the ball.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 8.3, 9.2 · applied
Where the backboard has red perimeter lighting, the lighting takes precedence over the clock's sound signal.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 9.7 · applied

FIBA Official Basketball Rules 2026 (v1.1), Article 9 (paraphrased in original wording; original questions authored from the Rules, not reproduced)