Fair balls, foul balls and catches
WBSC · 2026–2029Fair or foul depends on the ball’s position and the applicable path or first-touch rule, not where the fielder is standing. A ball on a foul line is fair. A legal catch of a batted fly retires the batter even in foul territory; the fielder must control the ball before it touches the ground.
The rule
Fair or foul depends on the ball’s position and the applicable path or first-touch rule, not where the fielder is standing. A ball on a foul line is fair. A legal catch of a batted fly retires the batter even in foul territory; the fielder must control the ball before it touches the ground.
In practice
An uncaught foul normally makes the ball dead and runners return. A caught fly leaves the ball live, so runners may advance after legally tagging up. A foul tip caught by the catcher is a strike with the ball live; it is not treated like every other foul fly. A trapped ball after a bounce is not a catch.
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